Bird's-eye View, Northeast from Union Depot, Milwaukee, Wis. (Postcard Series)

Better known as the Everett Street Depot.  (Photo credit:  Wikipedia)

Opening in 1888.  Closed in 1965.  Razed the following year.

When heaven was down at the corner of Clyborn and North 2nd:  A visit to Milwaukee's downtown depot.  (Railroad Model Craftsman)

Back to the Preppy 60s

Portrait in Bathroom Mirror

April 4, 1992

Three days before the election, JoAnna's not sure what to do.  There's not need to make a pest of herself, but at the same time, why let up now when the self-appointed Mr. Middleton could come up with a major sleaze move.

While Kelly watches the boys, JoAnna and I attend the Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner in Milwaukee.  She's sure it's at the Hyatt Recency, but we find no sign of Democratic life there.  The concierge is some apolitical bimbo wannabe.  It's the person to whom she is recommending restaurants that points us in the right direction.

We sit with Bill and Cindy and endure an overdose of Democratic cheerleading.  The previously advertised stars of the show, Bill Clinton and Jerry Brown, are too busy fighting over New York State's delegation to attend.  Hillary stands in for her husband and makes me wonder why she's not running for President herself.  We leave after her rousing remarks.  Supposedly Jerry's 83-year-old mom is standing in for him.

Saturday, December 14, 1991

We get a later start than planned.  I have to stop at a TYME machine to get the last of the money that Barb is owed and at PDQ for gas.  The wind is so violently cold I settle for half a tank.  Since JoAnna plans to do doors, the boys accompany Barb and me to Milwaukee.  I keep the radio on and talk to Andy while Barb soothes a fussy Eddie.  I say nothing to Barb during the entire trip.  After she boards her plane, I don't even stick around to see her take off.  I take the boys back to the van, and then Andy tells me he needs to go potty, so we walk back into the terminal.  Eddie sleeps for the entire trip back, which is why we wait to eat lunch in Madison.  We stop at the Burger King on East Washington near Hawthorne Plaza.  The Beauty and the Beast promotion must be old news, but Andy doesn't complain about the toy he gets with his kids meal, some nerdy little kid riding a "bookmobile".  Back home, the boys and I reclaim the guest bedroom, what had been Barb's closed-door, off-limits domain for the past 11 months.  I tape music while Andy plays Santa Claus with Eddie's birthday gifts.  While Eddie naps, Andy and I watch Planet of the Apes.

JoAnna is amazed at how much Jesse has grown since the last time he has babysat for us.  I am, too, actually.  The holiday party at Sheila's is most enjoyable.  JoAnna and I should host it next year.

October 18, 1991

After seeing JoAnna off, I attend a brief WAPL spring conference planning meeting. I need to visit a TYME machine before finding a place to eat breakfast. I end up at Big Boy in the Grand Avenue Mall.  The western omelet I'm served is a bit on the runny side and the cheese has a somewhat unreal quality to it.  Once my stomach is filled and my head is buzzing with caffeine, I take the escalator to the third level food court and describes the events of Wednesday on the back of four picture postcards.  Waiting for Sharon and Julie, I mingle with folks in the Hyatt lobby.

Outside of Sharon's whistling windshield, I enjoy the return trip to Madison.  I could have blown off the rest of the day, but I decide to do my catch-up stuff at the library now instead of Monday morning.  JoAnna and I return home at the same time. We're so happy to see our boys.

March 3, 1991

At first I think about staying home, sitting at my desk, reorganizing my personal materials.  But I crave a change of scenery, so I decide it'll be a family road trip to Milwaukee.  A sunny day is enough to give me the fever.  Listening to 50s and 60s Atlantic soul, JoAnna and I discuss our plans to flip-flop rooms.  We even decide to eliminate the pantry.  Less than 10 miles from our destination, I'm ready to make an 180 turn, race back to Middleton, and begin moving furniture.  It's only a fleeting thought.

Once I drop off JoAnna and Andy at the Bradley Center, I drive to a parking ramp just south of Grand Avenue and meander my way to the third or fourth elevation until I find a satisfactory writing place.  I change Eddie's diaper and then carry the fussy guy to the Spiesgarten, or whatever it is the food court is called.  I find a rest room, fill a plastic bottle with water and three measured scoops of formula to the six-ounce line, and find a seat with a dizzying view of the main level 60 feet below.  Once Eddie drinks his fill, he scopes out his unfamiliar surroundings with the most endearing set of bugeyes.  I strap on the chest carrier -- it obviously has a more descriptive name -- and circle the food court, stopping at Orange Julius to satisfy my thirst.  At this point, I begin to lose my enthusiasm for the day's developments.  Walking along level 3, I feel as though Eddie isn't enjoying our time together.  We return to the van, and I struggle to get him back into his car seat.  I suppose there were any number of more constructive ways to spend the afternoon out.  I decide to see what the planned city of Greendale looks like.  I drive west on Greenfield Avenue through West Allis, realizing the closer I get to I-894, the farther away from my intended destination I am.  I eventually discover a most interesting and unique community -- gotta read that book -- and even check out the new public library, all the time listening to the Bucks game on the radio to time my trip.  I return downtown with slightly more than a minute of game time left, find a parking place across the street from the Bradley Center, and scan the crowd for a familiar mother-and-son combo.  Earlier we had made arrangements to reconnoiter at Turner's.  When Eddie and I enter this place, I'm assaulted with a bass beat that would singe the hair off anyone unfamiliar with Stray Dog.  (Hey, Eddie's my son.)  I lose it anyway.  Andy's bouncing off any available surface, and JoAnna has obviously been pushed to the limit.  Surprisingly, the drive home is relaxing; our boys sleep peacefully while we listen to my Motown pick hits.

Once we get home, it's renovation time.  I remove the pantry cupboard and reorganize the kitchen cupboards.  JoAnna takes care of the utility room.  We are serious about regaining some privacy in our lives.

Labor Day at Milwaukee's Marcus Amphitheater

All smiles after a rousing 20-minute speech by Barack Obama

A view of the venue (and the Milwaukee skyline) at 3:00.

The event didn't start until 5:30, but we wanted to get good seats.
(We succeeded: Second row, just to the left of the stage.)

A beautiful day on which to end the summer.

A section is already filled by 3:00

This group watched the proceedings from the stage.

Another view of the early arrivals.

Filled to capacity just as things get underway.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett

Governor Jim Doyle

Senator Herb Kohl

Senator Russ Feingold

Representative Gwen Moore


THE OBAMA GALLERY

Obama, eloquent as always, gave a relatively low-key speech in light of the concerns over Hurricane Gustav and a possible replay of Katrina. He gave an historical summation of the labor movement and its continued importance to workers today. He talked about the independent spirit of the American people, but also how we come together in times of need. After offering encouragement to contribute to the Red Cross to help those displaced by the storm, he described those who face their own “quiet storms” – the loss of a job or a house – and the need for government to respond at such times.

When Obama finished his 20-minute address, he acknowledged the cheers of the audience for a few minutes and then headed straight in our direction. Surrounded by a squad of Secret Service agents, he worked the crowd building at the front of the stage, shaking every hand, including JoAnna’s and mine, that was offered to him.

“He looks you straight in the eye,” JoAnna observed as we walked back to the car. “That’s what I like about him.”

It’s a piercing, confident gaze, which revealed to me a man very much at ease with himself. I sensed a huge reservoir of inner calm behind his eyes.

Obama is truly a remarkable person.

JoAnna with Frances Huntley Cooper