Thursday, March 5, 1992

My day off arrives a day early.  Eddie's had a rough night and with all his various health problems over the past week -- diarrhea, coughing, congestion, runny nose -- JoAnna and I decide that the guy needs a check-up.  Turns out that I'm the one with the flexible schedule (and loving it!).  I'm able to schedule a 9:30 appointment with Dr. Ellis.  It's ear infection time again.  After this visit, Eddie and I go food shopping -- at Woodman's for a change of pace.  The mammoth size and extensive inventory never cease to amaze me.  Too many choices.  Way too many choices.  And what happens when I'm ready to move to the checkout line?  I have to wait about 5 minutes to snail my cart to the cash register.  At Woodman's, it doesn't matter what time of day it is.  There is always a wait.

While Eddie sleeps, I type up more calendar squares.  I have an over-and-out argument with the demon. There will be no indulgence today, not when I have to be presentable for a 5-9 shift at the reference desk.  Even after work, I turn down a chance to go berserk.  Everyone's in bed when I get home, but I settle for an alcohol-free viewing of House Party.  Only milk and graham crackers are served.

Tuesday, February 18, 1992

Tuesdays @ 8:00 p.m.  We occasionally tuned in.



At least I didn't pass out last night before JoAnna returned home, but I am dead to the world once I fall asleep.  Eddie wakes up squalling around midnight, and I don't respond to JoAnna's rousings.  She's up with him for nearly two hours.  Then around 4, I feel a rumbling in my bowels that demands my attention.  For the next 2 hours, I made 5 trips to the bathroom.  Each time the diarrhea gushes out of my system.  At 7, when I should be getting ready for work, I feel too tired and weak and disoriented to proceed with the day as planned.  I call Jane Robbins and cancel our 8:15 meeting and then sleep fitfully until 10:45.  I consider blowing off the entire day but decide that being active will be the best antidote for my minor physical ailment.

After a trip to the post office, I arrive at the library at quarter to 1.  During the nearly two hours that I'm there, I'm actually quite productive.  At 2:30 I leave to pick Eddie up at daycare.  JoAnna and I think he might have another ear infection, but after a 45-minute wait to see Dr. Ellis, that turns out not to be the case.

I do go back to the library but not until 6:30.  A slow evening is interrupted by a very brief council meeting.  Sandy Allen calls on me to report on how the board responded to a complaint from one of Jim Wexler's constituents.  Then Don Damon volunteers to raise the money through the service clubs after I give him the price info.

Wednesday, January 15, 1992

I laze around this afternoon, not getting much done as I drift into a deep reverie listening to Getz-Gilberto and reading the liner notes from Del Shannon's greatest hits CD.   One of the last paragraphs hits me full in the face.  I'd forgotten that he committed suicide 2 years ago.  While taping selected songs off the disk, I am especially impressed with "Stranger in Town".  It practically screams for a movie treatment, even in 1992.

This morning I took Eddie to the doctor and -- guess what?! -- he didn't have chickenpox.  Dr. Ellis is quite sure how to diagnose the rash.  It could be a viral infection, an allergy.  Even though Eddie now has the green light to go back to daycare, I decide to stay home.

Thursday, December 12, 1991

I drive Andy to daycare, then make an appearance at the library before attending the RFP Committee meeting at Monona.  On the drive back to Middleton, I reconsider my hunger for music tapes and wonder if a diet of books on tape would be more nourishing.

I take Eddie to the doctor -- the little guy's in great shape -- and then make another brief appearance at the library, a questionable one since I don't have to do anything.

Andy's a little bit moody on the drive home.  He gets upset when I tell him I threw away the baggy of Turtle cookies.

He's fine during our half-hour wait for a table at Red Lobster, then starts to act up again shortly after we are seated.  Eddie, too, is getting fussy as it is way past his usual dinnertime.  I'm on the verge of leaving, but then we all settle into a pleasingly calm evening together.  I still can't find that much to say to Barb.  I'm certainly not going to tell her how ecstatic I will be once she is on an airplane for home.

