Frozen water

Well, it took nine months, but I’ve finally ticked off the only item remaining on the To Do list from my very first post: earlier this week, I went to my first training session with the Canberra women’s ice hockey team. The rink and facilities are (how can I say this kindly?) well-used; it looks as though I’m fixing to be the oldest person on the team; and I’m feeling pretty rusty after more than two years off the ice (by far the longest I’ve gone without skating since I started playing in high school); but despite all that, I felt so happy to be back in a hockey environment.

When I finished my last active season two years ago, it was in such an atmosphere of drama that I honestly thought I was ready to quit hockey for good. I’m glad to discover that’s not quite the case. I think an entirely drama-free team might be too much to hope for (I’ve never found one of those yet), but most people I’ve met so far seem friendly and laid-back, and I reckon I’m going to be too busy for the remainder of the season (between bouts of wheezing) trying to remember everyone’s name to notice if any factions or dramas are bubbling below the surface. It’s not much of a strategy, but it’s the only one I’ve got for the moment.

Oh, and once again I’ve underestimated the athletes in my adopted country, expecting the women’s team to consist largely of North American expats. Nope—pretty much everyone is Australian.

I wonder if they’ll like homemade cookies as much as the poms did?