This is exactly how the kids feel about sitting in the backseat with a tuba.
Arrival time Milwaukee: 4 something. Through the miracles of modern technology, you no longer have to announce to the train what you need to tell your ride at the other end. You can just silently text these small details, instead of yelling into your crappy cellphone. We got to Milwaukee a little late, but that was the same late that afforded us that great breakfast in St. Paul. Evie was there right on time, and we loaded up her sensible car and headed for the hood. She lives in this great little mixed front porch kind of neighborhood, where when we get out of the car, she is reminding the old lady on the porch nearby that she is expected to bring mashed potatoes to the block party. After being there a few days, I did notice a trend of people that seemed to have a full time job of hanging out on their front porch, in their makeshift bistro on the street, and it sure does lend a friendly feel to a neighborhood.
Art, with Zephyr's mad face.
We watched the kids tear through their apartment, searching for toys, or things that could be used as toys, like the mouse on your computer, and we settled for a cup of coffee. That is like an adult toy. How boring. Then we did the tour, the basil plants, the tomato plants, the firepit, the porch, the wasps nest…Daniel came home from work, and we walked over to the corner store to get some wine. Dinner, wine, good friends, new music, fire pits, and warm summer weather. Deep breath, exhale.
Grilled chicken with a beer can up its dairyair. Only in Milwaukee, I tell ya.
We didn’t have a lot of time in Milwaukee, but like a true champ, Evie had it all planned out for us. We headed for the lake that her parents live on in Oconomowoc (about 30 miles due west of Milwaukee) and met up with Kim and her tribe. I had met Kim back when Evie lived in Portland, and now with her and Sam and two kids in tow, I thought it would be fun to see them. Apparently so did Evie, because she put this day together. Kayaks, canoes, noodles, life vests, zebra mussels, invasive weeds, warm water, cold cuts, and PBR. What says summer like that?! How Wisconsin is a day at the lake? I think everyone in Wisconsin owns a “place up north on the water”, and however modest the place, it is a welcome getaway, because after you go through winter, you deserve a summer maxed out with fun fun fun. Those people are hardcore.
Might as well.
After we tried all the various activities available, including World Cup watching, we headed back to the house to get ready for the gig. I had saddled Zac with the job of cooking fish, and even though it took over an hour and he cussed me the whole time for asking him to cook, that meal was so good, complete with some home made hollandaise like sauce, and we all needed the good meal. It was so perfect, and though I feared we would be late, I decided to choose relaxing instead of panic, and it all worked out just fine anyway. We met Robert, the babysitter, who immediately had the kids wrapped up in a game of Uno, and we headed to the gig.
Rocking the Circle Cafe of Anarchy.
The gig was at a place called the Circle A Cafe. But the A has a circle around it, so really, I think everyone else in the world of Milwaukee calls it the anarchist cafe. Despite their love of anarchy, they were quite diligent in collecting a cover and charging for drinks, and reminding you to not drink on the sidewalk. I expected this place to be kind of big, because everyone went on and on about it, but it was a room. A single room. Typical neighborhood Wisconny bar, just an “L” shaped bar, with a bunch of neons, and some nice lady behind the bar. We were playing with a band called “The Bitter Tears”. We met these guys in Hot Springs, when they came through for the Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival. They crashed at our house both times they have played in Hot Springs, and we get along gangbusters. Their show is a mixed up cruise through the demented mind of mankind, and their music is great to boot. We opened for them, naturally, they have a drummer and are just plain louder. I’m here to tell you, the people that were out that night were there to hear some tunes. A bunch of smiles, a packed house (that means about 40 people), everyone listening, I kind of felt like I was in that part of the movie when the unknown band starts reaching people, one by one, like electricity passing through your blood, and people start snapping their fingers and smiling, and by the end of your set, it is a full on mesh of euphoria and madness where people are throwing themselves into traffic. Or something like that. It was a fun show, a short show, a well received show, and a show that is now over.
They don't do this at home.
The Bitter Tears got up next, and though they were heckled and hooted at, somehow their costume choices made me think that perhaps they willingly invite that on some level. It was all fun, fun, fun. The DJ came in at 10, to help raise money for something, and I tell you, if you wanna clear a room, let people know they are expected to support unknown cause #1 and put a DJ on who plays music so loud you can’t talk, but you have nothing to look at except the skinny guy in the corner flipping through his record collection. At least us other bands gave you something to look at. That would be the common thread between us and the Bitter Tears, something to look at. Those guys are fun. Fun fun fun.
We stayed out past our bedtime, and only went home when it was us alone in the bar with the DJ, and we cleared out quick. Evie and Daniel were already in bed.
Does this woman look worried?!?
Did I tell you the funniest thing ever? When we arrived, Evie told us that her dissertation was due on Tuesday. This was Saturday. Evie has been working on her PhD since 1948, when we first met. And this is the moment? The weekend we decide to show up on our TRAIN TOUR and crash her small apartment, giving her nowhere to hide? Is that what she calls funny? Krikey! What were we supposed to do other than take her assurance that we were to all enjoy each other until she disappeared. Well, Monday morning she was gone. We were left with no one in the house because Daniel went up north to babysit his niece. That is always a great time to yell at the kids, and mess up their house further, so we did all those things, drank coffee, ate food, packed our bags, and waited for our chariot to arrive to carry us away to Amtrak.
On our way to the station, Daniel took us by his woodworking studio, and we got to see what kind of cool stuff happens in warehouses in Milwaukee. We also got to see exactly what it was that Daniel and Evie were going to be missing soon, as Evie already has a J-O-B and is moving to (are you ready? Drumroll please) MEMPHIS!!! That is 3 hours away from Hot Springs!!! My new neighbor! Unless of course she fails her PhD because we wouldn’t get out of her house and the kids accidentally erased her hard drive, and Daniel left her because he wanted to take up the accordion and ride around on trains. I hope that doesn’t happen.
Daniel, thinking about living down south.
Onward Chicago!!