Ice, Ice Baby and some battle wounds

The last 3 weeks or so, I've been kind of hating on winter! Yes, it's true. I love winter, I do, she just seems to out stay her welcome. I've been avoiding having to go out, and tiring of seeing snow. I'm missing seeing something alive and green. Worse of all is driving on  milder days and getting constantly covered in slush, hoping not to run out of windshield washer fluid. Enough is enough!
I've been making friends with my treadmill and had a really nice run on it Monday and this morning.
But yesterday, I decided to reach way down deep into my Canadian heart and see if I could squeeze out one more ounce of love for Winter! After awhile, you either stay inside going stir crazy or you get out there and embrace winter.
Yesterday, before going into work, I checked on this:

Even with the poor ice conditions I decided to carry on. I drove downtown, parked across from the Rideau Canal, strapped on my skates, turned on my iPod, and skated 10k. The ice surface was rough which I new going in, but it had to be done yesterday, it was sunny and cold, and it is supposed to get very mild and I'm afraid that will be the end of the ice. I LOVED IT!! and it can only be done in winter, so I guess I do have a little love left for winter, but please hurry up Spring!

 I started at k3 and skated down to k1 towards downtown, surface kind of rough but I managed to get a nice rhythm going and was sailing along nicely in some sections. I love the sound of skate blades on ice! Throw in the sound of hockey sticks slashing around and you have a beautiful symphony! (No hockey sticks allowed on the Skateway)

 then I turned around and headed toward the man made lake

 art under one of the bridges and school kids having fun

 a pretty stretch of the Skateway, still heading toward the lake. Many races are run along this route, but higher up on street level looking down over the canal, very nice, winter or summer.

At the lake, I turned around at k6 and skated back to k3 where I was parked. I took off my skates and slid on my slip on runners which were still sitting under the bench where I'd left them( yes, you sit outside on a bench and change into your skates!) next to a pair of Asic Cummulus 11's, that person was brave to leave his shoes there! I headed off to work, feeling fantastic, except for the rubbed raw areas on my ankles, forgot to wear taller socks - oops! but I only felt it for the first little bit, then forgot about it, was surprised to see how bad it was on both legs, inner and outer, inner not as bad.

Hope those of you who are living in winter conditions are still managing to find some enjoyment in it!
As for you from warmer climes enjoy a little warmth and greenery for me please!