Ahlai

Aaargh! How could I forget Javi!!! Can we pretend his is the ball on the far side that's half cut off for now? I'll fix it up after I get all my work in.

Sorry, but it had to be done (the image wouldn't leave me alone and I have essays to write). Happy for Zhenya that she's happy and so proud of the way she's handled this.

True, I'll have to see what time I've got. I'm off to a bit of a late start but I can always skip the food shopping, who needs to eat when you can skate!

Thanks, I'm taking them in to get checked over and sharpened tomorrow, don't know if I'll be able to resist temptation after that. I'm supposed to be taking kiddo and a friend with me at the weekend and some alone-time on the ice first is sounding really good.

Moving over from Random Thought Theatre: My new skates just arrived! They're the first I've owned in about 20 years, basic recreational skates because I have absolutely no illusions about reliving the glory days but so far I couldn't be happier with them. I have a long term foot injury that made the rentals at our local rink agony to wear but these are so comfy I don't want to take them off I'm stomping about the living room in them with no pain in my foot at all which just never happens (probably because they're boots which is what I'm supposed to wear all the time but, eh, it's summer...) I'm now busy calculating how mad kiddo will be if I hit the rink tomorrow while she's in school rather than waiting for the weekend like we planned...

I don't know about the bottom picture but the Getty Images one is from 2015 so no idea.

Some more last minute entries...

I think that's one of the first videos I saw too! I was introduced to Yuzu only late this season and am now regretting letting life push me out of FS fandom for so long :cry: Skating isn't really broadcast here (we get the Olympics and maybe Worlds highlights) and I had no internet access when I first left home so it was easy to fall away. More recently I'd watch the occasional vid on Youtube but wasn't interested enough to put the effort into getting my head around the new judging system. Then, being the responsible parent I am, I'm watching Youtube over my daughter's shoulder when she clicks away from yet another Yuri on Ice crack!vid to a clip of this skinny Japanese kid simply owning the ice and I was hooked. Then I come across clips like the above, and the dreaded Cup of China incident, and learn about the Tsunami and... what can I say, this boy has stolen my heart and I ain't even mad. :embSwan: