Brittingham's Radio Center Restaurant, Hollywood

Radio City Hollywood  

Video coverage starts at 0:48.

April 16, 1992

Never on the Nelson/Richard TV viewing schedule

JoAnna calls me at the library during the day to inform me of the latest version of her weekend plans.  She's thinking about leaving tonight.  I'm not expecting this scenario and hesitate momentarily.

"Then you'll have tomorrow completely to yourself.  You can sleep in, you won't have to worry about the boys waking you up early."

Returning home from work, I soon find that JoAnna has started to pack.  I inspect Andy's suitcase and discover that he's ready for another excursion to Disney World.

"You have too many shorts and tank tops here, Andy," I comment.  "It could be summer in the rest of the state, but chances are it will still be closer to winter in Two Rivers."

On This Date in 1998: Wednesday, April 15

It took me 5 minutes to get this program (Microsoft Word) working.  When I first tried to type, nothing happened.  I let my fingers tap-dance on the keyboard, hoping to see a long line of gibberish, but the screen remained blank.  “What’s going on here?” I wondered.  I exited Word and tried another program.  Microsoft Schedule+.  The same results, at least initially, on the screen.  OK, let’s try Word again.  And as you can now see, it’s operational as I’m already at the end of the first paragraph of his letter.  Sometimes computers get temperamental; it’s hard to explain.

My workday was abbreviated today, which came as no surprise.  Before driving the boys to school, I repeatedly asked Andy how he felt.  He looked a little peeked and had a phlegmy cough, but he insisted that he was OK.  Today happened to be a late start – kids don’t have to be to school until 10:10.  On these once-a-month occasions, the boys’ After School program offers a “before school” program.  Simply stated, Andy wanted to play.  The school nurse called me at 10:15.  Andy must have walked into his classroom and immediately announced to his teacher, “I don’t feel so good.”  He had a temperature of 104.  When I picked him up, he looked drained of color, but, surprisingly, still seemed to have a bit of zip in him.  He had a bounce in his step as we walked to the car.   As soon as we got home, he sacked out on the couch in the family room, watching RV for awhile, but, once he had a bowl of chicken noodle soup, took a nap at my request.   Although I had brought home some work from the library, I ended up doing some housework – folding a load of laundry, unloading the dishwasher, cleaning up the kitchen, -- and then finished the book I started to read on Sunday.  I’ve assigned myself the task of reading the complete works of Russell Banks, who will be the keynote speaker at this fall’s Wisconsin Library Association convention at Lake Geneva.  Since I’m the one who’ll be introducing him, I thought I should be familiar with his books.                        It’s finally stopped raining.  I heard the pitter-pat of rain on the roof when I got up at 6:00 this morning and dodged raindrops when I ran a quick errand at 3:30 this afternoon.  In between, the precipitation was relentless.  Both Andy and Eddie had soccer games scheduled for later this afternoon, now canceled, to be rescheduled at a later, hopefully drier, date.  Andy couldn’t have played anyway, even though the color is now back in his face and he’s out from under the covers.  Right now he’s playing a solo version of the board game Payday.

The boys and I are sure glad to have Mom home.  The Manthey-Lazich match-up was a tough race, a disappointing outcome, but not a surprise considering the district’s severe Republicans leanings.  Adelman had obviously built up some very strong name recognition, not to be matched by a rookie politician.

I think JoAnna’s ten days away from home made her realize how important her family is.  Personally, I wouldn’t mind if she found herself a less stressful, demanding position, something that doesn’t require so much of her time.  We went through the same thing while she was on the County Board and working for Broydrick.  

JoAnna returned home last Wednesday absolutely exhausted.  It took her five days, and numerous naps, to recover from the string of 18-hour vacation days she experienced in Milwaukee.  What a strange couple of weeks that was. First of all, the boys and I traveled to Pennsylvania – great road trip – spent 3+ days with my family, had a great time in Chicago (visited the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, top of the Hancock Building, the Children’s Museum on Navy Pier, the Museum of Science & Industry), and returned home to an empty house.    We saw JoAnna Saturday evening and all day Sunday and then on Monday she returned to Milwaukee.  By the end of the week, I had to remind myself – Yes, I do have a wife – No, I’m not a single parents – Don’t worry, we’ll all be back together in a few days.   And now we are.  But during those first five or six days, I couldn’t help but observe – Well, Mom’s back in body but not in spirit.  Isn’t she lucky to have such an understanding husband? as I break my arm patting myself on the back.

It’s not even 9 o’clock, but I’m the only one yet stirring in this house.  JoAnna fell asleep an hour ago, shortly after I gave her three aspirin to zap a headache.  Andy still feels warm; I think he’ll be missing a second straight day of school tomorrow.  Eddie’s in fine fettle; I just finished reading him three stories, Andy listening in instead of trying to fall asleep as I suggested.  I’m feeling rather tired myself.  It looks like an across-the-bard early-to bed kinda night.

Faneuil Hall, Boston (Postcard Series)

Photo credit:  City of Boston

On This Date in 1998: Tuesday, April 14

A postscript on a Tuesday morning.

I’m enclosing a series of picture of the boys.

Andy & Eddie on the family room couch shortly before our departure for South Bend.

A series of three pictures showing the boys clowning around minutes before we backed out of the driveway.  (Look at all that snow in the background!)

Eddie, the Lego engineer, entertaining himself at the kitchen table.

The boys mugging for the camera during breakfast.

The Chicago skyline behind the boys, who are squinting to shield their eyes not only from a bright sun but also a very gusty wind.  Chicago was indeed the Windy City on our first day of sightseeing.

Andy and Eddie took most of the aquarium and museum pictures.  The second roll of film, which includes pictures taken at the top of the Hancock building, is still in the camera, five exposures remaining.

I think Chicago made an especially strong impression on Eddie.  His distillation of the skyline is quite impressive, another fine addition to his growing portfolio.  I should ask him to draw a view from the top of the Hancock building – to learn how his mind processed that perspective.

With the election over and the legislature not in session – and a desire to spend more time with her family – JoAnna has vowed to work a 40-hour-a-week schedule for the time being.   Yesterday she worked 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., which means that she picked up the boys at After School, dropped Eddie off at his soccer practice, and prepared supper (leftovers from Easter), while I was able to work a little bit later than usual – until 6:00.  She’s not looking forward to the fall elections- has even talked about resigning her position and finding a less stressful and demanding type of job.  For now, the boys and I are just happy to have Mom back home, to be a family again, to be able to sit four around the table and enjoy a meal together.