On This Date in 1998

Dear Shelia and Roger,

We’re down to the wire this year, as you can see by the date. There was just too much to do before we left Middleton for the rest of the year. For the first time since the boys have been in school, Christmas break lasts for two weeks, and we decided that was plenty of time to make the trips to both Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and Warren, Pennsylvania. We have two more days in TR with the Richard family. The boys are excited because tonight is when we open our gifts. Andy is hoping to get a Playstation video game system, a wish granted, and Eddie will settle for anything Star Wars related. Another wish granted. As for me, I just want peace on earth and goodwill toward men. Yeah, right! Just like in Washington D.C.!

Speaking of politics, JoAnna is temporarily living the life of a stay-at-home Mom, an out-of-character role for her. She resigned her position as chair of the State Democratic Senate caucus after 3 years of enough stress that would last most people an entire career. She goes out on a high note, though, having won back the senate in this last election. She deserves a breather, as far as I’m concerned, and, financially, her decision won’t have an impact for awhile. She feels, and I agree with her, can afford to be choosy as to what she does next.

As for me, I finished my term as WLA president so now I can put a sharper focus on my Middleton responsibilities. It’s hard to believe that we’ve been here almost 13 years. Of course, that pales against your longevity at OPL, Shelia.

We make the trip to Pennsylvania on Saturday, a 12-hour drive. I strained my back on Tuesday – don’t ask me how; probably lifting one too many Brandy Old-fashioneds –but I’m feeling almost back to normal right now so I should be able to put in my full time behind the wheel.

Maybe when I don’t feel so rushed for time, I can provide you with some more detailed coverage of what’s been going on with JoAnna and me and the boys. To quote a movie title, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, but you’ d probably like to know the how and why!

On This Date in 1998

Dear Gary and Kathy,

We weren’t able to synchronize our summer travel schedule with the reunion. Andy’s baseball schedule determined our itinerary, and the last weekend in July was reserved for a baseball tournament. I was able to enjoy a vicarious experience when Rick Dies unexpectedly sent me a copy of the booklet that the planning committee together. He mentioned that the turnout was below expectations but on a par with other class WAHS class reunions that have taken place recently. 

This note is coming to you from Two Rivers, Wisconsin, at the home of Alice and Larry Richard, JoAnna’s folks. We’ll be here through the 25th and then travel to Warren where we’ll spend a week. This is the first year since Andy has been in school that the Christmas break is scheduled for a full two weeks, so we are taking full advantage of it.

On Saturday, JoAnna and I were able to take a walk along the shore of Lake Michigan in weather more appropriate to Easter. Our walk today, though, will require full winter gear as the wind chill is below zero. 

The boys are excited because they’ll be able to celebrate Christmas twice this year. Eddie celebrated his 8th birthday on Saturday so this is a particularly lucrative time of year for him.

I’m still at the Middleton Public Library – in my 13th year now, by far the longest stretch I’ve been in any one job. I have plenty to keep me busy, both within and outside the walls of the library. This year I served as president of the Wisconsin Library Association. JoAnna is currently between jobs, by choice. The boys have quickly adjusted to a stay-at-home mom, previously a foreign concept to them.

Our boys are growing up so fast. Doesn’t everybody’s? Was it you or Bob and Mary Thompson who mentioned last year that you’ve entered the empty nest phase of your life? Maybe both of you have. We still have the teen years to endure.

On This Date in 1998

I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving. Ours was a brief but pleasant getaway. We spent Thursday and Friday in Two Rivers. We didn’t leave Middleton until nearly 8:30 Wednesday evening as Andy had a basketball practice scheduled from 6:00 to 7:30. As a result of our later departure, we missed the peak traffic period. We encountered no delays, but then all roads don’t lead to Two Rivers at Thanksgiving.

Taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather, JoAnna and I took a walk along Lake Michigan Thursday morning, hardly needing the light jackets we wore. The lake was very calm, a slight breeze blowing out of the west having no effect on the water. Alice had most of the meal preparations in hand, so JoAnna didn’t feel guilty getting out of the house for a little while. We watched football during the afternoon, catching the coin toss controversy in the Steelers game. I suppose Dale had a few comments to make about this incident. I have to admit that it was the worst officiated game I have ever seen, both teams the victims of numerous bad calls. The coin toss, though, was definitely the low point of a game that the official seemed not to want to be at.

We ate Thanksgiving dinner at 4:30 and enjoyed the usual feast of turkey with all the trimmings. There were 12 around the table, including Cindy, her friend Mayra, and Mayra’s four brothers. After the clean up, some of the adults played cards for awhile.

The warm weather continued on Friday. JoAnna and I took another walk during the morning, stopping at Schroeder’s, a department store, for some café mocha at their coffee bar. During the early afternoon, Andy and I played catch with the football in the street in front of the Richard’s house (they live on a quiet street). Later on, at JoAnna’s suggestion, we walked to a nearby park to kick field goals over one of the goal posts. Unfortunately, all the entry gates were locked, so we couldn’t get in. I didn’t think it advisable for us to climb over the fence.



After supper (ham and scalloped potatoes – we had leftovers for lunch), we met Cindy in Manitowoc and went to see A Bug’s Life, the new computer-animated Disney film. It’s quite a visual feast, almost too much for the eyes to take in at one time and, for that reason, certainly worth a second viewing. The showing we attended was mostly parents with small (i.e., preschool) children, many of whom did not hesitate to ask their parents questions about what was happening in the movie. A couple parts of the movie seemed that they might be too intense for young kids. The initial appearance of the grasshoppers and of a monstrous looking red-and-yellow bird, was probably a jolting experience for the tykes in the audience, perhaps not so much for the shock value but rather the pounding volume of the soundtrack. It was a loud movie at times.

We left Two Rivers at 11 o’clock Saturday morning with the sun beating down on us as if were a warm Easter weekend. In fact, we saw golfers on the municipal course in Manitowoc. I was sweltering in the driver’s seat of the van, but every time I turned on the fan to let some fresh air in through the vents, JoAnna complained about being cold, so I could only leave the fan on for 30-second intervals. A few miles from home, though, JoAnna complained about being hot and opened her window.

Even though I reminded the boys that there would be no TV until the van was unpacked, I still didn’t get much help. Once I got everything put away and a load of clothes in the washer, I read for awhile. I started reading Tom Wolfe’ s new book, A Man in Full, last weekend and am really enjoying it. It’s a long book, almost 800 pages, but I’m already more than halfway through it.

JoAnna and I took a late afternoon walk, without jackets, and then went to 5 o’clock mass with the boys. Andy is now serving at mass every other month. JoAnna signed him up for this responsibility in September. Yesterday was his second time. After church we went out to eat and then spent a quiet evening at home.

Although the warm weather is still with us today, general conditions are not too pleasant. It’s overcast and I can see a barely perceptible mist falling. After eating some lunch, JoAnna and I are going Christmas shopping, the only important item on our list of things to do today.

We missed Larry, JoAnna’s brother, by seven hours. He’ll be in Two Rivers for the next two weeks. JoAnna plans to spend a few days there next week (Monday-Wednesday), as she can basically take the rest of the year off considering all the time she has put into her job already this year. She didn’t get the job offer from Tammy Baldwin and, earlier this month, gave her resignation at her current job effective at the end of the year. So now JoAnna has to do some serious job-hunting.

On This Date in 1998

Sorry for being out of touch for so long. We should have made definite plans to see David Grisman at the Barrymore. That would have given us both something to look forward to. As it turned out, no surprise, I didn’t go, another missed opportunity to see a performer I have long admired.

Life is proceeding at its usual hectic pace. Only 6 more days of school left, and then we shift into our summer schedule. Which isn’t all that different from our schoolyear schedule actually, since it offers no relief from the usual juggling of activities and commitments. The boys will be attending a daycare program at a local school, one that provides them with a variety of offsite activities throughout the summer. Our evenings, at least three times a week, will be taken up with baseball games. We probably won’t venture out of Dane County until the end of June. (Not quite true.)

