My Week that Was - May 23

A male oriole center, female lower left. 5/13/26 dwm

 Saturday morning was the warmest of the riding season, I'm feeling confident that the cold-weather gear won't be needed for a while (hopefully!). 

 

 Later that day I went back to Oakwood to help serve at the celebration for the Center for the Arts and Education's 50th anniversary.

 

 A colleague and I were responsible for dishing up crab Rangoon and chicken teriyaki, while others served at other stations. After dinner, those attending watched a video recapping the auditorium's history, and a live performance by the Oakwood Chamber Players.

 

It was an earlier start than usual Sunday. We were out the door at 4 am headed to the Dane County Airport so my wife could catch the first of two planes taking her to the east coast for a doula retreat. Storms were expected later in the day, but thankfully, her flights were on schedule and she landed in Boston on time. From there she met up with another doula heading to the retreat and shared a ride to Maine.

 

After dropping her off at the airport, I was ahead of schedule at the gym for my usual Sunday walk on the treadmill then used some of that extra time to get things set around the place for the next few days. 

 

Monday was a day off. It rained overnight and again before 10. Once it cleared it seemed like a good idea to go for a ride. 

An apartment bldg under construction. 5/18/26 dwm

Part of the trip was on the Badger State Trail where a new apartment complex is under construction next to the path. 

 

The location will be helpful for tenants who ride to work - the trail is a straight shot to downtown Madison or to connect to other areas of the city.

 

Tuesday afternoon I had the opportunity to meet with a fundraising colleague who has been on the job only five months. She seems to be in a pretty good situation and has a better handle on the job than I did when I was starting my new job at a private high school.  

Thursday my wife returned from four-days in an ocean-side community on the coast of Maine. It was a business trip where she worked on her business and marketing plans. Business is good; I imagine it will really take-off after getting boosts of knowledge and confidence.

 

Thursday was also the annual Brat Fest on the University Woods campus of Oakwood. I enjoy helping serve lunch to residents and colleagues. Over the course of three hours there are at least two hundred people coming through the lines. The fest is Friday on the Prairie Ridge campus, which is also the first day of the original Brat Fest. Last year I volunteered early Friday morning as they sold thousands of brats to people on their way to work. I signed up again this year, I work from 12 to 4:30 Saturday afternoon. 

Friday I gave blood for the 146th time, almost everything went as planned. I used the technique to reduce the pain of the needle stick that the phlebotomist suggested when I gave blood last time. His suggestion was to cross and uncross my feet. It takes some concentration to put your right foot over the left foot then reverse it, and it distracted me from the stick. I tried it again yesterday, and it worked again. 

 

After the donor fills a bag with a pint of blood the phlebotomist draws blood into six small test tubes. For the first time in my experience, they couldn't get the blood into those tubes because the blood in my left arm was clotting. In order to fill those tubes, another phlebotomist poked my right arm. It worked, as the tubes were filled and I was on my way.

 

If you're eligible to give blood, please make an appointment or drop in at a community blood drive or blood center, you will be glad you did.

 

Thanks for reading!