Last Lesson - for a while

This morning was the last lesson before my coach leaves on a 3-month-long vacation. I was probably more awake this morning than on Friday morning, so it wasn't quite as disastrous.

The Axel is consistent, just not "pretty", but I'm still doing really strange things on the Salchow... On the single, my right shoulder is too high, and on the double, I'm dropping my right shoulder! I did land a few double Sals eventually, but they still don't feel quite right. Oh well, like it or not, double toe is definitely easier!

In the last 5 minutes of lesson, my coach decided to look at my spins! Now, which one of you readers told on me?? Or maybe none of you did, since I am certain that if he'd known I have a blog, he would have been really curious and asked me endlessly about it.

I protested mildly, saying I wanted to work on the loop, but he said no, and that I was too tired. So what did he want to do? Flying camel! Right, if I was tired, the flying camel would be the perfect spin to work on - after all, I have put it almost at the end of my program! (in case you didn't get it, that was supposed to reek of sarcasm)

Anyway, the flying camel was pretty decent... Then, he asked to see the "combination spin". This I had to do twice before he confirmed he saw the change of edge on the back upright (I'm sure he wasn't paying attention the first time, as he wasn't expecting it!).

Just before lesson was over, I did a one-and-only-for-today layback with haircutter. It felt stable, and didn't lose speed (which I usually do when I reach for my free skate), and I was surprised myself.

Later I told my coach that I will not have any laybacks in my program - his response: "but your layback is good". Still I don't think its worth it... In IJS jargon, would I rather attempt a LSp2 that might end up being called as a LSp1, or a CSSp4 that will be called at least a CSSp2?

[Quick Reference: LSp2 carries 1.8 points, and CSSp2 carries 2.0 points.]