April 2, 1992

In its next to last season.

Once again my plans to work the evening with Eve go awry.  JoAnna needs to do a campaign mailing, which means I'm tabbed to watch the boys.

During the early afternoon, I conduct a tour of the library for a mixed group from Waterloo.  Unexpectedly, a puffy Mark Morse greets me in the lobby.  He seemed like such a cipher in library school.  How did he ever manage to get offered the job at Eau Claire?  What a strange group, too.  A large minority seem more intent on conducting a self-guided tour.  One of the architects is creaming his jeans at Infotrak.  I'm ready to pack it in until one of the board members says, "Can we see your staff work room?"

March 30, 1992

I finish the LSCA grant reports.  Sharon returns my Friday call, but there's really nothing I need from her.  She still can't work up much enthusiasm about her job and then reacts cautiously when I tell her how well Eve is fitting in.  We all like to hear that we're indispensable, I suppose.

Today's the first day in weeks, if not months, I've been able to work, walk back home for lunch, walk to the library again and then home for dinner.  We don't have a babysitter so I can't accompany JoAnna to the caniddates' forum.  I spend a brain-dead evening watching the Academy Awards presentations on TV.

March 26, 1992

The TV show that ruled its Thursday evening time slot for 8 years.

At first, I plan to work with Eve in the evening, but with school out and business at that time of day on the slow side, I decide that the following week will be better for reference instruction.  With Liz working all day and practicum student Bev at the reference desk all day, I'm able to spend the day working as as library administrator exclusively.  No wonder I feel curiously unproductive.

Andy is at home spending the day with Kelly.  Instead of taking a long afternoon break to eat lunch at Pasqual's and go shopping for clothes, I walk to what used to be Arneson's and chow down on a 1/3-pound cheeseburger and a mega-plate of done-to-perfection onion rings.  After work, I first stop at the house and then Andy and I drive to Steppingstone to pick up MundoPie.

March 18, 1992

Wisconsin Blue Book 1991-1992

As a result of weeks and weeks of avoidance, I'm forced to spend as much work time this week, Eve's first week on the job, focusing on last-minute preparations for next week's workshop.  I have to do this at work since JoAnna has such a busy work schedule with the legislature in session, not to mention her campaigning for county board.

Andy and I are asleep, the TV tuned to Nick at Nite, when JoAnna returns home from work.

March 16, 1992

TIME

Andy is still determined to give his dad as much grief as possible.  To get him out the door and into the car, I have to prod him every inch of the way.  I yell, I threaten, I growl.  Not until we walk into daycare is he his sweet little self again.  I don't feel I'm starting the day on the right emotional note, but the day goes well.  Eve seems to enjoy her first day as Middleton's new children's librarian. I spend most of the afternoon and early evening working on my Nuts and Bolts notes.  With JoAnna at a meeting, I make some chicken wings, using a secret ingredient -- crushed corn flakes -- in the breading.

Thursday, February 13, 1992

I'm looking forward to the end of the day.  No more interviews and a decision made.  I spend most of the morning organizing my notes, handouts, and other materials for April's Reference Interview ETN.  I realize what a breeze this program is going to be.  Except for a couple of exercise sheets, I have all the material.  During my lunch break, I go on what amounts to a wild goose chase for JoAnna.

The afternoon starts out on a positive note.  Vincent conducts a very strong, albeit overly dramatic, storytime.  He does songs, fingerplays, and a flannelboard story.  The two books he reads are almost an aside, incidental to his otherwise supercharged performance.  Then comes the interview. Vincent holds us hostage for two hours.  I didn't we were ever going to be able to leave the conference room.  Here is a candidate who on the verge of blowing away the competition talked his way out of a job.  No way could I work with such a motormouth.

I left the library with a severe headache and drove to Kids Play to pick up the boys.  Eddie has adjusted so well to his daytime surroundings.  No more teary greetings.

While JoAnna is conducting a campaign committee meeting, Andy and I seclude ourselves in the master bedroom.  I let a couple of martinis melt away the frustrations of an uneven day.  A high point, though, is calling Eve and leaving a very enthusiastic message on her answering machine. She calls back within an hour, obviously pleased with our choice.  At bedtime, I tell Andy the story of the three bears for the 326th time and then we act goofy and giggle until JoAnna looks in on us. I keep Andy up until 10.

Tuesday, February 4, 1992

LINK

I look forward to the drive alone to the South Central Library System office, groovin' on some 80s tunes, but this opportunity for solitude is overruled when Peg Hilliker and Sheila shoos away her ride.  I'm sitting in my office like I'm there for the day.  It's natural for Sheila to think the meeting is at Middleton.  Actually I don't mind the company, but Peg does have a bad scent to her.

The afternoon is taken up with Eve Larkin's interview.  She conducts a professional, very assured storytime though she tends to ramble during the interview itself.  Nonetheless, there is not much outside of personality to distinguish her suitability for the position from Diane.

During the evening, I work the reference desk and attend the council meeting.  No fireworks tonight.