On This Date in 1999 (April 21)

Our cool and overcast weather continues. Daytime highs have been in the low 50s so conditions can’t really be described as unseasonable. During the night, the temperature approaches freezing. Yesterday we had a late afternoon downpour that forced the cancellation of Eddie’s soccer game and Andy’s practice.

So far this week, we’ve been sticking to the menu that JoAnna and Andy planned on Sunday. Spaghetti, with salad and Pillsbury garlic sticks on Monday; grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup yesterday, a meal that I missed out on since I was working; round steak and noodles, with corn and crescent rolls tonight. JoAnna called a few minutes before 6:00 to let us know she was delayed, to start supper without her. While I was cleaning up the kitchen, I prepared her supper plate, covered it with Cling Wrap, and put it in the refrigerator to be microwaved when she returned home. The Dale method.

Tomorrow, soft shell tacos are on the menu, but only if I stop at the grocery store to buy the shells. Pizza, probably not homemade, is what’s on tap for Friday, after Eddie’s soccer game in Mount Horeb, which means we won’t get home until after 7:00. The last time we were in Mount Horeb, for one of Andy’s basketball tournaments, JoAnna and I enjoyed a fish fry at the Main Street Grill. Maybe it will be time for an encore.

Saturday is an open date, not that we have any particular plans, but Sunday dinner will feature a delicious pork roast, a cut of meat we don’t buy too often.

Ever since baseball tryouts on Sunday, Andy has been anxiously awaiting a phone call from one of the coaches. Fifth and sixth graders were to be selected for two teams by this evening. I attended the city council meeting last night and didn’t get back to my office until 9:30. I found a note with the message, “Paul, call Andy.”

Andy couldn’t wait to tell me the news, I figured.

He was asleep, of course, when I returned home, but JoAnna said he’s on a team with a lot of the same guys from last year: Ross, Johnny, Riley, Drew, and Brent. He’s so excited. Practice starts this weekend, weather permitting. Our gloomy conditions are predicted to last through the weekend. We even had another prediction of snow. (I thought that convention ended last week!) 

Andy is going to be very busy with sports over the next month. He’ll still be able to play in most of his soccer games, but baseball will take priority. Andy will play in two tournaments in May, which take place on the 3rd and 4th weekends of the month.

I received a call from Andy’s teacher today while I was at work.

Oh-oh, I said to myself. What’s happened now?

Mrs. Ball must have sensed my concern, as she quickly explained her reason for her call.

“I have some positive news I wanted to share with you,” she said.

She went on to describe how things have changed for the better quite dramatically since the conference we had last month. She mentioned that Andy has made a special effort to contribute in the classroom, eagerly volunteering to participate in various activities. I thought it was very considerate of her to share this news. To me, it’s the sign of a committed teacher. Too often kids get reprimanded for their negative behavior but not rewarded, or even recognized, for the positive things that they do. That’s an important cautionary statement for parents, too. (Just giving myself a little reminder.)

Delayed reaction. A few paragraphs ago, I thought I heard someone say “goodbye” and the side door slam shut. From somewhere outside, I can hear the dull thump of a basketball being dribbled, but that might be our neighbors playing with their 3-year-old son. So I get up from this chair momentarily and walk to the kitchen window to investigate. Sure enough, there’s Mary Ash, her son Matthew – along with Andy and Eddie. Matthew could be a babysitting prospect for Andy. Hard to believe our big guys will be 12 years old this September and in middle school. I was looking at some baby pictures the other night and had to ask myself, “Where did those days go?” Diapers. Daycare. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Watching Dumbo three or four times in one day. The night after night after night after night I would tell Andy the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, sometimes with some very abrupt and strange variations if he was in the mood.

And now he’s almost as tall as his mom.

On This Date in 1998

Relief has arrived. Yesterday we received an unexpected break in the weather. The Sunday forecast for this week was a steady diet of high temperatures in the 90s. High humidity, too, of course. After two days of hot and muggy weather, the temperature remained in the 80s yesterday, and the evening was actually quite comfortable while we watched Andy’s baseball game. Thunderstorms had been predicted for the late evening but never arrived. Now the rest of the week is doing to be pleasant: sunshine and temperatures in the low 80s.

In order to beat the heat at home, we keep the house closed up during the day. That deprives Boxer from sitting on a window ledge, but it also keeps the hot air from seeping into the house. The four silver maples in our yard provide an umbrella of coolness. Without them, the house would be baking in the sun all day. During the evening, we run window fans in the bedrooms and ceiling fans in the dining area and kitchen. I think I neglected to mention this in a recent letter, but a couple weeks ago, JoAnna and I installed a ceiling fan in the kitchen. Ourselves. Without assistance. Successfully. It certainly made a difference when JoAnna was doing all her cooking and baking for the party. Our kitchen tends to trap heat. The fan helps to disperse it. Anyway, we were quite pleased with ourselves over what was admittedly was a very modest project, but then neither of us is the handiest person in the world.

