Ma'Wah'Kee

Quite frequently, when we are minding our own business, (I know that it doesn’t happen with great frequency), some stranger will say to David, ‘”Excuse me sir, but could you take our picture?” This happened last Saturday when two young women asked David if he could shoot their picture in a Christmas decorated park in Milwaukee. He didn’t hesitate to say “yes.” The only thing is, when David shoots a picture, (of stranger or otherwise), it just takes longer than the subject expects, because he is real photographer and he wants to take a good shot. Anyway, after a great deal of fussing with an unfamiliar camera, the girls (clearly uncomfortable with this unkempt stranger), said that they had to leave. Did I forget to mention he was wearing a wool hat with the price tags still on. Anyway, David said he would take a shot with his camera and send it to them. They looked frightened by this suggestion. It’s funny when a young stranger thinks your husband is a pervert, so I jumped in and said, “go to David Burnett.com and you’ll see who took your picture.” And apparently they did because what follows is a note we got from them yesterday:

‘We are the two random girls from the Milwaukee Cathedral Square. Could you possibly send the pictures to this email address??
thanks!!!
you have a lot of talent!!'

It’s Christmas season and it feels like everything in Milwaukee twinkles. It’s a nice town. Tina and her husband moved there from Madison years ago, and found it to their liking. There is good food, lots of theater, a wealth of extraordinary architecture and the Pfister Hotel. There is also black ice, (that’s the ice that looks like just a little water on the ground and before you know it, the ground is exactly where you will find yourself), a few great restaurants, a wonderful Lt. Governor, a beautiful little park with colorful holiday lights, and some lovely people -- who will gladly give you directions whether they know how to get to wherever you’re going or not. But not worry, it’s a terrific place to walk, regardless of the time it takes to find your way to your destination.

And speaking of finding. We found our way to the auditorium where Jordan was performing. We took Tina, her children and grandchildren to see “Seussical.” Mostly, the show is targeted to children who know the Dr. Seuss, stories or the parents of children who have fond memories of the stories. We have been in audiences where there were and weren’t parents. The shows where there are teachers instead of parents are better. Quieter, more respectful of what’s happening on the stage. This audience was made up with very well behaved school children, who, among other things, knew that if they behaved, they might have another opportunity to get out of doing school work for at least half a day.
JKB and the 'roomies'
The show remains adorable and the cast equally so. Jordan’s four roommates (they have been sleeping 4 in a room , two beds, everywhere.) They have a $40 a day per diem – for food and lodging and decided to stay with us at the Pfister (we get an amazing deal and pay about $10 more than their usual Motel Six. If you haven’t ever been to the Pfister and plan a trip to that part of Wisconsin, put it on your list of things to see. It’s a gorgeous, old world European hotel. The ceilings are a combination of carved gold muted paintings. Everything wreaks of elegance. (I know wreaks is like smelly but I was going to say ooze and that was even less pleasant.) Let’s call a do over. The hotel drips with elegance. Never mind, you get the point.
a Pfister blobbing moment
The whole weekend was great fun. When we are with Tina and the kids we always have a good time. You never know when someone will call
In fact, when Jordan was a kid it was so much fun it’s where she chose to celebrate every birthday. And the good people of the county board who run the Mitchell/Milwaukee airport, have added a sense of wry humor by proclaiming the sit-down-and-get-your-stuff-together area after Airport Security, the RECOMBOBULATION Area, in honor of those of us who know all to well what Discombobulation is all about.
It was another on our list of fabulous, brief, road trips with the bonus being good friends and a sparkling holiday feel. As my mother would say “Try it, you’ll like it.” We’re just sayin’… Iris