Last week, the following email landed in my inbox.
Thank you for your support of Ice Castles! We regret to inform you that due to unseasonably warm temperatures and rain this winter, Ice Castles Wisconsin will not be able to open on our targeted dates. We apologize for the disappointment this may have caused. All tickets will automatically be fully refunded. Thank you for your understanding as we work through these weather-related challenges.
Well, bummer. We’d been looking forward to this event in Lake Geneva, but alas, a month’s worth of abnormally warm weather killed those plans. How cool would this have been?
Ironically, right around the time they cancelled the event, the weather turned colder. Instead of rain, we started getting snow again. After several weeks of bare ground, it’s starting to look like a proper winter in Wisconsin.
In fact, we cancelled our plans to venture into Madison today. A decent winter storm is moving in and they’re forecasting 5-7″. Best to stay closer to home given those conditions. And it’s turned sharply colder, too. Check out those temps…
At least this bodes well for next weekend’s plans. We booked an overnight stay in Lake Geneva for the annual Winterfest celebration. National Snow Sculpting Championship? Igloos? Bonfires? Sign me up!
Maybe they’ll add new Ice Castles dates, too. If not, there’s always next year.
Provided the polar ice caps don’t completely melt between now and then.
Inspection Reflection
Friday afternoon, we spent a few hours at the house with Justin the Realtor and two inspectors: the home inspection dude and the well/septic tank inspector. Both guys were great and knowledgeable, though I was a little worried about the second fella. He was definitely up there in years, and at one point joked that he might keel over on the job someday. We snickered a little, until he said he’d had a stroke two weeks earlier.
“Just a little one,” he assured us.
Geez Louise, these Sconnies are hardy souls. Especially traipsing around in the cold and snow.
There were certain things that couldn’t be inspected given the weather. Like the roof and outside spigots. And it was about 30 degrees too cold to safely turn on the A/C. But they did a pretty thorough job otherwise. The well and septic system are in great condition, and the inspector didn’t die midway through, so that was a solid win. It’ll be a couple of days before we have lab results of the water samples, though.
The home itself has no major issues. There are minor things here and there, as you might expect in a home built in 1978, but most are simple fixes. The mechanicals are old and near the end of their lifespan, so we’ll have to budget for a new A/C compressor and furnace in the next couple of years. Beyond that, we’re pretty golden.
We took advantage of all those hours in the house to take measurements and start making plans. Painting and new flooring will be our top two priorities, though we’re still undecided on carpet vs. hardwood in the main living areas. We also spent some time in the backyard, cold be damned. There are so many great decorative elements back there and random sitting areas. Come summertime, we might never set foot inside the house.
The only thing we’re waiting on is the appraisal at this point, and that shouldn’t take too much longer. Needless to say, we’re growing increasingly excited and looking forward to dropping our apartment like a hot potato.
Charmed Life Edit
Five minutes after hitting PUBLISH on this post, I got the following email:
Mother Nature took her time this season, but we are excited to let you know winter has finally arrived in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
Ice Castles at Geneva National Resort will open on Saturday, February 4, 2023!
We have opened up tickets for an additional week, through February 20, 2023. And since Ice Castles wasn’t ready for your original ticketed date, we want you to be the first to know that new tickets are available.
To make it up to you, we’re offering you an exclusive discount to rebook. Use the promo code NewDates to get 15% off your tickets online.
Needless to say, I snatched up tickets. We’ll be heading out there on Feb. 18, just a few days before closing on the house. Woo-hoo!
Mark My Words 
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