Last night Andy’s team – they dubbed themselves the Road Kill at the beginning of the season – played the only undefeated team in the league. In their first meeting in June, they lost 11-8, and Andy’s pitching performance was a little shaky. He was the starting pitcher in the rematch, giving up 3 runs in the first inning. He pitched well, but the opposing team was getting the bat on the ball. Two hits to the outfield got past the defense, and the runners were able to take an extra base. One of the balls had an outside chance of being caught, although it would have been a tough play to make. Andy shook it off and came back to strike out the side in the second. Johnny Strnad pitched the next two innings, giving up one run in the 3rd. In the bottom of the 4th, the exploded for 5 runs, Johnny hitting a tripe with the bases loaded. Johnny is the team’s best player, but he hasn’t always performed well in clutch situations, but last night he redeemed himself and really smacked the ball. Wesley Bonebrake pitched the final two innings, making things interesting in the top of the 6th when a single and a couple walks loaded the bases. The other team scored just one run. Final score: 7-5. It was a very exciting game, and the boys, of course, were happy to beat the 1st place team.
Andy plays three games this week – Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday – and then has a select team practice on Saturday morning. The select team played Tuesday evening against a team from Cross Plains, a community seven miles west of Middleton. Initially, they thought they’d be playing against another select team, but that wasn’t the case. As a result, it was a very one-sided affair, Middleton winning 21-3. Andy pitched the second inning, striking out the side. I was at a library board meeting and JoAnna was at a fundraiser. The swimming pool served as Eddie’s sitter, a situation that he enjoys as he’ll always run into someone he knows there. He doesn’t enjoy watching Andy’s games and gets bored trying to find something to do. JoAnna and I didn’t make precise arrangements as to who would be where during the evening. The board meetings sometimes run past 8:00, but Tuesday’s was adjourned at 7:40. I thought I’d better check on Eddie at the pool since it closes at 8:00. He was still there, and we found JoAnna at Andy’s game. If the meeting had run past 8:00, Eddie would have been standing around for while wondering where his ride was.

Andy’s activity at the Camp of the Trails this week is canoeing, so he is spending a lot of time outdoors. At the beginning of the week, I was concerned about the heat and humidity sapping all of his stamina before Friday. Another reason I was happy to see cooler weather arrive. Andy did complain about being tired yesterday morning but got out of bed with no prodding this morning. Eddie’s group went to the county fair yesterday, which may be our destination this evening. He wants to go on the rides. 

With all this activity later in the day, evening mealtimes are difficult to arrange. Monday was on the order of serve yourself. After Tuesday’s baseball game, I detoured through McDonald’s drive-through on the way home. The boys ordered their regular fare. A chicken McNugget happy meal for Eddie, with barbecue sauce and a Coke. A 5-piece McNugget with a super-size fries and a large Sprite for Andy. JoAnna asked me to pick her up two chicken fajitas. I opted to fix myself a turkey and cheese sandwich fired up with Pelligrino peppers at home. Last night, we went to Culver’s, actually eating our meal at a table inside the restaurant. JoAnna has a meeting tonight, so the boys and I will get our dinner at one of the concessions at the county fair. At yesterday’s game, one of the parents talked about getting a group together and going out after tomorrow’s game. We’ll most likely be in Two Rivers on Saturday for Larry’s surprise birthday party, which Albert is arranging. That means a surprise party is an unlikely outcome. JoAnna called her sister Cindy yesterday, to ask if we could stay at her house in Manitowoc. Cindy said, “Sure, but I probably won’t’ be around Saturday night.” 

“Albert definitely isn’t communicating with Cindy about this party,” JoAnna concluded after relaying this news to me.

As much as I’ve encouraged her to take the time off, JoAnna doesn’t feel that she can get away during the week of August 2nd. Here’s how our schedule is shaping up.

Friday, July 31. I have to work, as I’m only one of three people scheduled to be at the library. Three staff members are on vacation that day. JoAnna and Eddie will leave for Two Rivers to attend the Richard family reunion.

Saturday, August 1. Andy’s select baseball team plays a tournament in Reedsburg. 

Sunday, August 2. Depending on how the team does, the team will continue their tournament play. If the format is like the Beaver Dam tourney, they’ll play at least one game on this day. From Reedsburg, we’ll drive to Two Rivers, long before dark, I hope.

Monday, August 3. The boys and I will leave for Warren. Depending upon our Reedsburg departure time, we may try to drive through Chicago and find a motel in western Indiana. Our expected time of arrival should be late afternoon.

