My Week that Was - October 7

Ski Hi orchard near Baraboo. 10/1/2023 dwm

The week started with a ride to Sun Prairie When I got back it was time to clean up. I spent most of the day resting, reading, and writing.

Sunday morning we met our oldest son for breakfast at Perkins, 90-minutes north.  We had things to exchange and it was nice to get together in person.

On the way home, we stopped at Ski Hi (pronounced sky high) orchard south of Baraboo to get apples, cider, and apple cider donuts.

The place was packed with visitors picking their own, lounging on the lawn enjoying the view, or busy filling carts with sweet goodies.

It was an unusual weekend with neither the Wisconsin Badgers or Green Bay Packers playing Saturday or Sunday.  The Badgers didn't have a game and the Packers played the prior Thursday with their next game Monday in Las Vegas.

Monday was my last day giving rides on the rickshaw on Oakwood's east-side campus.  I was nearly finished with the first ride when the left front tire blew out.  Thankfully, we weren't going fast and the couple was able to walk home.  I walked the bike back to the garage, it's season over.

Tuesday was devoted to phone calls.  Consecutive busy weeks took away my usual phone time so it's important to get some made.  Thankfully I made enough progress to be in position to get all the calls done this week.

Wednesday I had my first west-side campus pizza party.  There was an excellent turnout and the audience participated, I spent more time answering questions than the original speech.  Later it was time for my first rehearsal with the rest of the players in a short play put on by residents.  It was nice to be asked, it's better we have three weeks the curtain rises.  

Wednesday evening, the season ended for the Milwaukee Brewers.  For a second straight play-off game they took a lead into the middle innings then saw the Diamondbacks tie the game, then pull ahead in late innings, defeating Milwaukee.  It's a tough and disappointing end to a good season.

I really believed this team had what it took for a long post-season and the talent to win a World Series.  That won't happen.  What's next, is the big question for the Brewers.  Will manager Craig Counsell return?  What happens to Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Willy Adames? 

These questions will probably be decided quickly, before the end of 2023.  Possible answers are in the minor leagues where Milwaukee has a strong farm system developing players.  The trouble is, you need a mix of veterans to season the youngsters and prepare them for the journey through a long season.

I've been a Brewer fan since the early 1970s.  Most of that time, the Brewers weren't competitive.  There were a few years in the early 1980s when they made the post-season and the high-water mark in 1982 when they lost the World Series in game 7.  That team remains the most celebrated in Brewer history.

But since 2008 the Brewers have been competitive, with a chance to make the play-offs.  You can't win it all unless you qualify for the play-offs, so for me, that's the goal.  Draft and develop good players under a good manager, preferably Counsell.  For me, Counsell has been the secret sauce the last half-dozen years, getting more out of players than they thought they had.  There's no question he's the best manager in Brewer history.  I hope team owner Mark Attanasio makes Counsell top priority and keeps him in Milwaukee.

The weather turned colder Friday as highs reached the mid-50s (below average), that's 30-degrees cooler than the start of the week.  We aren't finished with warm weather yet but going forward warm days will be anything near 60.   Find a hoodie or sweatshirt and get out there, have a great week!