Almost home...

This is my final weekend in Milwaukee. The show has gone exceptionally well. Except for a few small houses we've been almost exclusively sold out over the run. This is all the more impressive because we've been doing it for eight weeks. Other shows at the theater haven't done nearly as well this year. Word of our success has traveled fast; we're already negotiating for another run of the show in Wisconsin, this time at American Folklore Theater in Ephraim. Assuming the production goes forward, which it appears will happen, I would fly back at the end of August and play the first two weeks of the show and the train my replacement and be back by the time Danna starts at PLU.

My time in Milwaukee has been a lot of fun. The show has been good and I have enjoyed working with the other great professionals at the theater. I have also enjoyed my recreational activities here: the day trip to Lambeau Field, playing with the Keith Gennerman Band on New Year's Eve at the Moose Lodge, jamming with the other great polka players at Jeff Winard's polka party at Conejito's, pizza with Tom Brusky, fish fry at Serb Hall, polkas at the Pulaski Inn, listening to records with Greg Drust, performing at the Catholic Home, dinner at the Brass Key, Carmen at Skylight Opera. Milwaukee is a wonderful town full of great, outgoing, ebullient people with a zest for living. Thank you all!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I received word from Danna that my Taco Time commercial is back on. It's the commercial with the old Scandinavian fisherman arguing about fish tacos. I'm the one in the background playing accordion. I was pleasantly surprised when a check for residuals from the commercial showed up. I like residuals.

In the personnel department, I got word today that Scott Adams, one of our regular banjo players, has decided to hang it up after our dance in Buckley on March 26th. We'll all miss Scott; he became very popular as our "barefoot" banjo player at one of Steve Bakko's polka campouts. More than that he's a great guy; one of my absolute best friends. I'll miss having Scott play with the band.

Finally, it looks like we're going to have a busy summer with a lot of travelling. Danna has already booked us for a weekend in Montana, including the Rocky Mountain Accordion Celebration in Philipsburg and the Festival of Nations in Red Lodge. It should be a great trip for us. I never pass up a chance to head to Montana.

That's it for now. I'll be home in a couple days and I'm looking forward to getting back to playing polkas.