TV interview of the Top Lady

[the Earl of Whirl]

Yes, I have talked about it on several occasions.  There are some obstacles, like the crazy roof which still has some leaks (like my house).  Not all of the displays are out.  She would also have to find a place for freestyles and general spinning, although she loves lots of spinning in front of the place to attract attention.  She is really into history and has researched her location.  It has been a blacksmith shop, a stable for horses, a bicycle club, a grocery store, a laundry, a grocery store and more.

[the Earl of Whirl]

Here is a picture of when the top museum was a printing company!!!  I believe this is 1896.

[the Earl of Whirl]

Judith continues to order tops for the gift shop and, it appears, she still searches for unique tops to add to her collection.  She says there are now over 10,000 tops in the museum.  While I was there a big box came in the mail.  The box was full of gyroscopes.  I did finally see the tops from the movie "My Summer Story."  They were really well made and bigger than one might expect.  Some of the paint is coming off here and there from all the battles and from aging but they have been amazingly durable.

[the Earl of Whirl]

I really enjoyed getting some of the local flair.  We ate at a number of yummy local restaurants.  I went to the Visitor Center which is less than a half block from the Top Museum.  They sure do have some large chocolate sculptures there.  The town calls itself "Chocolate City U.S.A."  I overheard one of the guides say that if they did not save the chocolate sculptures they would have become pig food.  I was there during Election Day and there was a lot of talk about saving the Echo Lake dam.  Of course, this led to many signs around town and newspaper headlines about the big dam vote, save the dam lake, don't take our dam view, what would Burlington be without that dam place and get off your dam butt for the dam lake and the dam dam (I may have made that last one up).  Judith just texted me to say that the vote was solidly in favor of saving the dam.

[the Earl of Whirl]

Today is Tony Romo's birthday.  He was a big time NFL football player and is now an announcer.  He is also from Burlington, Wisconsin and I believe he had to have visited the top museum sometime in his life.  He might be the biggest name who has ever visited there.

[the Earl of Whirl]

USA Today newspaper has a number of puzzles in the daily publication.  One they always have is "Don't Quote Me" with thoughts and comments from different famous people.  Several blanks in the quote are there with words above that you try to place in the right location to finish the thought.  Today is significant because it comes from comedian Steven Wright who is talking about a medical test.  The final answer is "Next week, I'm going to have an MRI to find out whether I have claustrophobia."  I bring this up because Judith said she once had a guy in the Top Museum who she thought was Steven Wright.  After careful thought, she became positive about it and said something to him.  He said "Oh, I get that all the time."

[Jeremy McCreary]

....Today is significant because it comes from comedian Steven Wright who is talking about a medical test.  The final answer is "Next week, I'm going to have an MRI to find out whether I have claustrophobia."

Best radiology joke ever! And I designed and read MRI studies for over 20 years.

Didn't know of Wright, so I looked him up. Reminds me a lot of my favorite comic, Mitch Hedberg. A good Wright video I found...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deeM7PeJezI

Judith should have pried him for top jokes.

[ta0]

I would love to have US Nationals at the Museum one year. Or at least a festival. Do you know if she has repaired the museum building?

[Jeremy McCreary]

I would love to have US Nationals at the Museum one year. Or at least a festival. Do you know if she has repaired the museum building?

I'd come to either one! Centrally located if you include Canada. Do we have Canadian members?

[the Earl of Whirl]

Judith is still going strong with her spinning activities.  I had a long conversation on the phone last night and she is staying very busy.  I made contact with her concerning July 8th when I will be going by her place on the way to the big IJA fest in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  Mark Hayward said he could meet me there that day and maybe some other travelers could stop by.  She had good news to share about the Top Museum and how there is good progress being made on getting everything back to normal after the water damage.  She also revealed that July 6th is her birthday and she might be out of town on the 8th as part of a celebration.....but she will keep us posted.  If she is around for the 8th I would love to have a belated birthday party for her at the Top Museum.  It could be a lot of fun.  One little known fact she revealed was her motorcycle riding days back in the late 60's and 70's when women didn't do that sort of thing.  She has some great stories!!!

[the Earl of Whirl]

I made it to the big IJA juggling fest in Green Bay and stopped at the top museum on the way back.  It was another good visit with lots of stories and more.  I took a series of 75 tops to give her in honor of her birthday.  She seemed happy about the gifts.  Her birthday party was a big success and she showed me pictures and other items from it.  Some people have donated several large groups of tops to her museum and I was impressed with some of the gems she received.  I enjoyed eating at Zumpano's pizza before I headed home.  It is just a few steps away from the TM.  Judith is still planning on coming to our fest in Miamisburg and asked what she could bring.  I said people would love to hear about her movie and see some of her scrapbook.  She said she could do that!!!