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We received a couple of notes with renewals to the Chronicle recently. It's always good to hear from our subscribers, especially those from away! The first one came from longtime friend Virginia Cayler. She says: "Hi Pat & Mike. I'd like my paper for another year. Look forward to getting it every week and reading about old friends (like you) and new people in town." She lives in Onalaska, near La Crosse. Then Jan Smith of Greendale, Wisconsin says, "Please renew my subscription and my sister's - Julie Marnocha of Ft. Myers, Florida. A note for Mike: My sister Julie says the Iowa drivers don't drive any better when in Florida than they do in Wisconsin! Thanks, looking forward to another year of the Chronicle!"
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Brother Pat had a knee replaced on Monday the 10th. Hopefully that will alleviate some of the pain he has been experiencing this winter - the cold weather has not been kind to "bad knees". The doctor who did the surgery said he could probably have the other one done sooner than they expected as things went so well this time. He's been doing some therapy at Ryan's (son) house (where he's recuperating) and some at Upland Hills Health.
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I messed up again. Last week I wrote about a note from Rolf Lulloff (Dodgeville grad) and his connection with Bob Obma in Green Bay and his son Hans, who is the actor we wrote a Spotlight story about a few weeks ago. I said that Hans' brother Paddy being in Rolf's law firm when he is indeed in a medical clinic. Paddy is with Prevea Sports Medicine, as an orthopod and Rolf is a long-time orthopedic surgeon. This was brought to my attention by another Dodgeville grad - Kramer "Butch" Rock- who is an avid "my column" reader! Butch and I go way back to before the state tournament days in 1963 and 1964, plus we played a lot of softball together.
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For anyone having questions about your water pipes freezing and running your water when the temperatures have warmed up this week, here's a few things to think about.
Pipes under streets are particularly susceptible to freezing from frost because roads are not insulated by the snowpack. With the below-normal cold this winter, the frost beneath the pavement has fallen deeper than what's usually seen. This (frost) is going down deeper than normal -- normal being the last five years. The frost typically begins thawing from the top before thawing from below and ending somewhere in the middle. While the forecast calls for warmer temperatures over the next week, the frost is likely to remain steady, as nighttime temperatures above freezing are needed to make a big impact on frost depth. For those concerned about pipes freezing inside the home, it's a good idea to keep a hair dryer handy. Get out your hair dryer and try to heat it up that way. That's the quickest, easiest, safest way to try to thaw out a pipe inside your home. Although the problem can sometimes be resolved without a plumber, homeowners should call one right away when a pipe freezes, Reynolds said. Don't wait. Every minute increases the chance of a rupture. Some experts say if the water temperature -- measured with a digital thermometer -- drops to 34 degrees, they should run a thin stream of water to prevent freezing. Also people should keep their homes well heated and allow the heat to get to areas that commonly see problems, such as behind cabinets and in basements.
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Regional wrestling - the start of "on the road to Individual State" - happened last Saturday. Good luck to all those advancing to the Sectional level this weekend with the top three in each weight class earning a trip to state the following week