March 8, 1992

New York Times

The other day, when I was cleaning out the TV room closet, Eddie insisted on playing with the plastic garbage bag I was tossing rejects into.  After awhile he disappeared briefly and reappeared with his own bag.  One of the first things he does this morning is grab his jacket.  He wants to go outside.  And it's a perfect day for it.  I take the boys to the park; JoAnna follows 15 minutes later. Andy decides he doesn't want to ride his bike home and cries and carries on stubbornly for awhile.

JoAnna campaigns in the afternon.

January 11, 1992

I started some of the chores yesterday -- like washing -- which gave me more free time today.  It doesn't work out that way, mostly because JoAnna's campaign planning takes up so much time.  I make an offhanded remark about having to do so much, and JoAnna immediately calls me to account.  After all, I already stated my support.  No fair making caustic comments, even in jest.

During an unseasonably mild and sunny afternoon, Andy and I go to the park.  Eddie's been cranky since before lunch, so JoAnna puts him to bed.

September 28, 1991

JoAnna does housework in the morning, then objects to my plan to mow the lawn.  But I do it anyway, enjoying the fresh air and minor exercise.  I also take Andy and Eddie to the park.  More fresh air.

Dressed to the nines, JoAnna and I leave for Milwaukee at 4:30 for the Children's Hospital fundraiser at the Country Club.  Once we arrive, I find myself in a strange world where money talks, fashion stalks, and ladies squawk.  Fortunately, the bar serves gin.  The fashion show is probably the highlight of the evening.

September 8, 1991

I sleep okay but feel rather poorly as soon as I get out of bed.  JoAnna is practically catatonic, still suffering from a disabling headache.  (The beer last night certainly didn't help.)  Both of us lounge and nap through the nap.  By 4 o'clock, all of my cylinders have been refired, and I'm feeling energetic.  JoAnna summons a sufficient level of energy to prepare a fine supper:  beef roast, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, apple pie.  She's really been the kitchen queen this week.

Although it's been cloudy most of the day, we never get the rain that everyone else around here seems to be getting.  In fact, after supper, the sky starts to clear.  So Andy gets his wish:  a trip to the park.  We take Eddie along, too.

July 11, 1991

Yesterday Larry Martin called and the first word out of his mouth, "Congratulations!", caught me completely off guard.

I stammer a response.

"Uh-oh, you haven't heard yet?"

"Heard what?" I ask.

"Oh, never mind.  Goodbye," he kiddingly responds.   "You've been selected as Librarian of the Year".

I'm flabbergasted, never having given my nomination much of a chance.  Already I'm pondering my acceptance speech.  That was one of my questions for Larry.  What does the awards ceremony involve?

For supper, I cook ribs on the grill, and, despite a number of pesky bees -- one of which meets its maker -- we eat on the patio.

While JoAnna and Barb (and Eddie) go shopping, Andy and I go to the park.  He plays with an 8-year-old girl, a slightly plump redhead with a face from Stephen King central casting -- it's the narrow eyes -- who has must moved into the neighborhood  from Milton.  Back home I give Andy a bath and discover that one of my speakers is silent when I play a record.

June 30, 1991

The cooler weather arrives a day early, which inspires me to do some much needed housework.  I mop the hallway and kitchen floors, and JoAnna follows up with an uncluttering of our room and the hallway.  Then I decide it's time to clear the top of my desk.  What an improved look.  We basically laze through the afternoon.

JoAnna takes a new approach to beef stew meat and makes fajitas for supper.  We eat on the patio.  Later on Andy and I go to the park.  He actually rides his bike.  I notice that JoAnna has raised his seat.  No wonder he doesn't complain about sore knees.  Andy has so much fun playing with some of the neighborhood tykes.  We stay for two hours.

June 23, 1991

JoAnna fixes pancakes for breakfast and later in the morning, I do the plantings under the big tree in the back yard.  The boys nap while JoAnna and Barb go shopping, but I really don't have time to get into the project.  Looks like all I'll be able to do this weekend is clear out my desk area.  During the late afternoon, Andy and Eddie and I walk to the park, where Andy and I play baseball.  Looks like Andy's going to be a spray hitter.  Larry and Martha join us for supper, but only stay until 7.  JoAnna gives the boys their baths.  I seem to be on autopilot, frequently thinking back to those times when all my free time was my own and I could jump on my bicycle and ride for hours, stopping every now and then to fire up a joint.  I was both lonely and contented then, a sometimes psychologically unwieldy combination.

June 16, 1991

It's a Happy Father's Day.  JoAnna and the boys present me with a gift and cards while I'm still lounging in bed.  We go out to Perkins for breakfast.  Andy gets to be a handful for awhile.  JoAnna and I do some gardening but not until Andy and I some basketball at the park -- "our park", as he refers to it.  We buy some more perennials at Bruce to fill in along the south side of the house.  I take out about a foot-wide length of turf and replace it with cedar bark mulch.  After a shower, I lounge on the hammock, Eddie right next to me in his playpen.  JoAnna cooks steaks with lotsa fixin's for a picnic supper.  After a call to Dad, we all walk to the park.  We tune in the Pirates-Giants game once we get home.  My back is pink and a bit sore by the time I'm ready to fall asleep.

May 12, 1991

I grouse about the lawn not being mowed while JoAnna rearranges the living room.  She gets mad at me and to "punish" her I take the kids to the park.  It's a very warm day and Eddie's not wearing a hat so I make sure he spends as much time as possible in the shade.  While Andy and I play basketball, Eddie is content to watch from the sidelines.  He's such a great little guy.  I spent the afternoon planting flowers in the front yard and in the sandbox square in the back yard.  Again, I experience exhaustion, followed by a cookout.

March 31, 1991

Easter Sunday.  Grandma Nelson probably wonders if her older grandson is getting any religion yet.  No, and the outlook for the near future looks bleak, too.  Andy and I go to the park during the early afternoon.  A threatening sky cuts short our visit.  I attempt to work in the yard, but a brief rainfall sends me indoors.  What a strange day.  First it's overcast, then it rains, then the sun shines, the process repeats itself, all in quick succession.  Later in the afternoon, Andy and I go shopping for baking potatoes.  Sentry's closed; as is Kohl's. We trek to Cub.  JoAnna fixes ham, potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli, and a salad for supper.  Later she calls my folks but I don't get much of a chance to talk.

March 30, 1991

A fine family morning. We go to Perkins for breakfast, then Andy and I go to the grocery shop.  I spent most of the afternoon outdoors, or mostly outdoors.  I tidy up the garage while Andy naps and JoAnna and Eddie are out shopping.  Andy joins me and is a big help sweeping debris into a dust pan.  I start edging the driveway, but Andy decides he wants to go to the park.

JoAnna and I enjoy a change of pace, an evening out.  A movie and dinner with Barb and Chuck turns out to be dinner and a movie.  Imperial Garden and Guilty by Suspicion.

March 24, 1991

With most of the chores out of the way, Sunday is a time for enjoyment.  Around noon, Andy and I go to the park.  He enjoys himself immensely, even gets a chance to play with the big kids, three boys all of 8 or 9, but in Andy's eyes they are no doubt giants.  Everything is fine until he takes a tumble while pushing the merry-go-round.  He gets his hands all muddy and starts to fuss about that.  Suddenly my grown-up son is a 3 year old again.  I'm not much comfort to him since I have nothing I can use to clean him off.  What a difference from last year, though.  He would have never spun around on the merry-go-round like he did today.  Back home, Andy and I stay outside.  I turn over the soil in the raised beds, pick up branches, and then play basketball with Andy.  We're outside a total of three hours.