A bit cooler today, but still nice. We'd better enjoy it, we're told we could get from 6-12 inches of snow in some areas tomorrow night and Wednesday. Tonight's forecast looked as if our immediate area would get in the 2-6 inches range, but we'll have to wait and see. With trees and flowers budded or in bloom, a heavy snow could set things back considerably; I'm especially concerned about the apple trees. When we get cold weather after the buds have set, that can ruin the apple crop.

Today has been busy. We've had more visitors than normal (happy to see all of them) and phone calls (also welcome) today. People are back - Tom and Camilla Dente, Andre and Sherry LaPrade, George and Pat Parizo, George and Judy Anderson, and probably others we don't know about.

And e-mails!!! Every time I logged on I had at least half a dozen. Of course part of all the activity was because I began updating our Local Services section on the web site and contacted several of those people to see if they are still in business and/or if anything had changed. People are busy and forget to let us know when something such as a phone number or e-mail address has changed, so from time to time we try to contact the people who have space on our web site in order to keep it current. One of my major gripes is when a web site isn't updated regularly. We appreciate when someone lets us know or if they find a link , phone number or e-mail on our site doesn't work - or like last week when it was brought to my attention some information in the introduction on home page was in error.
It not only keeps us on our toes, but lets us know you're paying attention!

I had this e-mail from Homer today:

HI JANE AND FRED,

GOT A NOTE FROM BOB VALDATTA ABOUT ALASKA ICE-OUT. ON MARCH 27tf THE ICE WAS MORE THAN 50 INCHES THICK, A MARK ONLY REACHED SIX TIMES IN THE LAST 22 YEARS. LAST YEAR'S THICKEST MEASUREMENT WAS 46.75 INCHES. THIS WILL BE A LATE SPRING.

HOMER AND MARGARET

That's a lot of ice! We've had 40 inches or so here at Joe's Pond during a normal winter, but we didn't have anywhere near that this year. When Homer was here a few days ago, we were asking if the Nenana Ice Classic was over with in Alaska, and at that time he hadn't heard anything. He must have contacted his friend, and we thank him for that.

We've been exploring how to protect the Sandy Beach Road sign post today. I talked with Cabot road commissioner, Larry Gochey, and he had several suggestions. Larry has had a lot of experience with damage to signs. It's a constant struggle to keep the road signs in place. They are vandalized regularly, usually the road name is torn off the post.

Our sign will be back up as soon as Ray has a chance to repair it, Evelyn said, but it will be without the top as that was badly damaged and will take time to repair - time she doesn't have right now.