The boys and I drove to Pennsylvania during spring break. JoAnna was immersed in a special election. Her busy schedule didn’t permit a break. On the drive east, we made a planned stop at a Holidome in South Bend, Indiana, where the boys enjoyed the pool and a large activity area. In fact, they didn’t get to bed until 1 a.m. Party time! Nothing of interest to report from our four days in Warren, except that my dad continues to deteriorate both physically and mentally form Parkinson’s Disease.

Before returning home, we spent a couple of days in Chicago. I splurged and got us a room at a Days Inn on Lake Shore Drive, just across the way from Navy Pier. We visited the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Museum of Science & Industry, which I first visited when I was Andy’s age and remember being literally cluttered with all kinds of fascinating exhibits. Now there seems to be so much open space and all these rinky-dink displays. Even the boys weren’t overly impressed with this stop. We also walked around Michigan Avenue, bustling with activity, and took a ride on a speeding elevator to the top of the Hancock building at dusk. We had a great time.

Easter weekend the family spent on night in – get ready to cringe – Wisconsin Dells at the Polynesian, a resort hotel with two indoor waterparks. The boys, of course, had been lobbying for this getaway. Perhaps it’s a sign of how much my life has been transformed since those crazy Oshkosh years of excess, but I actually enjoyed myself. Family outings have been somewhat of a rarity this year. The waterparks, a bit of a stretch to call them that, are geared for younger children, Eddie probably being at the upper end of the age range. Andy still had a great time, though. Friday evening, Mom and Dad kept an eye on the boys from the bar, drinking margaritas and playing casino. We told each other we should have got a suite, so we could have some privacy after the boys went to bed.

We spent the Memorial Day weekend in Two Rivers, where JoAnna and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary. All day Saturday I was an almanac of historical information. Exactly twelve years ago today, at this very minute, I was getting out of bed with a most horrendous hangover. Twelve years ago today, the men in the wedding party were hanging out in the parking lot of the Lighthouse Inn. Twelve years ago today, I was sweating bullets minutes before Dad’s homily. Twelve years ago today, people had finished inching their way through the reception line and pictures of the wedding party were being taken. Twelve years ago today, Joan Kranick’s husband was wearing JoAnna’s bra at the reception. What a weekend that was!

Saturday evening of this past weekend, after playing baseball with the boys in Nashotah Park in the morning and golfing with JoAnna, Andy, and Larry in the afternoon, we grilled steaks on the barbecue and had a feast. In many ways, it was a perfect day of fun and relaxation. We topped it off by playing cards and sitting around the fire in Larry’s outdoor pit.

Teaching stuff. I survived my class and a series of other teaching commitments without incident. The home front. As a result of years of rough play in the back yard and a blight in the front yard, I’ve been doing some major work as a lawn doctor. At first, I thought about hiring a professional, but the results of my test area in the back yard were very satisfying, so I convinced myself it is a job that I can do. Although I was grousing about its condition in March, the yard looks beautiful now what with the perennials massing and the annuals providing attractive splashes of color. So if it’s not my Middleton Public Library commitments, there’s still plenty to keep me busy.

We now have a new member of the household. Boxer is a little gray-and-white furball, just the cutest little kitty. We got him a few weeks ago when he was 6 weeks old. At that time, I could cup him in my hands. He’s a playful little guy. JoAnna and I have to close our bedroom door if we don’t want to be disturbed at 4 or 5 in the morning. “Time to play,” Boxer says. When I walk home for lunch, he bounces around my feet like a puppy. Today he didn’t appreciate the fact that I was ignoring him while eating my lunch, so he started to crawl up my legs, claws digging into my shins. He didn’t get the hoped for reaction.

I had been resisting the idea of a pet for a long time, remembering our previous experience with Misty, the hairball queen, but JoAnna and Eddie kept pressuring me. They promised that the cat would be their responsibility, and so far I’ve held them to that. As I told JoAnna, Boxer is not going to be like the laundry or the grocery shopping a chore that I take over almost exclusively.

