My Week That Was - January 18

It wasn't as much as forecast, but better than
bare ground!  1/12/2020  dwm photo

Nearly two years ago, January 21, 2018, I introduced My Week That Was to write about the prior 7 days and share things I wouldn't put in a single topic blog post.

It's not a diary, but as close as I've been in my lifetime.

There's room for a paragraph about weather or work or something else that caught my attention during the last seven days.

In fact, one thing I forgot to mention last week was an email from Kwik Trip.  The regional convenience store chain started a rewards program a few years ago.

Visits earn free beverages and if you buy certain numbers of basic products like milk or eggs, you earn a discount.  I know I visit Kwik Trip frequently, but was surprised to see I racked up 294 store visits in 2019!

Maybe they should put me on the payroll!

Just kidding, K.T. friends.  See you tomorrow!

It snowed a little Saturday night, but we (and the rest of Wisconsin) were missed by the heavy stuff. I am beginning to wonder if it will ever look like winter in the Dairy state.

(We pause this blog to bring you this question.... why are diary and dairy only a keystroke apart?)

Lambeau Field was rocking Sunday night as the Packers got my blood pumping with a great start and fantastic finish.  I wrote about it last Tuesday, so all I'll add here is Go Pack!

Wednesday night was time for the Oakwood Chorus concert.  It was beautiful with wonderful songs - Autumn Leaves, Stormy Weather, Over the Rainbow and more.  The staff percussion section wasn't up until the third song from the end, Harry Belafonte's Turn the World Around.

I played the Djembe.  The one I used was hand-made in Senegal for a retired missionary to that country who now lives at Oakwood.  We only had two practices prior to the performance and had a quick run-through an hour before the show.

A colleague played Claves while I was on the Djembe.  I'm not exactly sure how we sounded, but comments after the show were positive.  I was happy we all ended at the same time!  Some nice folks said they liked my playing or asked how long I'd been playing.

It was an experience outside my comfort zone, but it was fun and satisfying since I didn't make any major musical errors.

Playing an African drum reminded me a bit of my last public instrumental performance.  It was when we lived in Augusta, Wisconsin.  I took piano lessons since we had acquired a free vintage piano.  The Director of Christian Education at our church played the church organ and taught piano.

I took lessons for 2 years.  I was never very good, but good enough she wanted me to play before church.  I did, twice.  The second time, before an 8 am service, it didn't go well.  It was all I could do not to stand up and run (or walk quickly) out of the sanctuary!  In retrospect, I probably learned something important from a low-level and somewhat-public failure.

That didn't happen Wednesday, that's a win.

More snow was predicted for last night into this morning.  Last week's snow fizzled or slid to our south, so hopefully we'll get a little more ground cover this weekend.

Jumping into a third year of weeks that were - I wonder what might happen next?

Have a good week!