Time to guess: Who’s Mardi Gras’ King Jace?

This past weekend, we witnessed a number of singular events. After a number of ‘mild’ winters, we got an old-fashioned ice storm right up our noses, followed by bitterly cold temperatures for several days. The Patriots won another trip to the NFL Super Bowl in a game which would have been labelled exciting even by the most casual of sports fans. And the 10 Clues to the true identity of King Jace XXV, the Mysterious Monarch of the Woonsocket Mardi Gras. were released to the public.

Judging from the initial reactions, the public is very impressed with King Jace XXV, and the guesses are starting to roll in.

Since Helen Nichols handed me the job of finding and escorting King Jace more than

10 years ago, some members of the committee, who will go nameless at this writing, have always told me they “knew” who King Jace was well before he was unmasked. In fact, to hear them tell it, they always have known immediately upon meeting him and reviewing the clues. Others are equally as sure.

Of course, we tell nobody, not even the committee, who is playing the part of Woonsocket’s Mardi Gras King. Only me, The Fabulous Denise, the man playing the King, and their spouse ever know for sure.

The man playing King Jace is someone who, if their true name were mentioned, would be recognizable. The clues below are designed to be both revealing and misleading. Have fun! King Jace:

1: His Favorite Color is Royal Blue. 2: Loves Chicken, Hates Veggies. 3: If It Were Up To Him, He’d Eat All Outdoors.

4: Like a Farmer, Spring and Fall are his Busy Seasons.

5: His Lucky Numbers are 0, 1, and 8.

6: Not A Snow Bird, But Heads South Whenever He Can.

7: Not Afraid of Controversy.

8: His Orbit Intersects Many Business Circles.

9: Offices Are Not Unfamiliar To Him.

10: You’ve Seen His Name Displayed in a Public Area.

If you think you know the true identity of the man playing King Jace, place one dollar in an official King Jace Quest envelope, available at both Woonsocket radio stations and the offices of The Woonsocket Call on Main Street. All correct guesses will go into a drawing after the King is unmasked on Feb. 15, with half the dollars collected going to the winner.

Good Luck!

• As for the ice storm, it could have been worse, that’s for sure. But I’d rather get two feet of snow than two inches of ice, if you want to know the truth. Still, not to worry, there’s a thaw scheduled for mid-week with up to an inch and a half of rain and temperatures in the 40s. This is good news for sidewalks and parking lots, but very bad news for roofs and gutters. Be on the lookout for water damage to your property as a result of ice dams. As I say, I’d rather have snow than ice.

• More than 4,500 airline flights were cancelled here in New England as a result of the weekend storm. One of the 590 cancelled at Boston’s Logan Airport was supposed to have brought Joe Callahan back to us from a business trip to St. Louis, Missouri. Last word is he might be getting back today. It was only supposed to be a two-day conference. He left Thursday. I didn’t ask, but if it were me, I’d have run out of underwear by now...Well, just keep repeating, life is 10 percent what happens and 90 percent how you take it.