Let us know when you’re going to be in the area. Look forward to seeing you soon.

On This Date in 1998

A concluding note.

The weekend in Two Rivers was very relaxing and enjoyable. Once we returned to Middleton, it seemed to me as though we had been away for almost a week. JoAnna and I put the furniture back in order and rearranged the garage so we could keep an old chest of drawers there rather than return it to the hallway. I took time out from my chores to play baseball with Andy. Eddie accompanied us and skated around the parking lot on her rollerblades.

Now it’s back to our normal schedule.

Boxer, by the way, accompanied us to Two Rivers this weekend. He’s a pretty good traveler, although he did throw up twice on the way home. No major mess.

On This Date in 1998

Sunday remained a dreary day. Rain on and off. The gray dome stayed in place. Larry, Andy, JoAnna and I went to 10:30 mass at St. Luke’s, the church where we were married 12 years ago. The sanctuary looks much smaller now; a perception influenced by a recent remodeling project. During his homily, the priest announced a “discernment” project. Two Rivers, a community of 13,000 residents, its population stagnant and aging, has 4 Catholic churches, a dwindling membership, and not enough priests to go around. The diocese’s goal is to merge the four parishes, which of course, will bump up against individual loyalties. In a way, Two Rivers is much like Warren, a somewhat isolated town past its prime, struggling to find a new identify, hamstrung by both leaders and followers who have no vision. To be blunt, Two Rivers is worse off than Warren. There’s very little retail here, no movie theaters. People drive 10 miles to the far west side of Manitowoc to shop. Both Larry and JoAnna feel that Two Rivers’ proximity to Lake Michigan should be emphasized. Last year JoAnna and I were both impressed with the activity that took place along an extensive stretch of beach in Ludington, Michigan. Two Rivers has the same amenities. The locals just don’t know how to promote what they have.

During the afternoon, we took the boys to the Rogers Street Fishing Museum, where a double-masted (not exactly tall) ship had docked. It wasn't open for public inspection until today. We also visited the Two Rivers Historical Museum in the old Hotel Washington. The 2nd floor ballroom has been restored. The exhibits are an odd mish-mash of Two Rivers memorabilia and old stuff having no direct local connection. The museum also houses a soda fountain, as Two Rivers bills itself as the home of the ice cream sundae. 

Angela visited us during the late afternoon and evening. While the kids played downstairs, the adults played a card game called “65”.

On This Date in 1998

The holiday weekend is off to an unexpectedly bright start. I woke up an hour ago to sunshine streaming through the windows. The most recent weather forecast predicted rain every day through Monday. Earlier in the week, we were told to expect nearly picture-perfect conditions. That’s where we are right now.

We are also in Two Rivers. We left Middleton at 4:00 yesterday, once school let out and the van was packed. We took advantage of our unoccupied house and had the carpets in the family room and living rooms cleaned. The blue carpet in the family room, installed in 1991, was starting to get embarrassingly soiled. Area rugs and Resolve could no longer hide or eliminate the problem areas. Within the last year or two, I had used a dry cleaning method, which was generally satisfactory except in high traffic areas. The beige living room carpet is 2½ years old, has never been cleaned, but still looks almost new, in spite of the boys and a number of large gatherings we’ve had at the house. We left the smaller piece of furniture “in storage” in the garage and kitchen so that the carpets could dry unobstructed over the weekend.

Since it’s our anniversary weekend, JoAnna and I are in a celebratory mood. Shortly after our arrival, we went out for fish at the Vet’s Club, a meal that made me y earn for those hot slabs of deep-fried haddock at Mr. Elmer’s in Oshkosh, which, unfortunately, is no longer in business. Larry is a sociological study in motion. Watching the 68-year-old hometown boy interact with practically everyone is fascinating. After our meal, we walked one block west to the K of C Club, site of the Richard family reunion Friday night fish fry and Sunday breakfast. JoAnna’s cousin Wayne Klein was working as a bartender. While the Richards – Larry, Alice, JoAnna, and Cindy – were yukking it up with friends at a table, the boys and I sat at the bar. I had been at the table, but the boys were getting bored and need some attention.

