On This Date in 1998

A holiday postscript.

Labor Day was a very lowkey holiday for me. In fact, I was on my own from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Andy spent most of the day with Meaghan and Matt at Meaghan’s house. She has a trampoline set up in the back yard, which seemed to be the big attraction today. I could hear their voices occasionally seep through the open windows and sliding glass door of the family room. Matt’s name might be unfamiliar to you. He’s a classmate of Andy’s and was also on Andy’s soccer team the past two years. He’s playing soccer again this fall, on the team that Andy will play for next spring. He lives about three blocks from our house.

JoAnna and Eddie traveled to Janesville to walk in the holiday parade there as part of the Erpenbach contingent. The parade started at 1:00, but it was 2:30 before they got moving. Obviously, a big parade.

I spent the day doing a variety of domestic chores and other activities. Laundry, which I just finished folding before sitting down at the computer. Reorganizing our bookcases, of which we have half a dozen of various sizes. Watching the Cubs-Cardinals game while eating lunch. (I missed seeing McGwire hit his 61st home run when it happened. I saw it on replay at least four times.) I even took a bike ride, taking a circuitous 20-minute ride to the library to pick up a book on tape. I had left in my office on Friday. Late this morning I finished listening to The Road to Wellville, by T. Coraghessan Boyle, a sometimes uproariously funny novel that skewers the health and nutritional fads of the early 20th century as promoted by John Harvey Kellogg at his Battle Creek, Michigan, sanatorium. The book is very well research, has at least a half dozen fully-developed, three-dimensional characters, and creates a wonderful period atmosphere. Boyle has a very literary style of writing but is also a very good storyteller. I think you might enjoy this book, Mom.

JoAnna and Eddie returned home shortly before 4:30, just in time for Eddie’s soccer scrimmage. Instead of watching him play, JoAnna and I did a lit drop for Rick Phelps, who is running for the 2nd Congressional District. Tomorrow is the primary election in Wisconsin, and that is one of the key races in the Madison area.

We had some friends here yesterday for a chicken barbecue. JoAnna made pasta and cucumber salads, and that was all we needed. (Our guests brought four pints of different varieties of Michael’s frozen custard – our favorite.) It was hot and sticky, so we ate on the patio, the bugs leaving us alone until we had finished eating. We moved inside around 7:00 and played sheepshead for a couple hours. Just a friendly game. No money exchanged hands.

I found it interesting that both boys wanted to be part of the group last night. Andy actually joined us during the meal and participated in the conversation. Before playing cards, we watched the Chiefs-Raiders football game, and Andy was practically giving us a play-by-play. I’m surprised he didn’t put on his uniform.

It cooled down today, although the weather was still very pleasant. Good sleeping weather is in store for tonight. The temperature is going to sip into the mid-40s.

August 22, 1991

When I get to the library, the sprinkler guy is already there.  Fortunately, Mark is also there and was able to let him into the library to do the inspection.  I punch *1234 on the security system keypad as soon as I walk in the door and the 09 code disappears immediately.

I work until 10, when I decide to take a few hours off.  I stop by the mall to look for a cassette that has "Chapel of Love" on it.  I end up spending $28 on 4 tapes.

At home, I juggle four or five things at once:  laundry, taping, preparing a macaroni salad, watering the plants.   Again I pick up Andy at daycare.

While grilling hamburgers, I get into a heated discussion with Barb about -- oh, just about everything that bothers me about her.  It's an ugly and unnecessary scene, but for some reason I just have to release some steam.

August 17, 1991

There's not much time for chores this morning.  We have tickets for the Bills-Packers game at Camp Randall Stadium and Larry and Martha are hosting a tailgate party.   Parking is a breeze; Larry saves a place in his garage.  During the game, Andy stretches my patience to the limit.  I take him to the bathroom three times before halftime, to the concession stand twice.  I hope he'll want to walk around the playing field during the 4th quarter but he doesn't take to the idea.  We delay our departure home until 45 minutes after the game but still experience gridlock.  JoAnna is tired after a busy week so she takes a nap as soon as we get home.  I take Andy grocery shopping with me.  JoAnna settles on soup for supper, but I'm hungry for something more substantial so I grill some beef ribs and potatoes and steam some broccoli. 

