Irish Music and Christmas Decorations

 

Today I worked from home and did walk outside, despite the frigid temperatures. When Travalon came home, we went to Alt Brew and listened to the Currach Tetrad just like last month. This time the only person I recognized there (besides people in the band) was the woman I know from the Slow Irish Session, but I did talk to a man whose wife just got Irish citizenship. I asked how she did that, and her grandfather was born in Ireland. Bummer - I'm one generation too far removed. They had a dancing lesson again, but this time I didn't get up for it. The college Irish dancers performed, and they were really good. I wish I knew how to dance like that, but nobody would want to see that - it looks way better on cute girls barely old enough to legally drink. But it seems like it would be a great exercise program. The school-aged son of the concertina player also performed for us on the fiddle, and he was really good too. Apparently his older brother (who didn't perform) won some contest in Ireland.

Afterwards, Travalon and I drove around a subdivision in Waunakee, looking at Christmas lights. Here are some photos; Travalon took some of these, and I took some.

Did you notice that two of these are of the same house? Just checking to see if you are paying attention.

Here is Mr. Swanky on a colorful quilt.

I keep hearing a mysterious sound outside. At first I thought it was a train horn, but it's too low-pitched for that. It kind of sounds off in the pattern of a train horn, like silence for a while, then it goes off two times in a row. If I learn any more about what it is, I'll let you know in my next post.

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Shuttle Drama

 

This morning was very, very, very cold. I sat in my car waiting for the shuttle, but it didn't come. Finally i got out of the car and walked to the bus shelter, thinking the shuttle wasn't coming because the driver didn't see anyone waiting, so maybe he thought we were all working from home on such a cold morning. I saw the shuttle just parked down the way, which seemed odd because we were supposed to leave at eight, and it was eight. I began walking toward it, and then it started slowly driving toward me... and meanwhile a second shuttle came blasting down the road toward us. Other people had seen me get out of my car, and they must have thought I knew something, because then they joined me at the shelter. We watched the second shuttle pull abreast of the first one and stop, then the drivers had some sort of confab, and one of the other people waiting with me said, "Uh oh, some shuttle drama this morning?" Finally the second shuttle pulled up to us, and the driver said the first shuttle had a mechanical failure. "And on such a cold morning!" I said, and he said, "That's the reason why it happened." At that point I had been outside for five minutes, but it was zero degrees F, and -13 F with the windchill, so I was a little cold. I messaged my coworkers to say I might be late, and one said, "C'mon, get everyone out and push!" and another one said, "My old beater that sits in the driveway didn't want to start on this cold morning." I said, "I feel ya, car - I didn't want to start on this cold morning either!"

As usual, I drank my coffee in my adult sippy cup on the ride into work, and I even got there with two minutes to spare. Then I poured myself another cup of coffee to warm up... and just after I'd finished it, the chair asked if I wanted some of her special, strong coffee to warm up. After that my FitBit said I'd had 52 active minutes, which it bases on my heart rate, which must have been racing after all that caffeine. Who needs exercise when you can just overcaffeinate yourself?

It was so cold out that I didn't want to walk outside, and the meeting room upstairs that overlooks the lake was free until three so I walked there for my morning break and for lunch. However, toward the end of my lunch break, people kept peeking into the room and asking to borrow chairs, so I headed back downstairs. There was this cute drawing on the chalkboard in there.

There was also a mysterious message that the stage would be dark so bring a light, which I assume was aimed at the balalaika orchestra that practices in that room.

At the end of the work day, I went to a party to celebrate the graduates of the program. I made a woven paper heart basket but forgot to take a photo, and it's in my office so I can't take one now. I also had some glogg and some treats. It did make me a little wistful, because right now I feel like a part of the department, but once I'm in FART 5, I'll just be an anonymous financial person with no connection to academia, like I could just be working at a bank. If I'd wanted to work at a bank, I'd be working at a bank. It's so frustrating. Then I had to leave for our Union meeting, where we discussed the FARTs and other movements to go to "shared systems," or whatever they're calling it, which some people think is a prelude to contracting these services out. I can just imagine getting laid off two years before I could officially retire. Maybe I'll move to Panama and pick bananas or something. At least it's warm there.