Andy, drinking a coke into which he had dropped breath mints, and Dad, sipping a beer played a game of baseball “Whadda-ya-know?”

I started out.

“He plays for the Houston Astros.”

“Jeff Bagwell,” Andy guessed.

“He’s one of the killer B’s,” I said, offering a second clue.

“Jay Bell.”

“Jay Bell doesn’t play for Houston,” I said, a little bit unsure of my current baseball knowledge.

“OK, one more clue,” I continued. “Not little, but….”

“Craig Biggio!”

“Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding.”

Eddie would interrupt our game every now and then with one of his amazingly worldly questions, which I always took the time out to attempt to answer.

If I hadn’t have spent some time with the boys, they would have gone out of their minds with boredom and into unchecked mischief.

Back at the house, we played cards until shortly after midnight. Margaret, JoAnna’s godmother, and her husband Earl joined us. Margaret’s first husband, Richard, died 5 or 6 years ago. Unhappy with the life of a lonely widow, she quickly remarried, initially without the full support of her 5 children. Now she’s a lady of retirement leisure. She and Earl spend winters in Arizona, in the Phoenix area, and are avid golfers. It’s amazing what a second chance at love will do for a person. I remember Margaret acting like a giggly, blushing schoolgirl on the day that she and Earl got married.

Later in the day

Twelve years ago on this day of the week, the wedding had concluded. Our guests had inched their way through the reception line, and pictures of the wedding party and members of the families were being taken. Twelve years ago! So much has happened since then. Family. Career. Friends. Trips. We’ve achieved a wonderful contentment in our lives in spite of all the little bumps we encounter along the way. JoAnna and I were certainly fortunately to have found each other. (Should there be some music swelling up in a big crescendo in the background?) The years of my waiting and wondering now seem like series of rare opportunities to do all the things I felt I needed to do before settling down into a permanent relationship. I think that’s why I enjoy being a husband and father so much. I’ve learned that in these two roles, I’ve experienced the greatest rewards of my life.

The boys and I walked to Nashotah Park this morning. Andy practiced his pitching and hitting. Eddie ended up walking around, occasionally putting in a request for us to walk to the lake, which we did after I was able to hit a few balls, most of them line drives up the middle.

“Dad, that’s why I don’t like to pitch to you.”

That was my trademark style in Oshkosh during the 7 summers I played softball – stinging basehits up the middle.

This afternoon JoAnna, Andy, Larry, and I went golfing at a par-3 course a few miles outside of town, my first opportunity to use Dad’s clubs. It was a gorgeous day for golf: clear skies and the temperature in the mid-60s. We all played fairly respectably, JoAnna taking first with a score of 40, me in second with 42, Larry at 43, and Andy at 45. Andy could have tied Mom for first if he hadn’t lost it on the 3rd hole, where he hit his first three balls in a water hazard and then temporarily shut down. Once he focused on the game again, he made great shots.

May 10, 1992

Mother's Day is lowkey.  I don't even volunteer to cut up the potatoes.  Andy asks to go to the park, and we stay there until the fog rolls in.  It may be a warm, summery day throughout the rest of the state, but Two Rivers lives up to its Cool City reputation.  We don't leave for home until three. Andy sleeps during the first half of the trip, Eddie gets fussy during the second half.  Once we get home, I make the following discoveries:  ants have invaded the house, the washing machine agitator is still not working, the perennials I plants in the tree box appears to be serving as rabbit food.  I'm stressed out.

May 9, 1992

#1 grossing new movie; #15 overall.  #5,341 all-time domestic.

I take the boys to Nashotah Park in the morning.  Eddie loves going down the slide with Dad and becomes frustrated when he realizes he can't climb the steps on his own.  Although I cut into Eddie's nap time, I take the boys to buy a Mother's Day present.  At the drugstore down the street, I can't find a scent of perfume I like.  We drive downtown, find a place to park, then scope the inventory at Jansen's. We settle for an aqua cotton blazer.

