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[the Earl of Whirl]

Looks like we are on for Tuesday morning.....maybe a little late Monday but definitely Tuesday am.  I asked her if she did anything with Lego tops and she said she didn't so I will take some up there to show her what I have been up to.  I plan on taking up some of the big flip over tops with the handles.  I also have a bunch of old yoyo string she might like.

[the Earl of Whirl]

I made it!!!  I am in Burlington, Wisconsin and checked into a Hampton Inn that is very close to the Top Museum.  It says it is three blocks away but it feels way closer than that.  There are lots of cool older buildings around there and I stopped in several that are bars etc. to see who knows about the Top Museum.  I will be going over at 9:15 and hope to have several hours and lunch with Judith.  If you have any questions for her, ask me soon.  I will try to post things as she chats and fill stuff in later so I will be checking the forum regularly in the morning!!!

[ta0]

That's wonderful Mike! Good Luck!   

A few questions:
1) What was the date of the Believe it or Not filming?
2) Is the participation in the World Top Spinning day increasing or decreasing? Any media coverage?
3) What's her most treasured top (no necessary the most expensive).
4) Does she ever check this forum?
5) Has she seen the videos from Cyril's, Lourens', Lassanke's and Nagoya collections?
6) Does she receive any residual payments from my Summer Story?
7) When did her hat become part of the Top Lady look?   

[the Earl of Whirl]

I do know that she checks the forum from time to time but not regularly.  She does know a LOT about Cyril.  She told me the other night she has been to his house.  I will talk to her about the other questions.  Gotta get some sleep.....full of top dreams.  And that, of course, could fit in another thread I have going!!!

[the Earl of Whirl]

Judith got a phone call so I can post a minute.  I got my high wheel bike out of the car and rode around the downtown until she turned on the lights.  It was a great start for the day, especially considering I did not slip on any of the ice that seems to be everywhere.

Her hats have always been a part of her, she says.  Even in college and bonnets for Easter when younger.  They also serve a good function when things are cool in the building.  She says she even plans on having her hat on when she is buried!!!

[the Earl of Whirl]

My, how time flies when talking about the whirled.  It was noon before we knew it.  It should have been lumch time but we were too busy to stop.  At three we finally grabbed a bite to eat at the Mexican restaurant next door.  Her gift shop is incredible.  Her stories are amazing.  Her dreams as an educator are really creative.

I finally made it through Chicago and am on my way home.  Everybody needs to think about going to Brrrrlington.

[ta0]

I'm very happy that you could visit with the Top Lady. I look forward to pictures and more stories.

[the Earl of Whirl]

It is a few hours later than I wanted to arrive home but I am glad to report I made it to the mighty Burg safely and in one piece.  The dog howled as I pulled up so no sneaking into the house this evening.  Dawn may not be happy about that but she will be happy that I have shared some of Don's collection and it will be that much less to deal with when my whirl in this world comes to a rest.

I have so many things I want to share but pictures are not one of them.  One cannot help but admire the dedication and hard work of Judith to develop her programs and her buildings.  She was an art teacher for many years before going out on a limb to develop the top museum in 1976 in an upstairs space above a downtown Burlington business.  After 14 years there they found a nice place on the first floor of another downtown business and enlarged their activities.  Two years later in 1992 they were able to move into two new buildings where they have been for 27 years.  It has been quite a journey and it was exciting to see pictures of the progress and the work on their buildings.  More work is in store for the future and we wish her well with all of that.  I look forward to sharing more tomorrow but I better get some sleep.  Peace Hout!!!

[ta0]

She started the museum in 1976? Wow! It's the 43th anniversary this year! I hadn't realized it had been going for that long! That's quite an accomplishment!
Did she tell you if the museum income is enough to sustain it financially? I hope so.

[the Earl of Whirl]

I am still confused and amazed at how it all works.  She says it is a non-profit business with the sales of the gift shop going to the business.  I believe she said the store items are not hers but the tops are hers.  They host a lot of groups and she does much more than just top tours.  There is a puzzle museum.  There are a lot of rebus challenges around and she answers the phone with a phrase about being a teacher resource center.  They have yoyo days.  They have mystery days (old time tools and gizmos) and of course there is the world top spinning day.  I wish she would come on the forum and explain it all better. 

I just finished a song about the top museum and I am going to try it out at open mic night tonight. 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Those mystery days could be a lot of fun!

[the Earl of Whirl]

I agree, Jeremy.  I live in an 1862 house and I am always looking for interesting things to have around that tie in with the history.  A local historical society had a booth at a area fair full of those kind of items and it was quite a challenge.

I sang my song last night about Judith and the Top Museum.  It chronicles the growth of the number of tops in her collection from three until over 9,000.  Mostly people just looked at me in a curious fashion but at one point I heard someone say "that's nuts"!!!

Sadly, there was a water pipe that broke in the top section of the museum.  Ironically, all her tops were boxed up and that part of the building was closed.  If the tops were out I may never have left.  We sure seemed to have had plenty to talk about without 9,000 other subjects present.

I did specifically ask about the tops that were used in the movie.  It turns out that they were made in Burlington under her direction.  I did not know that.

[the Earl of Whirl]

She laughed when I asked her if she gets any residuals from the movie "My Summer Story".  The answer is no to that.  Her most treasured top is one from 1876 that celebrates the 100th birthday of the United States.  It is a top that is started in a clamp/wrench type contraption and then is released when the clamp/wrench is opened.  She said she would have to look up the date of the Ripley's TV show.

I was stunned at how extensive her gift shop is.  It is loaded with great stuff and I did not have enough time to look very closely at it.  When the weather is nicer, activities spill outside the museum to the sidewalk which gives them good exposure, especially with people in cars waiting for trains to pass.  And, get this, they have 36 trains go by every day!!!

I was sure she grew up doing lots of sports but she said she didn't.  She just has always enjoyed things that spin and things that are magnetic.  Amazingly. she did not throw a top until she was an adult.  It was her father who brought her a couple tops to try because he had the foresight to know she would like them.

[the Earl of Whirl]

Yea!  I see I made it on the "spin top museum" Facebook page.  I am not sure if this is the best way to post this or not but here goes:

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10161340213910368&id=104356725367&set=a.10151182181465368&source=48&refid=13&__tn__=%2B%3E

[ta0]

Nice!

I'm copying the photos here:





Riding your big wheel during a snowstorm! You are something, Mike!