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Parties on Campus

 

This morning our boss canceled the administrative staff meeting we always have at ten on Wednesdays, so I was watching the snow fall up with my coworker.

Suddenly our boss came around to collect everyone, because he had actually canceled next week's meeting, but none of us had noted the date. Good thing he found me before I had left for my break! Since I didn't get a morning break, I took a long lunch to go to the Just Bach concert at the Lutheran church where I used to sing. The first piece was attributed to Buxtehude, but the bass said it probably wasn't by him, even though it totally sounded like him. Also, the tenor was sick, so they had to do some reconfiguring last minute. Two men were talking during the first piece, and then they just got up and left. Offended by the lack of tenor or by the possibly fake Buxtehude? The world may never know.

Days like this make me happy to be back on campus part-time. I went to an open house for the small department I help out, and that was a lot of fun. They had a cake decorated with an image of a faculty member's new book, and it was very strawberry-flavored. I also had some healthier snacks. Then I had to hurry back for our department-wide meeting. 

Right after work I walked to the Union (despite the frigid temperatures) and found Travalon and my Staff Congress peeps at the Chancellor's Holiday party. On the way there I ran into my former boss, who was also going to it. There was free wine and beer (I had a Spotted Cow), lots of fun hors d'oeuvres, and peppermint ice cream for dessert. The Chancellor came over and told us she was going to Colombia for the winter break, which made us all jealous - none of us are going anywhere warm and exotic. I also saw the IT guy I had dropped my computer off with just before heading over, and I asked what his connection was, and he said, "I'm a Plus One." Then I realized that I also knew his wife, but they have different last names, so I hadn't realized they were married. Then again, a guy I know from the Union and a woman I know from a committee are married, and I never made the connection because they have such a common last name, even though he would mention his wife by my committee mate's name, until he finally said, "You know her! You're on that committee together!" Anyway, today was a fun day around the meetings, with the concert and not one but two holiday parties. I imagine tomorrow, which will be even colder, will also be a lot quieter. Maybe I'll have time to get some work done...

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More About My Knee Woes

 

Today I worked from home, and midday I went to my appointment at Sports Medicine. They took a bunch of x-rays of my knees, then a doctor met with me for like five minutes to tell me what happened is that I have some mild arthritis in my knees, so when I injured the right one, it flared up. Okay, so it is just about me being old... and fat, because she said she was going to refer me to Physical Therapy and to the Weight Management Program. Then I met briefly with a physical therapist who gave me four exercises to do. I have to do each one ten times on each side, and then do the whole sequence two more times. I did it tonight, and it was a pain, but now I feel kind of warm and wonderful.

At Adoration tonight, I heard a raucous party upstairs. Tomorrow should be the big party for Our Lady of Guadalupe, so maybe it was just a practice session. There were also people in the church hall, and one told me I was welcome to come tomorrow. It's tempting - I'm so happy that people are making a joyful noise unto the Lord at my old church again.

Here are some photos from this weekend that Travalon took with his good camera. First, the Show Dome in Milwaukee.

Here are photos from the Desert Dome.

We don't know what this globe on the ceiling was, but it was cool!

There were a couple of doves in there.

And here are photos from the Tropical Dome.

And here are photos from the Christmas display by the Cathedral.

On Sunday we went to the dog park near our house so we could see the birds on the water. Here are some mallards.

It was really fun going to the dog park, because all the dogs wanted to say hi, and none of the people seemed to notice that we didn't have a dog ourselves. Is it weird to go to a dog park without a dog?

Here is the best photo Travalon took of the swans at Cherokee Marsh.

And here are a couple of photos of the sunset at the marsh.

And here are some photos Travalon took of houses we saw on Sunday night.

And of course it's time for some more DuoLingo bragging.

Between having to do my knee exercises and my DuoLingo lessons, I'll never get to bed on time!

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