November 17, 1991

Had to be in an unthinking rush to make this embarrassing blunder

At Andy's request, I sleep on JoAnna's side of the bed, but he still sprawls all over the place.  Barb goes shopping in the a.m.  Getting her out of the house is a relief as well as an enjoyable preview of what life will be like in less than a month.  I take the boys out during part of a rainy afternoon. We check out the new Best Buy store near West Towne where I buy another cassette storage rack. At KMart we shop for household odds and ends.

The main course for supper is an overseasoned meat loaf, way too much pepper.  The recipe wasn't real clear:  1/4 c. pepper.  finely chopped.  Green pepper?  Red pepper?  White pepper?

Eddie is a mess; he goes straight from the high chair to the bathtub.  Barb figures she's doing me a big favor by cleaning up the kitchen and even attempts to fish for a compliment.  I'm fit to be tied. It's a good things I'm feeding Eddie a bottle.  So Barb, I rage to myself, how about a thank you for dinner (even if the meat loaf was ruined.)

By the time I leave to pick up JoAnna at the airport, Andy's much too wound up for bed, so I take him along.  We have some extra time which is why I take the Beltline instead of County Highway M. JoAnna is thrilled to see Andy, and I'm pleased to have my wife back home.  Once we're in bed, we make wonderful love.

June 29, 1991

JoAnna doesn't have to work today.  Unfortunately, it's too hot to consider doing anything out of the ordinary.  Andy and I go shopping in the morning. to KMart first, where I hope to find a swimming pool for the kids but nothing much is in stock.  Andy starts to look increasingly pale, but we forge ahead and get the grocery shopping done.  I give him repeated comforting hugs as we wind our way through the aisles of Cub Foods.

I do a little yard work during the afternoon.  After literally years of procrastination, I set up our compost cage.  I grill chicken for supper and then we just vegetate to stay cool.  Andy sleeps through most of the afternoon and is refreshed when he wakes up.  Whatever bug he had left him quickly.

June 8, 1991

Liz calls to inform me that Chris can't make it to work.  Can I be on call?  Fifteen minutes later, I am reassured by the news that Deb has agreed to fill in.  A couple hours later Liz calls a thud time to say that Deb isn't feeling well, but not to worry, it's a slow day and she and Maria can handle it.  Andy and I go to Menard's to buy some landscaping posts for my backyard project.  We run into Kathy (Weise) and Bill while we're there.  Then  while Andy is napping and Barb is watching Eddie, I make a trip to the Bruce Company.  I spend most of the afternoon setting the posts in place, using the mattock to loosen the earth and provide a level surface.  When JoAnna returns from the Capitol, she asks if I'd be willing to do the grocery shopping.  I lose my list along the way, but the only important thing I forget is the [illegible].  I also stop at KMart to buy some end tables for the patio.  Larry and Martha and, later, Chuck join us for a cookout.

May 11, 1991

JoAnna and Andy go good shopping, then all of us, including Barb, visit the Bruce Company, seemingly a part of everyone's itinerary today.  We buy begonias, petunias, impatiens, and some yellow-flowering perennials for the south side of the house.  I spend the afternoon planting in the flowers in the patio arrangement.  It's an exhausting chore.  We cook out (ribs).  Earlier in the afternoon, I made a trip to KMart, where I find dusty miller to use as a border.  I also do some Mother's Day shopping for JoAnna at Land's End.