but one thing that has so far saved me from completely going out and putting money down on a burial plot… Skating. When my husband announced that he and my friend Kacy had planned a skate party for my “green mile” birthday, I suddenly was able to reverse a small amount of time.

What’s one of the biggest dreams a kid of my generation would have wanted back in the days of jr. high? I am gonna tell you…I always envied the kids that had Skate party’s. It was bad enough skating past those private little glass enclosed party rooms and seeing people setting up inside. Streamers and cake, occasionally there would be a sign that announced the name of the birthday child who’s parents must really have loved them. Then came the announcement over the speakers “ all those who came to help Billy celebrate his birthday- your party room is now open.” My Bladder would suddenly shrink to the size of pea forcing me to have to skate pass the “party rooms” on my way to the bathroom about a million times. One can’t help but to look. All those happy children cheering silently behind the glass and scarfing down cake. UGHHH… it was segregation at it’s earliest form and it was pure torture. What I couldn’t understand is even though there was no wall but only glass separating me from the other children & I knew they could see me- I suddenly had been demoted to invisibility. Any other time I would have loved to have this ‘super power’ (Like when I didn’t want to be called on in class or when my sister suddenly turned ‘Hyde’  and needed someone to serve up a ‘Hearst Donut”/AKA Hurts… don’t it) But NEVER did I want invisibility  when Cake was involved.  If ONLY they would post a picture of the Birthday person on the wall as they prepped the room, I would have the upper hand of hunting this kid down and making friends with him/her prior to Party time. I could care less if Billy had one eye in the middle of his forehead… I would ask him to a couples skate (or at least hold the other side of my comb like we did instead of holding hands back in the skate days)I fought my conscience a few times wondering what would happen if I just came in and joined them? Would “Billy” have the guts to stand up and point me out “Hey! I didn’t invite THAT girl!!”, that’s when security guards are called in to force me out of the party (its not like I could resist them with wheels on my feet and a stopper can only grant you so much staying power.) Did “Billy” even know his birthday list? Isnt it normally the parents that plan these events FOR their child? Who’s to say I wasn’t “dad’s Boss’s daughter from out of town.” It wouldn’t be until later that night as mum slapped on the cold cream that she asked her husband about ‘the boss’s daughter” being there…(”I didn’t even know George had a daughter” “George? No he doesn’t have one.. why?”) that they would suddenly realize they had been cake bamboozled. I can even sadly admit that there were times I would lurk by the skate return area just HOPING the party would finish up quickly and get back to the skating floor, leaving behind a unattended to cake. Drool. I felt so completely cheated by my parents for never coming up with the idea of giving me a skate party. I shouldn’t have to ask … If they really loved me and cared about my popularity, they would have KNOWN to thrown me a Skate party in one of those tiny blue carpeted wall rooms… it should have been ME who got to ignore others.It may be late… it may not have come from my parents- but FINALLY at 40 I will be able to mark off the fantasy of a skate party from my list of “2 do’s” in this life Gone are the tiny segregated rooms and to be honest this time I don’t plan on ignoring anyone. I have something even BETTER!!!  Kacy and my husband gave me the entire rink for my birthday. Not only do I get to be surrounded by my friends for my birthday but its also a fun little gift for everyone else as well. Id say about 90% of the invites went to people that haven’t gone skating in well over 10-15 years. Its been amazing to invite everyone, to be able to tell them they only have to bring themselves and that it will be free and to know everyone will be having a great time. The Husband and Kacy have planned well as they have even themed it as the 80’s. All clothes and music will all reflect the years I grew up in. Every single person I have spoken too is just as excited as I am to be able to go skating. Amazing that just the other day I was thinking how completely old I have gotten, how  walking is now a hassle, that getting up in the morning is a freak show of bones popping and escaping of other noisy bodily functions, I was feeling so old that I was starting to plan on knitting a blanket to set over my lap in the rocking chair and now with the simple planning by 2 people I have been given something more age fighting than Oil Olay night cream… I have been given youth and Not only does this give me energy but I get to drag my friends back years with me… its kinda like that Twilight zone… remember the one where the old people grow young again playing a game of kick the can only this time we will reverse time on wheels. “Like totally Tubular huh?”