Friday, August 7. I’ll probably leave for Lorain, Ohio, since I want to attend Renee’s bat mitzvah the next day. It starts at 9:30. From here, I’ll continue on to Middleton.

Friday, August 14. I have to attend a Wisconsin Library Association board of directors meeting in La Crosse, which will add a couple hours to my return trip. The meeting will probably last until 3:00. My destination will be central Indiana.

Saturday, August 15. If I’m lucky, I’ll pull into the driveway at 4 East Third Avenue during the early afternoon. I should be able to stay over through Tuesday, making the return trip with the boys on

Tuesday, the 19th. I have a meeting on Wednesday that I can’t skip out on. Thursday is our annual staff in-service workshop at the library. Then before you know it, school starts. But we’re not there yet. Plenty of summer left. Let me back up and enjoy the present.

Two letters this week. Now you can plan your calendar.

Menu Planning: The Acorn Squash Edition

Like Mom, I'm not very good at planning meals in advance. Her letters are full of comments about procrastination and spur-of-the-moment preparations.

• January 8, 2004. I even started working on a menu for the month. Just hope I keep it up. 
• January 24, 2004. I'm still working on menus so I can have what I need on hand. I'm getting there "slow but sure". 
• January 31, 2004. Just got supper into the oven. Could have put it in the crockpot but I put it off. So I used the oven bags & then I didn't have the onion soup mix needed. I told myself to check what is needed. for menus but guess I didn't listen. 
• February 10, 2004. I just made a chicken-macaroni casserole tonite. Tomorrow we'll have a good meal. Good Lar & Kim come once a week as I try to have a good meal then. 
• (Same letter) Dad & I always ate out Friday nite & I still find it hard to prepare a Friday nite meal. Last nite Dale had frozen pot pie & Barb had a frozen meal I fixed scrambled eggs for myself. 

On Sunday evening, I managed to put a two-day menu in place. (That's about as good as it gets for me.) Baked acorn squash on Monday, cabbage rolls on Tuesday. I went grocery shopping this afternoon, returning home with just enough time to spare to get two scooped-out halves of squash into a 400° oven for 75 minutes. After setting the controls, I removed a price code sticker from the acorn squash and immediately noticed that it had been covering a soft spot. (And this from Metcalfe's, chosen by Madison magazine readers as Madison's best grocery store.) Once I cut the squash in half, some of the fruit looked bruised, greenish, and thoroughly unappetizing. Compost material. I made a quick trip to the Willy Street Co-op two blocks away to buy a replacement and discovered, to my rapidly increasing irritation, they had no acorn squash in stock.

"We don't even have an ETA," -- estimated time of arrival -- an employee replied in answer to my question.

By now, the likelihood of having dinner ready when JoAnna returned home from work was quickly diminishing.

Nevertheless, I continued my quest, driving to Copps, Middleton's only other grocery store, if you don't count Costco, where I first found a selection of ginormous organic acorn squash just inside the main entrance. I continued my search until I found one of a standard size.

Now my irritation turns inward.

At the self-service checkout, I discovered that I'd left the house without my wallet. Hey, I have an excuse -- or sorts. On my way home from my first afternoon visit to a grocery store, I stopped at Klinke's to pick up JoAnna's dry cleaning.

"The transaction didn't go through," the clerk informed me from the other side of the drop-off and pick-up window.

"How can that be?" I said, exhibiting a slightly elevated, and completely unnecessary, level of annoyance. "I've used it three times in the last hour."

So I pulled out my wallet, retrieved the card, and then placed the wallet not in my pants pockets but on the passenger's seat of the car, next to my iPhone. When I returned home, I gathered everything up in my hands and arms and plopped it on the kitchen counter. Once I opened up the defective acorn squash, I left the house without screwing my head back on. It remained next to my wallet and phone.

And now that I think of it, I probably had enough change in the console of the car to purchase the squash. But by the time I reached the checkout line at Copps, I wasn't thinking too clearly.

Ever have one of these days?

And it's not quite over.

As a back-up meal was cooking on the stovetop -- pork chops, pan-fried potatoes, green beans -- I discovered that I couldn't access the Internet on my laptop via wireless. When I attempted to go online with the iPad, I didn't encounter any problems. At least I thought it was the wireless icon and not "3G" I saw displayed in the upper left-hand corner, but then things haven't been what they seem for a good portion of this day.

After supper, JoAnna discovered that she couldn't access our wireless on her iPhone. At this point, I had the presence of mind to unplug and reinsert the connections to the router.

I'm now happy to report that there have been no major incidents or minor setbacks for the past two hours.

Maybe I should "86" acorn squash from the Mayflower Diner menu.