Thursday, December 26, 1991

Eek!  A mouse!  JoAnna opens the door to the garage and spies a furry little rodent.  And just the other day I spotted a similar furry little creature just outside the dining room window.  The power of suggestion.  Now I try not to think about them.  I don't want one of those critters parachuting onto our bed.

So here I am on the last day of my 8-day vacation.  For no other reason than my own special brand of laziness, I'm not looking forward to my return to work tomorrow.

To break up the day, I take the boys for a ride.  We deposit some campaign checks, then cruise Hilldale.

Friday, December 20, 1991

Andy stays home, too.  It's a very treacherous day outside, sleet glazing everything it touches.  At first I'm not even sure if I want to venture outside with the boys, but, hey, it's payday.  We stop at the library to pick up my check and check out some videos, then we drive into Madison to the drive-through credit union so I can cash my paycheck without leaving the car.  During three subsequent stops -- Pic-a-Book, Hilldale, and the post office -- I have to leave the boys alone briefly.  I give Andy a very paternal lecture about not talking to strangers.

We spend the rest of the day at home.  I tape obscure 70s tunes from albums I've owned for years, sign and address Christmas cards,

Thursday, December 19, 1991

My first day of vacation begins.  Andy goes to daycare, but Eddie stays home with Dad after his brief introduction to Kids Play.  We do some shopping at Hilldale in the morning.  I buy some stocking stuffers for JoAnna but don't find her big present.  Eddie falls asleep as we're strolling through the mall, at which point our shopping trip ends.  We make a second excursion during the afternoon so I can buy blank tapes at Best Buy, a roast at Brennan's for Eddie's birthday dinner, and an ice cream cake at Dairy Queen.  Yes, today is Daddy and the Birthday Boy, and proud I am to be seen in the little guy's presence.

September 7, 1991

I start in on my chores after JoAnna's delicious biscuit and sausage gravy breakfast.  First item on the list:  a reorganization of the shed's interior.  Andy's my little helper for awhile.  By the time I'm done, it looks as though I've doubled the storage space.  Otherwise it's too hot to tackle any more big projects.  Yard work is out of the question.  The ground is hard as cement.

I drink a couple of martinis after taking a shower, some wine with dinner, so I'm fairly well lubed by the time JoAnna and I leave for a movie.  Dead Again, an enjoyable, very stylishly done thriller. Toward the the movie, JoAnna has her hands in front of her face.

We spend a couple of hours at John's Open House party, playing cards and drinking with Dave, Erin, and Mary.  I drove home squinting through my own personal haze.