I miss most of the party for Larry at the Labor Hall.  Andy and I spend some time together at the lake, throwing pebbles at the dead and dying alewives.  Then it's naptime for Eddie.  The two of us return to Grandma and Grandpa's, where I set up the playpen outside.  It takes Eddie about a half hour to fall asleep.  I sit in the late afternoon sun, sipping a martini, and reading a book by Paul Monette called Afterlife.

JoAnna and her folks have another party to attend in the evening.  I fall asleep with the boys.

October 27, 1991

We return to Middleton before 5.  JoAnna and I have started to talk more seriously about our December schedules and a holiday without Barb's oppressive omnipresence.  I spend the evening watching the World Series after finishing a paint-by-numbers police procedural, Exceptional Clearance.

October 26, 1991

After an uneventful day -- it rains nonstop practically, no chance to go for a walk to the park -- JoAnna and I spend the evening at her 10-year high school reunion.  I manage to find someone in my predicament -- Dan from Green Bay whom I met earlier at Gonya's -- and we watch game 6 of the World Series in the bar.

October 25, 1991

I drive JoAnna to her meeting at the Radisson on Odana Road, Andy to daycare, and myself to Durrant, holding off my arrival at the final destination after cashing my check and buying a few items at Pic-a-Book.  Donovan has adjusted the schedule, and I have no objection to his changes.  Sometimes though I just have to wonder how effective a presenter Donovan is going to be.   I remember so clearly how mealy-mouthed he was in front of the Plan Commission.

After a visit to Second Hand Books, where I buy some records and tapes, I make an appearance at the library.

Until it's time to leave, I pack the van and do some calendar squares.  I'm a little bit late leaving the house to pick up JoAnna and Andy on our to Two Rivers.  Eddie sleeps until nearly 4.  While I'm sitting at my desk, Barb presents Eddie to me as is.  His one-piece outfit is soaked around the middle.  Just one more reason to get Barb out of the house before Christmas.

Sitting in Larry and Alice's basement, I quickly turn invisible.  JoAnna's friends arrive and she neglects to introduce me.  I get the message and join her dad upstairs.  He's watching a couple romp all over someone's apartment.  We never catch the title of the movie, but it's obviously some Fatal Attraction clone.

At midnight I decide to go to bed so I'll be able to get up with the boys.  Somehow. though, I manage to sleep in.

What I Did Sunday Night in Two Rivers, Wisconsin

 LINK

Watching Over Jefferson Avenue @ the Waverly in Two Rivers, Wisconsin

Bowling @Tippy's in Two Rivers

Tippy's is a neighborhood bar on the east side of Two Rivers. Its decor is thoroughly Green Bay Packers, which caused a few eyebrows to raise when Andy walked in sporting a Washington Redskins cap.

The bar's most unique feature is two "miniature" bowling lanes -- 12 feet in length and requiring manual pinsetting.

A great way to kick off the Richard family reunion!

Nashotah Park Beach, Two Rivers, Wisconsin

A beautiful day for a walk -- and for flying kites.

What's in a Name?

Massage business, Washington Street, Two Rivers, Wisconsin.

Repurposed

JoAnna and I were married at St. Luke's Catholic Church in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, on May 24, 1986. After the consolidation of the city's four Catholic parishes, St. Luke's became surplus property. Until recently, it was home to a fitness center. Now it's a dance studio.

I'll have another Old Fashioned, please

Friday night at the KC Club in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.

July 7, 1991

I wake up hungover, and only an early afternoon nap, a baseball announcer droning in the background, revives me.  It's after three by the time we leave for Middleton.  We stop for refreshments at the A&W in Fond du Lac and to soothe a fussy Eddie guy at the Hardee's in Waupun.  

Driving along River Road, I am stunned by the evidence of a recent storm.   The road is littered with leaves, as if it were fall, only they're all green.  Dozens of trees are uprooted.  Others have been snapped in half.  Power lines are down.  I start to worry about the condition of our yard and am relieved to find just oversized twigs on the ground.  The gardens look unscathed.  

We unpack and spend the evening quietly.  No TV due to the storm.