Having almost lost my extremities due to the big chill up on the hill on Saturday I decided to leave it to the die-hards for the rest of the brutally brisk weekend and stay down low off the lifts.

As my husband happened to be one of those ‘die-hards’ I made the most of my Sunday as a ‘widow left out in the cold’ by taking the kids down to the ice rink in Happy Valley.

I must say when it comes to ice-skating I don’t have much of a clue. I reckon I could speak for a few of us Aussies when I say that most of us don’t know the difference between a Lutz jump and a Backward Swizzle, let alone a Hook Check and a Slap Shot! What the puck??

Ice rinks are few and far between the beaches and deserts back home. From the Big Banana Ice Rink to the Penrith Ice Palace I’m not quite sure that we take it all too seriously (although I’m sure the Australian Ice Skating Federation might disagree).

In fact, ice-skating is something that most of us do to escape a scorcher (i.e. a hot summer’s day) and it’s at times like this that the indoor, temperature-controlled rinks become an over-crowed bungle resembling somewhat of a mosh-pit! If you leave with all your digits intact you’ve had a good session!

Needless to say, skating on an ‘open-air’ rink down in Happy Valley on such a glorious day was completely exhilarating and refreshing. Hockey over to the right, skating over to the left - there was plenty of room to practice the odd axel followed by a Salchow. OK – you caught me out… I watched the fancy footwork from the bench. I was too busy organizing the kids and trying to convince them that ‘falling is fun’. I am yet to hook up the laces and re-live my Blades of Glory days. I have, however, promised myself that I will perfect the Flying Lotus by the end of the season.

The Happy Valley rink is open every day from 11am until 9pm. No skates? No excuse! You can hire them down there. I’ve got to say that it’s a great way to enjoy the chill in a different way. See you rink-side! And remember… falling is fun!