126.August 28

Cleveland, OH

RAX is the name of the roadside oasis restaurant that I am sitting in now, eating a country fried chicken club at 02:45. I'm killing time. I thought I would see Cleveland tomorrow, center of Art that it is. I am about 75 miles away. I'm enjoying night driving on these roads. The car is performing fine, and so am I. And at this time of night, it is too late to get any accommodations, at least not that would be worth while. Except that, the roads are so empty, and the turnpike is safe, because you have to pay for it, it's not something you just cruise. There are no drunks and nobody just on a short trip. I could just keep on driving, but Cleveland does appeal to me, so I'll check it out on this way. Unless, of course, I chicken out. There have been times when I was going to stop so far, but it just didn't happen. I feel a lot more like me when I'm travelling, I must say. This is hell, I think I’m in my own personal hell. I’m very tired now, it is 04:00, and I only have 25 miles left until Cleveland. But it’s too early to get there, so I have to use my time up by stopping at every fastfood restaurant on the way. This time I got a cup of coffee. The last was more substantial, but I still have returned. My comfort is that I haven’t been to the same roadside chain restaurant yet, but I believe I’m now out of options. How am I supposed to keep an eye on my car when there are wagons encircling it, ready for the kill. Plunging me out of this place like a toilet, I run to my car and resue it from danger of diesel soaked hands and wash water breath. Soap, coffee hot, dish enfranchised free plastic life raft floating the test of time like contacts in my eyes. Detereorate in the pupil, the focus of my attention here is garbage. Corrupt and breathing, the world is waking up in its own litter, despite its own bedclothes, pupa larva cocoon around me the warmth of Styrofoam and spandex.

1995

Wisconsin Rapids, WI

My cousin Jenny had her wedding in Wisconsin Rapids, about a 3 hour drive for Rachel, my mother, and my father. We checked into the Hotel Mead at about 14:00 and dressed. The church was on the south side of town, and then the reception was at a park (Nepeco Park) south of that church by a mile. Rachel, as usual, assumed the role of un-official wedding photographer and had a wonderful time taking photos of everyone at the wedding. We were mainly waiting for a swing song to come on so I could dance with Jenny, but Rachel finally broke down and asked the moronic dj to play the one compilation he had in his collection of every swing song that everyone knows. It was over 7 minutes of swing, not put together very well, and no one cut in or even touched the dance floor while we swung around, so we became very exhausted by the time we stepped off. It was very fun, at least most of the time, and ended with 7 spins.

2010

We had a Meet and Greet party for Frida, in which many of the senior class girls were invited, and they invited others that were going to be a group of friends over the coming year. We had Spring Grove Soda floats and then they sat around a campfire while a few adults, the two Lisa's, Rachel, and I, sat on the porch above watching them as they filled us in on parenting and hosting a foreign exchange student. We have many students lined up to be our exchange students next year, because they all loved the house.

2013

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons!

Date: Sunday, August 28

6:30 pm | Doors Open

7:30 pm | Show Starts

Grand Ole Opry House | 600 Opry Mills Drive Nashville, TN 37214