Maxwell Street Days 2021

 

Last night Tiffy came up, and we listened to a salsa band on State Street. It was kind of a weird salsa band, in that they played R&B songs in a salsa style, so they sang in English. We saw lots of interesting people, like a guy with a boa constrictor around his neck, and another guy rollerblading while playing the ukulele. He kept passing us, and Tiffy said, "This is what I miss about Madison."

Today Tiffy met Travalon and me for coffee, then Travalon went to the Veterans' Museum while Tiffy and I walked around the Farmers' Market. Since Travalon and I are down to one car, Tiffy suggested I let him take it to go visit his mother, since he didn't get to on Sunday when his car died on the side of the highway, and I wouldn't need the car as we checked out Maxwell Street Days, the annual sale all up and down State Street. Travalon was very happy to get to see his mom, and we ladies wandered around on State Street, chatting with my old neighbor, drinking "unicorn tea" that was purple and coconut-flavored with edible glitter in it, and listening to an African drum group that includes the son of one of my bandmates. We walked down to the Union Terrace and then walked along the Lakeshore Path, went up to Babcock Hall for ice cream, and admired the flowers in Allen Centennial Garden. Then we met Travalon and Rich at our favorite Chinese restaurant downtown for dinner. By then Tiffy and I had walked over seven miles today, so she just went to her sister's apartment and I came home with Travalon to watch the Bucks game. And was that ever exciting!! They won on the road and are now one game away from being champions!!

Here are some recent photos. First are some pretty flowers in our neighborhood, mandevillas and a hydrangea bush by our dock.

Yesterday at work Travalon had to take the kids to the county fair. He took some photos of the animals there. Say hello to Bonnie the Pig.

Here are some adorable ducklings.

Meet the appropriately-named Peanut Butter the Rabbit.

And here are a couple of very fluffy bunnies!

And a couple of very fluffy chickens!

Here is a more classic-looking rooster.

And I thought this was a very handsome duck.

Speaking of ducks, by the boathouse on the Lakeshore Path, Tiffy and I watched a duck try to get on the dock and fail epically twice. Then it swam around to the other side of the dock and had no trouble getting up. I should have made a video. I was laughing so hard! There were a bunch of gulls on the dock, and Tiffy thought they might have been mocking the duck. However, they were ALL trespassing, because there was clearly a sign that said nobody was allowed on the dock except authorized Athletics Department personnel. And earlier this morning, when I saw another sign with the word "personnel" on it, for a second my brain read "cannoli." Ah, the joys of growing older!

Oddly, the only thing I bought at Maxwell Street Days is this adorable kawaii (is that redundant?) stuffed bubble tea. It's supposed to be a keychain, but I took the keychain off.

In the Allen Centennial Gardens, we saw these beautiful flowers. It's Ipomopsis rubra, or Texas plume or flame flower. They readily reseed themselves and attract lots of butterflies and hummingbirds.

Here is a short video of the African drum group. My bandmate's son is the one in purple. This is only half a minute long, because that's how long it took for some yahoo to step in front of me.

So excited about the Bucks!! And if they win on Tuesday, then the series is over and we don't have to choose on Thursday between watching the final game and going to the Negro League Mallards game. Here's hoping!

Famous Hat