I understand that the State of Wisconsin is thinking of changing the laws for capital punishment. Presently Wis. doesn’t have the death penalty, only life imprisonment. The new law will allow the guilty to choose “life” in jail, death or traveling in a confined car for two weeks to Montana and back with family and friends. Tough choices!
The extreme temperatures being in the high 90’s is getting old. I understand that Madison and Sheboygan topped 100 degrees several times.
I have noticed by looking around the neighborhood that there are no kids. They are all inside their homes in air conditioned comfort. Kids want no part of the extreme heat.
Grandson Tommy is playing baseball this summer. His games are scheduled for late in the afternoon. The last two games have been canceled because it is too hot. Just like “there is no crying in baseball”, you don’t cancel baseball games because of the heat. Really!
When I was growing up we didn’t have air conditioning. Businesses, homes and cars were all without A/C. As a kid, the choice of staying home in the cool comfort of home was not an option. Our city did not have a public swimming pool. Television didn’t exist.
So as a kid I had to find my own entertainment on the hot days. The center of my universe was the “Little Park” at the end of Mill Street. It had shade, an incredible drinking fountain capable of filling balloons with water and a “lazy river” with lots of tiny crabs with pincher claws. The park was located along the road traveled by trucks loaded with pea vines headed to the local canning factory. As kids we would tear pea vines from the trucks and then sit in the park, in the shade, near the cool water fountain, eating peas enduring the heat.
If the heat was over-bearing, you could take an early afternoon public bus from the Little Park out to Crystal Lake for swimming lessons.
I understand the dangers of extreme heat but somehow we figured out ways to survive. I am sure that I got exposed to more life experiences than kids today. Besides, all the girls knew we hung out at the Little Park and somehow managed to walk by.
Beat the heat!
Love,
Dad