Ice-Out Update!

 Diane Rossi reports that the block is still holding steady and is without any signs of melting going on. She said it looks so stable she will not send a photo again right away, but will wait until it begins to show signs something is happening. With the weather predicted to be warm and springlike for the next several days, by mid-week there should be some change. We'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, Diane is busy counting tickets and money - a big chore after the end of the contest rush - and Henretta will be getting the tickets to enter on her spreadsheets soon. It will be a few days before she has all of the numbers entered. Diane said this appears to be a banner year with lots of tickets sold - perhaps even the most ever! We'll have to wait for a final count, but right now it seems the 50/50 split will be $5,000 or more! We're all wondering how much Covid-19 had to do with that - more people at home with time to think about filling out their tickets, perhaps? Every year is a little different, and it's always exciting to know how much the winner(s) will get. There is a chance that there will be more than one person who will guess the same time and day. It has happened several times before, and then the winners get equal shares of the 50/50 split with Joe's Pond Association. 

I hope everyone had a pleasant Easter. I was excited and pleased to have dinner with Jamie and Marie today - along with Marie's mom and sister. Everyone has been vaccinated except Jamie, and he has been able to remain isolated with his small office pod, so we all felt very safe. Jamie is scheduled to get his first vaccination shot on April 12. The whole family will be immunized soon and that will mean the whole family can feel safe getting together this summer, I hope. I spoke with Granddaughter Jo-Ann this evening (today is her birthday!) and she told me even though the governor has opened up Texas completely, people are still wearing masks and distancing, apparently ignoring the governor's careless and dangerous attitude and taking care of themselves as best they can. Jo-Ann said she hopes to be immunized soon. It was good to talk with her.

I've been reading on Front Porch Forum about people here excited to see robins - and I was surprised by that. I've had robins here for at least three weeks - they are busy building their nests in spite of the colder weather and snow. The sunshine today took care of melting most of the recent snow and a fair amount of what was left in patches before this last storm, so I think it will all be gone within the next day or two. I haven't found much evidence of flowers, but there are a few daffodil spikes showing and some iris. Everything will push up through the mulch and within a matter of a few days, I expect to see at least a few blooms - a crocus or two, at least. I haven't heard any frogs peeping yet, but soon!