Another chilly weekend approaches:

Check out my ice-skating post for the scoop on Neahwa and Fortin Parks (Oneonta), as well as Norwich and Cooperstown. We went to the all-free ice skating rink in Norwich last weekend and they had TONS of skates to loan. They found skates to fit both my toddlers as well as my husband, and even had some size 11 women's skates for hard-to-fit me. The staff was wonderful--so helpful, even offering me a cup of their own coffee. Their daughter volunteered to help my three year old get around on the ice for the first time.

What else is going on?

Fri Jan 23 from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. is a Teen talent show at the Asa Allison building, 4 Academy St. Oneonta. The show is open to sixth- through 12th-graders and is presented by CNY Youth for Christ and Oneonta Community Gospel, Info: 432-0594.

Sat Jan 24 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m, Oneonta's History Center has a children's hands-on train exhibit (courtesy of OWL), with train toys, crafts, and books. Also enjoy the center's working electric train set. The address is 183 Main St. Info: 432-0960. My boys spent an hour and a half there in complete happiness last visit.

Also Sat at 10 a.m, the Rogers Environmental Education Center on state Route 80 has organized a snowshoe outing at the Adams Farm property. Call 674-4017 for details and carpooling.

Sat or Sunday this week, you can rent snow shoes at the SUCO college camp between 10am and 4pm. Call 436-3455 or visit oneonta college camp.

Looking ahead:

Mon Jan 26th is a partial solar eclipse: wikipedia.

Going a little stir crazy? Oneonta's Huntington Memorial Library is still a great place to hang out (assuming your toddlers are fairly well behaved.) The library in Sidney has A LOT of room for kids, including some toys and TONS of puppets to play with. They even have room enough for you to pull out the over-sized children's books and read them. Check out Event Keeper for a fairly comprehensive events calendar for the Four County Library System.

The Oneonta Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group is meeting the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month during the school year at the Main Street Baptist Church (333 Main St). Call 432-5712.