Weekend in Wisconsin

Weekends don't get much better than the one I just had. I was able to have a little 4-day weekend in in Wisconsin...and it was good. (Of course, I once again forgot my camera.)

The trip came to be through an e-mail I received from my fraternity chapter looking for help with their initiation. It had been awhile since I had been up to UW-Whitewater...and taken part in their initiation...so I jumped at the chance. The next day, I was informed it was part of a larger workshop being held on the campus which prompted the question of whether or not I would like to present.

YES! Now this is a business trip. I reserved my car, made some arrangements with friends and family to crash at night and was set to go.

On Friday, I picked up my car rental at the Evansville airport only to find out they had a Toyota Prius on the lot. I ran back in to check its status and it was available. I got it, loaded up the car and headed out.

Fast forward about six hours and I pull into Elkhorn, Wis. where my wife's sister and family live. I pursuade them that we need to go to Whitewater and have the fish fry at Jessica's Restaurant. (Quick note: Leandra and I went there every Friday when we lived in town, but I haven't been there in years.) The food was as good as I remember and some of the staff still recognized me. Pretty cool.

I head over to the Center for the Arts on the UW-W campus and do the initiation thing. In addition to the collegiate members, there were three guys from the Milwaukee Area Alumni Association (all from my chapter) including a XI Pi charter member from 1965. Awesome.

Saturday was a little less stressful for me with the initiation done. I put the finishing touches on my powerpoint presentation and headed out. I met the guys in a lecture hall and set up my laptop. The presentation went well and I had three chapters ask if they could have a copy of it to take back and share with the rest of their chapter (the ones who couldn't attend the workshop).

After the workshop, I made my one last stop of college nostalgia and purchased a pizza and breadsticks from Topper's Pizza. This was one of the 20 food groups when I was in college and it still taste the same as it did. Yum.

Sunday was a different day for me. No fraterniy business to deal with, but I had plans to have lunch with a fratenrity brother living in Kenosha. Unfortunately, that fell through so I continued on with my plan to go to Milwaukee and catch the Brewers/Cardinals game (which was moved to the evening for ESPN).

I stopped at the Pluta's home to drop off my bags (Home away from home #2) and stopped to pick up my comics books at my store in West Allis (still collecting). I was told about a bike expo at Wisconsin State Fair Park and went to check it out since I need some new shorts. It was the last day and I think I was stuck with the expensive leftover stuff. Everything was pretty much out of my price range so I waled out empty handed.

Drove down to Miller Park and met my dad and some of his friends. I ended up getting a ticket in his section and row...but at the other end and all by myself. Bummer, but not a problem. I walked around the stadium before the game and just happened to come across an alumnus from my chapter. How crazy...

The game was exciting. A bit of a nailbiter, but the Brewers ended up pulling out wuth a win in the ninth inning with a walk-off homer. I haven't been that excited at a game since I was at the game that put them in the playoffs in 2008. Oddly enough, that may have been the last game I attended prior to this year.

Monday was a travel day and I left early so I could make it back for Boot Camp. After a weekend of bad eating (fish fry, pizza and brats), I was asking to be punished today. Bad food does not equal good results at the gym. I'm pretty sure I knew that already, but tonight just reinforced the concept.

Too many props to give for an incredibale weekend. I love the Toyota Prius...I want one so bad. My niece is a chatterbox. Who taught her to talk so much? The Plutas are the bomb...always. It was nice to see my dad again...it had been awhile.

Unless there is some weied emergency, I won't be back around my home state until August. I'll have a little more time to spend, but there will be some huge expectations to meet.