Do not sit on the cows

This weekend was sort of a first for us -- at least in recent memory. This was our first little getaway for a couple of days since we were fortunate enough to have Su enter our lives. Well, the first overnight excursion that didn't involve a job interview of some sort. Yep, it had been that long. Destination? Madison, Wisconsin.

As the weekend approached, we were a little worried about the changing weather forecast. The chance for cooler temperatures didn't bother us -- not on the heels of so many 90 degree days of late. But the rain could be a problem. But we forged ahead. We had a room booked at a Holiday Inn Suites (complete with individual kid's suite), the dog-sitter was all set up, and we had a full tank of gas. Onward!

Of course, part of the way into our journey, the drizzle started up. But remaining optimistic, we wanted to make the most of our rare chance to get away. Upon arriving in Madison, we kicked off with lunch at Zuzu Cafe. What a find! And only a block away from the next stop on our journey, the Henry Vilas Zoo. After thoroughly enjoying the hummus plate and a relaxing, casual environment, we headed over to the zoo. Again, a little rain didn't dampen the mood. We had umbrellas to serve us when needed. And Su had a wonderful time.

Little did we know that this was to be the high point of our visit. After we left the zoo, the rains started to come down that much harder. We attempted to take in a little bit of the downtown area, but outside strolling became impossible. We rushed through a visit at the Children's Museum (highlight: Su with her first cow-milking experience), hiked back to our car, and then made our way to the hotel to check in.

Still, we were hopeful. We spent some time in the hotel pool (more of an indoor park), and then headed out for dinner. We dined at Sa-Bai Thong, reported to be the best Thai food in Madison. While the service was good and the atmosphere enjoyable, the food was average at best. And not nearly enough bite to the curry dish I had ordered.

Then the rains turned to storms. In trying to get to our car in the lot (in order to pull up to the door for the gals), I was nearly hit by a speeding car. And the rest was all downhill after that. Storms raged all through the night and into the morning, flooding out all of our entertainment options.

After attempting to drive around the rain-soaked city in the morning, we gave up and just headed home. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. It had been several years since we had an opportunity to enjoy ourselves away from the house, work, and employment-guided circumstances. The drive home was made that much longer by the lack of visibility during the next wave of storms.

A crushing end to a weekend with much hope. And so we head back into another work week.