Yesterday morning Travalon and I went out for a boat ride into the marsh. It was quite windy out, but in the marsh it's a little more sheltered. Then we drove downtown to meet Tiffy; she and I ate at the Globe (which was mentioned in a USA Today article), sitting outside, while Travalon watched Premier League soccer at Cooper's Tavern, where the bartender's dad was from Wolverhampton. It was not a good sports day for him, because both the Wolves and Crystal Palace lost. He found us, then we walked down State Street and went to St. Paul's Catholic Student Center to go to the legendary balcony I'd heard was on the fifth floor. The young guy at the front desk asked where we were going, and I said the fifth floor with great confidence, figuring he'd assume we had business there if we knew were we were going. He said he wasn't supposed to let any non-students in, but we said we're Catholic, and alumni, and we just wanted to go to the balcony, so finally he let us go. Wow! What a view from up there! You can see the lake, and we could also see people on a balcony on the front of the Union. Check out this view of Bascom Hill.
We chillaxed for a bit on this balcony, which was shady and caressed by a lovely breeze.
Then we moved on to the Union Terrace, where Travalon spotted a table in the shade that overlooked the lake. After that relaxing afternoon, Travalon headed to a movie about the Brewers that Tiffy had recommended, while she and I went to a Madison Bach Musicians concert at Holy Wisdom Monastery. The theme was French Baroque, but they did have a piece by Bach, his French Orchestral Suite in B Minor. The second movement is one of those pieces that, if someone said, "Run for your life!" but the flute was about to do that run, I'd just stand there listening. It was amazing to hear it in person.
This morning Travalon and I went to Mass in the gym, but some of the regulars seem to have disappeared, and all these other people have appeared. I'm not sure what to think. Then we met Tiffy for brunch at Garver Mill, sitting outside. It was a very beautiful day, but a bit hot for running all over a corn maze, as we found out when we went to our usual one with Rich and another woman. Usually we find eight secret punches and get the special prize (a pen), but this year we couldn't find even one single punch. We did, however, see lots of huitlacoche, so Rich asked - and received - permission to collect it. We did finish the map, so I was hoping that we would get a Maze Master certificate with a photo of the maze, since this year it has an axolotl, a red panda, and a hedgehog, so it was like they made it for Travalon and me. (It also had a sloth.) The girl told me you only get that for finding at least four punches, but when I said, "We usually find eight and this year we couldn't find a single one!" she gave me the certificate. We never go this early, and the corn was still green, so maybe that's why we couldn't find the punches? The group ahead of us found all of them and also solved the extra maze, so I guess it's just us.
On the way home Tiffy said she wanted a Culver's pumpkin shake, and that sounded good to us too, so we went to the drive-through, but Rich kept going in his car. Then he turned around and came back, and he and the other woman ordered dinner, so then he was surprised that we only had shakes. He said he pulled up right next to us while we were waiting for our shakes, but we didn't see him. Tiffy headed out, and Travalon made a pizza so he and I would have dinner, and then we joined Rich and the other woman on our dock to eat. They left when I had to go to band practice, where there were only three of us tonight. The others asked if I were in any other music groups these days, since in the past I have been in multiple bands and choirs, but I said no, just this band right now. They all have other music outlets, so I'm wondering if they want to pull the plug on this one and are just doing it out of pity for me. Once I retire, I can join one of the many ukulele groups that have invited me to join them, only they all meet during work time. I could join the choir at the church we go to now. Or I could just sit at home and play all my instruments here, and Travalon could play the bass. A couple times we jammed on our porch - we could make that a regular thing. And of course, there's always the shower to practice singing.
Famous Hat
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