MY EARLY TRIPS TO WISCONSIN

WHEN I WAS A YOUNG CHILD MY FAMILY USUALLY HAD A WINTER VACATION TO WISCONSIN TO VISIT MY MOM'S FAMILTES. WE BROUGHT OUR WINTER CLOTHES TO PLAY IN THE SNOW WITH A TOBOGGAN.. WE BROUGHT LOTS OF WINTER WINTER CLOTHES. I REMEMBER VISITING MY GRANDMOTHER AND GRANDFATHER KLOSTERHUBER'S HOUSE AS A VERY YOUNG CHILD. MY GRANDFAHER WAS QUITE A FISHERMAN AS WELL AS A GARDENER. HE MADE HIS LIVING WORKING MOSTLY AS A FURNITURE UPOLSTERER. I REMEMBER HIM SHOWING ME THE GIANT WORMS IN HIS GARDEN AS I SAW HIS FLOWERS AND VEGETABLE GARDEN. HE USED THE WORMS TO CATCH HIS FISH. HE ALSO BUILT A SMALL SMOKE HOUSE TO SMOKE HIS FISH FROM GREEN BAY OR LAKE MICHIGAN. THEY HAD FOUR CHILDREN AND INVITED MANY OF THEIR BROADER FAMILY AND GRANDCHILDREN OVER FOR LARGE DINNER. I REMEMBER A BARREL OF PICKLES THAT THEY KEPT IN A LOWER BASEMENT. HE PROBABLY GREW THE CUCUMBERS.MY GRANDMOTHER KNITTED, CHROCHETED, COOKED, AND RAISED HER CHILDREN WELL. MY MOM GAVE ME A LARGE TABLE CLOTH THAT SHE USED SMALL THREAD TO CHROCHET. I WILL KEEP IT ALL MY LIFE. SHE WAS REMARKABLY TALENTED IN THE HOME ECONOMIC SKILLS. I DON'T THINK SHE WORKED OUT OF THE HOUSE. AT MY AUNT ROSEMARIE AND UNCLE LARRY'S HOUSE WE ENJOYED GOING OUT IN A SMALL BOAT DURING THE SUMMER ON THEIR QUIET LAKE. THEY BUILT THEIR HOUSE BY HAND DIGGING THE BASEMENT. THEN THEY DESIGNED THE HOUSE WITH A SMALL BASEMENT WHERE THEY HAD A GUEST BEDROOM AND A SMALL FAMILY ROOM AND A ROOT CELLAR. THE UPPER FLOOR HAD A LARGE BEDROOM, A KITCHEN, AND A LARGE AFMILY ROOM BUILT WITH A CEDAR WOODEN FIREPLACE MANTLE THEY HAD BROUGHT BACK SOME OF ART PIECES AND FURNITURE FROM THAILAND WHERE THEY LIVED FOR SEVERAL YEARS WHEN MY UNCLE WAS IN THE AIR FORCE. THEIR HOUSE HAD PLENTY OF WINDOWS AND A LARGE WALK AROUND DECK TO VIEW THE LAKE. THEY ALSO HAVE A SCEENED IN PORCH TO VIEW THE LAKE. IT TOOK THEM 10 YEARS TO BUILD THEIR HOUSE. THEY LIVED IN A SINGLE COTTAGE ACROSS THE DIRT ROAD, AS THEY BUILT THEIR HOUSE. THEY WERE NEVER ABLE TO HAVE CHILDREN. I REMEMBER SOME VERY FOND MY UNCLE LARRY WAS A VERY KIND AND GENTLEMAN WHO WORKED AS A BUILDING INSPECTOR FOR CORPORATIONS. HE ALSO KEPT BUSY IN THE RESERVES. THEY LIVED IN A SMALL COTTAGE ACROSS THE DIRT ROAD AS THEY BUILT THEIR . MY AUNT AND UNCLE NEVER HAD CHILDREN. I REMEMBER SOME VERY FOND MEMORIES AT THEIR HOUSE AS THEY ALWAYS WELCOMED OUR FAMILY AND WE HAD A VERY NICE TIME. MY AUNT IS A GREAT COOK, AN ARTIST AS WELL. SHE WORKED PART TIME FOR THE VETERAN'S ADMINISTRATION AND VOLUNTEERED AT THE RED CROSS. MY AUNT JOANIE AND UNCLE WARREN HAD FOUR CHILDREN WHICH WERE A CHALLENGE. WE ENJOYED VISITING MY COUSINS WHEN WE WERE YOUNG. MY BROTHER AND I WERE ABOUT 8 TO 10 YEARS OLDER. THEY HAD A GAME ROOM BASEMENT WHERE THE KIDS PLAYED HIDE AND SEEK AND THEY HAD A PING PONG TABLE WHERE WE PLAYED MANY GAMESTHERE FAMILY WENT TO CHURCH AND WE DID TOO. WE ENJOYED EXCHANGING PRESENTS AND VISITING THEM AND THEIR FAMILY CAME OUT TO OHIO AS WELL. MY AUNT JOANIE GARDENED AND WAS A GOOD COOK AND ARTIST. SHE SEWED ALOT AND DECORATED HER HOUSE WELL. SHE ALSO GARDENED AND CANNED FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. UNCLE WARREN WAS A GOOD ROAD ENGINEER AND VERY INVOLVED IN THEIR CHURCH. THEY USED TO GO BOWLING. ALL OF US MANAGED TO ENJOY MITCHELL PARK WHERE THEY HAD THREE GEODESIC DOMES. EACH ONE HAD DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEGETATION. ONE WAS A DESERT ENVIRONMENT, ONE WAS PLANTED WITH SPECIALTY FLORAL PLANTS BASED ON THE HOLIDAYS, AND ONE WAS A TROPICAL DOME OF A RAINFOREST. DURING THE SUMMER WE ALSO VISITED THE MILWAUKEE ZOO AS WELL. EVENTUALLY THEY ADDED A SWIMMING POOL.