All’s great in the neighborhood—at least in LODA! (For you newcomers, that stands for Lower Downtown Alamosa). We are preparing for possible flood warnings with temperatures predicted to be 31 today and then 37, 37, 38 for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday—Yahoo! 

And then…it gets cold again, but the nighttime temperatures won’t be dipping down to that lovely 20-25 below! We have certainly had one of those winters like the olden days, huh? And I’m still hoping we get more storms. Wouldn’t it be awesome to have the spring storms, knowing it will melt sooner over later, but giving us the moisture we are so desperate for? 

We have quite a few bets coming in on the ‘Big Melt’. What is the ‘Big Melt’, you ask. Well, here’s the scoop….there is a pile of snow on the south end of the Safeway parking lot, close to the Wet Paintbrush.  If you come by the Green Spot and donate $1 you can place a bet as to when that pile will be totally melted. Fifty percent of the donations will go to one of the charities I support, or to the charity you choose and 50 percent will be donated back to the winner.

Bets already range from March 1st to June 17th, so we are getting quite a range AND having quite a bit of fun with the guesses. I am not sure when you will no longer be allowed to guess, but you have more than a few days to get your wager in. I can’t even tell you that if we get a huge storm that more snow might be piled on top of this pile—who knows? 

This ‘Big Melt’ contest is a pretty low exercise, no slipping on the ice, stay in the warm car kind of winter sport. Anybody can do it. If you don’t want to get out of the car at the Green Spot, just honk and I will come out and get your wager.

Meanwhile…I have been working with three guys who made mistakes in their lives. Who amongst us hasn’t? We have been chipping away the ice in the ADA (handicap) areas on Eighth and State. Today one guy is going to clean the ADA area by the Welcome Center and one guy is going to help clean Society Hall—the ceiling is fixed and now we have to dust! Can you imagine if the city hired someone to work with these folks, how many areas might be clear of ice in the downtown business area? Just a thought.

If you haven’t been to the Nestle Tollhouse Cookie shop recently, you messed up. They closed up shop on Thursday—for good! There are different reasons, I’m sure, but the 12 percent loss in sales when the courthouse folks left town, hurt the most! I wonder how many other businesses felt the crunch. Thank you Jackie for giving it your best for over four years. You will be missed.

Back to Society Hall! A huge and sincere thanks go out to Russell Achatz and the Alamosa State Bank for helping us purchase our own light system! We are so excited! And we are grateful! Alamosa State Bank also paid for part of our ceiling repair—we are so blessed! 

Our next concert at Society Hall is on Tuesday, the 5th. If you have never been to a show, we are offering $5 tickets for first time offenders—I mean concert goers. You might surprise yourself—just ask Cleave or Cathy Simpson how great the concert was a week or so ago. It was their first time attending. Give me a call at 580-7838 if you need more information.

Despite the cold, I caught a little bit of spring fever this week. I ordered in some new houseplants—forgetting how cold my building can be. It’s just hard to heat up this much concrete, AND keep it warm but I just wanted more plants. I want to feel the soil and do some transplanting! If you are wanting help with transplanting plants this spring, I am willing to help you if I can—or advise you as to how I think is best. You should see the new growth on my big Jade at home. Each day is getting longer….a little bit more daylight each day.

Again, I want to advise you to get educated on Hemp CBD products. Do not trust everything you see on the Internet. CBD is doing SO much good—but only if you know what you are looking for, and what questions to ask. It’s kind of a buyer beware market right now, and I think it might get worse, if the number of folks coming in to the Green Spot is any indication—three this week. I will GLADLY try and answer your questions, whether you buy from me or not. Thank you for your trust.