I’ve been in Seattle for the past two days - I’m down for a quick business trip. Today, our architecture had an off-site, really off-site, retreat on Bainbridge Island. We took the ferry over in the morning, brainstormed all day, and then ferried back this evening. The work was great, the views were stunning, and the weather is simply amazing. Today’s high was in 70’s to low 80’s and tomorrow we’ll be working our way into the low 90’s. It’s summer baby!!!! At least here in Seattle.
In Anchorage, the leaves aren’t even out yet. sigh…
Here are some pics:
The morning ferry commute to Bainbridge. Pretty darn nifty and what a great skyline!
Sailboats at the Bainbridge Harbor.
Henry II desperately wants his own little flying saucer decal!
Anchorage is all atwitter - Elton John is coming to town at the end of May. Through hook and crook and the beneficence of friends in Fairbanks who picked up tickets for the Anchorage performance at the Fairbanks Fred Meyer thereby avoiding the mobs at the Anchorage stores, we managed to score 6 tickets to the Friday May 30th show. Both the May 28th and the May 30th shows sold out within 55 minutes. So we count ourselves amongst the lucky.
The Ski Boy is already working on his look. Photographer, Pooh, did an excellent job of capturing the je ne sais quois of the Ski Boy as Elton.
Last evening, the Ski Boy and I returned home at 10:30 PM after an amazing concert by one of the world’s great musicians, the Latin trumpet and overall musical genius, Arturo Sandoval. Who by the way happens to be the answer to 8 down in today’s Sunday NY Time Crossword puzzle.
Anyhoo, by 10:30 PM last night, the ice was gone, gone, gone. The Ski Boy was right - that warm night time (land of the Midnight Sun and all of that) western sun just cooked the remaining ice into oblivion.
So the winner of the 7th Annual Westchester Lagoon Ice Classic is Brad!!!!!! This is the 3rd time Brad has won. He is definitely an ace ice prognosticator!!! May 10th ties for the latest date ever for ice out. If the ice had held on for just a few more hours, we would have set a new record and Kim would have won!
Below are the final standings. Thanks to everyone who participated this year - especially to Liam and Riley who have years of prognostication ahead of them!
Oooh - it’s so close - the ice is almost out!!!!! Today is brilliantly sunny, sort of warm: 55 degrees, and windy. A large portion of the remaining ice went out today. But there is still a significant ice scrim at the west end.
Peter thinks as the sun moves around to the west this evening, the ice will heat up and the remainder of the ice scrim will go out tonight. I’m not sure about that. But I would bet that by this time tomorrow, the ice will be gone. So it looks as if the contest will come down to Brad and Kim.
The Ski Boy took this shot of Tyge and me this afternoon. You can see the remaining ice in the background.
O.K. - this is somewhat profane and insults both republicans and democrats and their constituencies. But it is really funny - in a surprisingly charming way. And what makes it completely hilarious is that it’s spot on.
Now, for a brief break from the Ice Classic, here’s a great video of a Pleo at Seaworld. Roll ahead to the two minute mark and watch the Dolphins and Pleo.
Today is cold and gray - not conducive to a massive ice-out event. The ice is still in and doesn’t appear to be going anywhere soon. I now think that Mother’s Day: Sunday May 11, might be the day.
I know that Frankie is sure that she’s been robbed. Carol is positive that Peter and I have been out there in a row boat keeping the ice from going out. And Liam and Riley are probably totally bummed. They even made a site visit to gauge the ice status before entering the contest.
But, this has been a very cold spring - with a freak two foot blizzard thrown in just for fun. If the ice does go out on May 11th, it will be the latest date ever in the history of the contest.
Oooh - today was warm and windy. As a result, 1/3 of the Lagoon ice, all from the east end, is gone. Peter thinks that tomorrow or Friday are highly probable ice-out days.
Fortunately for me, we seem to have made it through today, May 7th, with the ice still intact. I would have had a gigantic payout if the ice had gone out today.
Well, it’s May 6th and the Lagoon is still very much iced in. However, the ice has now started the rotting process. So maybe it will go out prior to June.
Nicole, Sean, Sandra, and Gordon have all bitten the dust.
I have to say, I hope the ice doesn’t go out tomorrow. I’d have a huge payout - 5 people selected May 7th!!!!
This picture was taken last night. You can see that the ice is beginning to look a bit chewy.
Here it is Sunday May 4th and it certainly does not feel like spring. Today’s high was a mere 49 degrees and to be honest, it didn’t even seem that warm.
As far as the Ice Classic goes, the Ski Boy and I inspected the ice today. Initially, we didn’t think it was going anywhere for at least a week. However, we then noticed the huge open lead in the southeast corner of the lagoon. I think the melt-off from last week’s freak two foot blizzard led to heavy creek flow into the Lagoon. If that lead grows, it could force the ice out sooner rather than later. Who knows?????
Here are the guesses - tabulated and sorted by date. Ted, Cory, and Jeri Ann are all out of luck. And I don’t think Nicole will be celebrating ice out with her Cinco De Mayo margarita tomorrow.
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