October 11, 1991

Stearns called yesterday afternoon while I was at the library to announce today's impending visit.  He arrives shortly after 1, and I've already made plans to take the afternoon off.  We stop at the house so I can change my clothes and then head for State Street. We chow at Radical Rye and then spend most of our time browsing for CDs.

JoAnna and I take Paul out to dinner, our first visit to Smoky's in more than four years.  I get blissfully sloshed in three martinis and enjoy the tastiest steak I've had in more than four years.  We go on a search-and-intruder mission for Eric and Cheryl's house, which is only partially successful.  We find the house but nobody's home.  We stop for dessert and a nightcap at the Second Story.

December 26, 1990

Monday afternoon I do some last-minute Christmas shopping at Hilldale, after which I stop at the library and find a note from Mark regarding the heating system. So that's why I pay a visit to the library this morning, to follow up on this and order C-fold towels. Back home I finish reading The Joy Luck Club and start The Thief of Time. After lunch, I take a walk to the drugstore and Sentry. It's a long walk for such a cold day. I'm relieved to return home.

After supper, we have company. Eric and Cheryl stop by for a long overdue visit. Eddie is awake the entire time and is a complete angel, so contented, so lovable we don't even give our guests a chance to hold him.