Dear Fellow Ice Fanatics.

Welcome to the pre-season doldrums! I checked on flights to the Anarctic icecap: $1979 round trip from Boston. Course I'd have to get the gear there, too, sooooo I'm just gonna sharpen the runners and think Ice.

I won' t trouble you with all the details of this year's first iceboating dream. It involved being in Tai-land, where they were flooding the parking lots to iceboat on. I had forgotten my gear, and forgotten how to iceboat, and they were shouting to me in a strange language. In short, the dream had all the usual fears and insecurities. Check maineicesailors.com for past dreams. This year's had no sex in it. What does that mean?

Meanwhile, I moved the iceboat from the basement to the garage. I can't imagine why. Its September 14. And checked for rust on the runners. and swore I'd buy a new helmet this year, and also some proper ice claws instead of those home-brew ones I use.

Soon we'll give you the dates of the fall get-together. Then we can really build up group frustration.

Meanwhile I'm getting ready for winter home heating. I've heaved some more insulation around, especially the ends of the floor joists in the basement ceiling which weren't insulated. Then bought a Regency wood stove and installed it in the basement, connecting it to the furnace flue IN PLACE OF THE OIL FURNACE, which I plan to mothball. Then ordered 4 cords of seasoned wood, and 8 cords of unseasoned wood for future seasons. This is stacked in the sun on cast-off oak pallets which the hardware store gives me.

Then I put a timer on the hot water heater, which is now turned on only from 5-7 PM. The next month's bill was $10 less, so that's $120 a year saving. Soon I'll look to the windows and doors...

So that feels a little like ice season prep, though not quite.....


Jory, the ex-treasurer.