The Work is Piling Up

January 15

February 5

As you can see from these two pictures, my workload has increased dramatically over the last three weeks. The amount of flat surface has increased along with the amount of paper I have to deal with.  I have gone from a desk and table with not much on them to desk and three tables, and they are all overflowing.

Today is our Ceremonial Contract Signing, and we have had a steady stream of visitors from all over - Washington DC, Seward, Fairbanks, and some people I have no idea.  They are over in the shipyard on tours, so it's quiet right now.  That's bound to change, though.  I passed on the tour.  I figure I'll have plenty of time to see it over the next three years.

Car.........Plunk!

This was on the front page of today's Eagle-Herald, and it's irresistible.  As a fundraiser, the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club are bringing back an old Menominee-Marinette tradition, the Car Plunk.  This VW van is parked on the ice in the middle of the marina in Menominee.  You can buy a ticket for the opportunity to guess the day, hour, minute and second (yes, down to the second) that it will drop through the ice as it melts.  Apparently, this was a tradition for many years, but was stopped about 20 years ago.  The Y and the B&G Club brought it back this year.  In the updated version, they got permits from the county and Army Corps of Engineers, removed the engine and transmission and anything else that might cause pollution, and put it out on the ice.  There is a webcam looking at the marina, you can access it via www.mmymca.org, follow the links to CARPLUNK.  What a riot.  I can't wait!  Small towns are a blast!

Tomorrow (Friday) is the big ceremonial contract signing at the shipyard.  Lots of special guests (Asst. Director of the National Science Foundation, Chancellor of the Univ. of Alaska, Chairman and CEO of Marinette Marine, a couple of Congressmen, etc.)  I'm supposed to wear a tie, and I *do* have to show up.  At least there's a party afterwards.