Marathon girl/Ode to Madison

This was Olivia's morning on Saturday. First, my prima ballerina gave a stunning performance in her final dance class. I admit, I think I cried I was so proud. She actually listened intently. The last photo is actually a movie of part of the class, if it comes out, my ballerina is on the left. Then it was on to KG & the Ranger, a Roy Rodgers act that was part of a free kid's series that our arts center does. Olivia liked the rope tricks and the harmonica best. I have no photos of Olivia listening to the trombone at our Children's Museum's "Meet the Musician" series, but that was what's next. Olivia's assesment-it was loud!! Next picture is Olivia examining where the honey we buy at Farmer's Market comes from, finshing up the morning with Mac& Cheese pizza and a giant cookie shaped like a cow we bought a Farmer's Market.

Now I can say a lot of not so nice things about Madison, especially in the winter, but on Saturdays like this I can honestly say that if you have children, Madison is a great city. Olivia's ballet class is two minutes from our house and all the other events were withing walking distance to each other. Oh and parking is $1.25 and hour. Eat your heart out urban wastelanders!! We actually park in Chad's employee spot for free, even better. Lunch for three included 4 slices of the best pizza in town and drinks, less than $10. I went though Farmer's Market and I could have bought produce, meat, eggs, chesse, baked goods, homemade jellies and salsas you name it, from the largest Farmer's Market in the country all grown within 60 miles of my home. Thanks to the university, Olivia sat with her friends Ethan and Madison (who are first generation Chinese-Americans) at KG&Ranger and then said goodbye to Ethan because he is leaving for China next week to visit his family for a month. We sat on the steps to our state capitol building, ate our cookie and waved to runners completing a charity walk/run in one of the "most fit" cities in America. We then drove home past the lake where we saw sailboaters and fishermen out enjoying perfect 75 degree weather.

Madison, I know I am literally a fair-weather fan. Today I want to apologize about griping about the cold, the dirty hippies that play their horrible music and refuse to get a job, the lack of a Container Store. I am sorry that I mock the city council meetings and the endless dithering about the political correctness of our sister city, and that I curse at the college students and their drain on my tax dollars. Oh, and that no good Chinese food thing. I didn't meant it, Imperial Palace is fine. So, let's kiss and make up because I got to sit and the bank of the lake today and feed ducks. Then, as it swam so close we could touch it, I taught my daughter how a muskrat uses it's tail to swim. After that, she's forever yours.