July 11, 1991

Yesterday Larry Martin called and the first word out of his mouth, "Congratulations!", caught me completely off guard.

I stammer a response.

"Uh-oh, you haven't heard yet?"

"Heard what?" I ask.

"Oh, never mind.  Goodbye," he kiddingly responds.   "You've been selected as Librarian of the Year".

I'm flabbergasted, never having given my nomination much of a chance.  Already I'm pondering my acceptance speech.  That was one of my questions for Larry.  What does the awards ceremony involve?

For supper, I cook ribs on the grill, and, despite a number of pesky bees -- one of which meets its maker -- we eat on the patio.

While JoAnna and Barb (and Eddie) go shopping, Andy and I go to the park.  He plays with an 8-year-old girl, a slightly plump redhead with a face from Stephen King central casting -- it's the narrow eyes -- who has must moved into the neighborhood  from Milton.  Back home I give Andy a bath and discover that one of my speakers is silent when I play a record.

June 29, 1991

JoAnna doesn't have to work today.  Unfortunately, it's too hot to consider doing anything out of the ordinary.  Andy and I go shopping in the morning. to KMart first, where I hope to find a swimming pool for the kids but nothing much is in stock.  Andy starts to look increasingly pale, but we forge ahead and get the grocery shopping done.  I give him repeated comforting hugs as we wind our way through the aisles of Cub Foods.

I do a little yard work during the afternoon.  After literally years of procrastination, I set up our compost cage.  I grill chicken for supper and then we just vegetate to stay cool.  Andy sleeps through most of the afternoon and is refreshed when he wakes up.  Whatever bug he had left him quickly.

June 15, 1991

I'm the quintessential Dad today.  After getting breakfast for the boys, we go grocery shopping.  I push Eddie in one cart and pull Andy in another.  Having two carts turns out to be a good idea:  I spend more than $160 and, for a change, none of the produce gets smooshed.  After lunch, and Eddie's nap, we visit Lakeview Park to check out the Beach Party.  Andy takes his basketball along and is disappointed to find no hoops.  After a visit to the playground area, we return to the fest site, but the loud music is not to Andy's liking, and I'm more than happy to oblige.  JoAnna's sacked out on the couch when we return, having been up all night.  I have such a craving for barbecued chicken that I fire up the grill at 7:30, despite the fact that I'll be the only one eating.

June 8, 1991

Liz calls to inform me that Chris can't make it to work.  Can I be on call?  Fifteen minutes later, I am reassured by the news that Deb has agreed to fill in.  A couple hours later Liz calls a thud time to say that Deb isn't feeling well, but not to worry, it's a slow day and she and Maria can handle it.  Andy and I go to Menard's to buy some landscaping posts for my backyard project.  We run into Kathy (Weise) and Bill while we're there.  Then  while Andy is napping and Barb is watching Eddie, I make a trip to the Bruce Company.  I spend most of the afternoon setting the posts in place, using the mattock to loosen the earth and provide a level surface.  When JoAnna returns from the Capitol, she asks if I'd be willing to do the grocery shopping.  I lose my list along the way, but the only important thing I forget is the [illegible].  I also stop at KMart to buy some end tables for the patio.  Larry and Martha and, later, Chuck join us for a cookout.

May 11, 1991

JoAnna and Andy go good shopping, then all of us, including Barb, visit the Bruce Company, seemingly a part of everyone's itinerary today.  We buy begonias, petunias, impatiens, and some yellow-flowering perennials for the south side of the house.  I spend the afternoon planting in the flowers in the patio arrangement.  It's an exhausting chore.  We cook out (ribs).  Earlier in the afternoon, I made a trip to KMart, where I find dusty miller to use as a border.  I also do some Mother's Day shopping for JoAnna at Land's End.

April 6, 1991

An early taste of summer.  The temperature reaches 85, a record for the day.  I spend the day doing chores:  my semi-annual window cleaning ritual, a tidying up of the garden shed interior, but no landscaping due to JoAnna's veto of the necessary expenditure to begin the project.  I quickly get over my disappointment, realizing that there are plenty of weekends ahead for me for these activities.  We cook out.  Ribs and chicken.   The grill fires up right away but I have some trouble controlling the heat.  "Blackened" is not the descriptive term I had in mind for my efforts.