Andy and I attempt to reprise our previous evening of fun, but without the spontaneity, it doesn't reach the level of a very special shared time.

September 24, 1991

Andy has a doctor's appointment -- an annual check-up -- with Dr. Ellis.  He wants to leave early so he can play with the toys.  He's such an energetic and friendly guy during the entire visit, a real charmer in his own special way.  He's grown 2 1/2 inches and gained 5 pounds in the past year.  He's in the 75th percentile in both categories.

After dropping him off at daycare (and observing a puzzling mood change), I stop at Original Pancake House for a late, very late, breakfast.

Busy, busy night at the library.  Seats are at a premium.

July 22, 1991

The heat wave continues into my first official day of vacation.  Already I've having mixed feelings. Shouldn't I have more exciting things to do planned?  I settle for a domestic approach to life.  I take Eddie to the doctor to have his ears checked.  The infection is gone but a little fluid remains.  The plumber arrives during the early afternoon to fix the bathroom faucet, after a year of drips.  It's too hot and I'm too lazy for a bike ride so I go shopping instead.  I find some frames for my magazine advertisements.  Until JoAnna and Andy get home, I continue my 1968 taping.  We go out to Pizza Hut for supper.  Cool weather arrives during the night.

July 8, 1991

No storms to interfere with Geac's operation.  The system is up all day.  And what a busy day it is!  I take a break during the late morning to accompany Eddie to his appointment with Dr. Ellis.  He's a big, healthy guy, although he does have an ear infection.

JoAnna fixes a quickie spaghetti for supper.   Andy and she go to the mall while Eddie and I go grocery shopping.  After unpacking the groceries, I stay in the kitchen since I don't like what JoAnna is watching on TV.

April 29, 1991

My new organizational approach to work is working well.  By the end of the day, I had erased everything on my list.  I leave the library at quarter of 3 to pick up Eddie at home and take him to the doctor.  Time for his 4 month physical.  We have a long wait before Dr. Ellis can see us and, after being an angel for longer than I could have hoped for, he starts to fuss.  Before I have much of a chance to comfort him, he falls asleep.  He's alert and pleasant for Dr. Ellis and cries only briefly after his shots.  We pick up Andy at daycare.  Mom's in Milwaukee for a fundraiser.

April 23, 1991

Not once did I ever get an early start to my ETN Tuesday.  My original plan was to get up early and spend at least an hour or so reviewing my notes at a State Street coffeehouse.  I never gave myself more than a half hour.  And, for the most part, it seemed to make little difference in the quality of my presentations.  One aspect of the course that needs close scrutiny between now and 1993:  the discussion questions.

After class, I take Eddie to see Dr. Ellis.  No ear infection this time, despite the river of green slime running out of his nose.

Tuesday evening as as busy as I've ever seen the library.  With a gaggle of giggly teenage girls most prominent.

March 15, 1991

With Liz working during the afternoon to make up for hours she missed on Wednesday, I take advantage of a perfect opportunity to get a head start on the weekend.  My first errand after leaving is to deliver Kitty to the Humane Society   I place her in an empty Leinenkugel case, the bottom lined with newspapers, and drive with the music turned up loud and the window rolled down to cover the sound of her pitiful meowing.  I don't let it get to me because my thoughts are focused on a home where hairballs will no longer make a regular appearance in the living room, and cat hair will no longer be found everywhere.  After this mission of selfishness, I drive to the credit union to cash Jo's and my checks and then bop along State Street for awhile, dropping some cash at Pic-a-Book, Exclusive, and the B Side before chowing down on a gyro with fries at Zorba's.  (The Parthenon's reconstruction is a couple of weeks from completion.)  Later in the afternoon, I take Eddie to see Dr. Ellis.  The diagnosis:  a minor ear infection.  Back home, I continue to tidy up the new bedroom suite while taping CDs.  I even paint the cold side of the door between the hallway and garage.  While JoAnna eats yogurt and watches TV, Andy, Barb, and I travel to Cub Foods for what turns out to be a minor shopping trip.