Showmanship.

Like many folks I have been watching the Winter Olympics. I just finished watching a figure skating performance and found it quite impressive.

It made me remember 1979, the second winter in the house my father built for us. We had a hardwood floor in the family room (it’s still there as a matter of fact) and my sister and I were inspired by watching Randy Gardner and Tai Babilonia. Even though we lived in the great white north known as the Lake Ontario Snowbelt, we opted to ‘skate’ around the family room in our socks on the hardwood floor. With the furniture pushed aside and some 45 spinning on the GE Wildcat record player, we danced around like we were skating and did our best Randy and Tai impersonation. We were not as good as “Fire and Nice” from ‘Modern Family’ but we did our thing. Who needs ice. My mother was happy because it kept her from having to dust the floor.

I remember finally getting the nerve to lift my sister in the air during a slow motion, real estate limited routine when my mother immediately stopped the show. I think she was afraid we were going to knock the oddly placed, shaped and decorated chandelier that hung in front of the fireplace off the ceiling.

Randy and Tai were safe for another year.