PLAY BALL!!

Sorenson-Bakken Field at Lakeview Park, Middleton, WI

This year's Big 8 baseball and softball season is on hold.

For Milio's Customers with Tunnel Vision

Frosty Morning

Clouds Over Tiedeman Pond, Middleton, Sunday, November 4, at 2:00 p.m.

Clouds Over Tiedeman Pond, Middleton, Saturday, November 3, at 5:30 P.M.

Another Fine View of Stricker Pond

Middleton Wisconsin's most scenic spot.

An Early Morning View of Stricker Pond

February 5, 1991

I wake up before the alarm sounds, eager to being the day.  Linda Mundt kicks off the ETN session with about ten minutes of housekeeping items, and then I launch into my orientation, which goes very well.  Only twice do I feel I'm on the verge of drowning in my own words.  The group is smaller than the last time:  11 students.  They are certainly an articulate group.  A 30-minute discussion session exceeds my wildest expectations.  

After class, I stop at the library school to visit Darlene, then dump my "purse" in the car and walk the length of State Street to JoAnna's office.  She's not in.  I run into Brian Strassburg on the street and we chat for a few minutes.  Before returning to the car, I browse Madison's library science collection and check out three books even though they don't quite have the info I'm looking for.  Then it's lunch at home with the boys and Barbara and the remainder of the day at the library. 

February 3, 1991

Andy's fever is gone but he still has some congestion.  He takes a longer than usual nap, which means we don't go to the movies.  It's a beautiful day, but I hardly get a chance to spend anytime outdoors whenever I'm not doing any household chores.  JoAnna clears the ice from the driveway so now the Nissan won't be in the way of the mailman or anyone else who wants to get to our front door.  After TV, after Eddie settles down, JoAnna and I read, do the crossword in bed.

January 30, 1991

I experience an extremely pleasurable nocturnal emission at some indeterminate point. JoAnna rouses me from bed at quarter to 4 to feed Eddie, my underwear still moist at the Y-shaped opening. He gulps down four ounces, then fusses for 30 minutes before falling back to sleep. I sleep until 8, then do my exercises and eat breakfast before running errands. Eddie needs formula, and I need more notebooks, though I buy only one. Before going to work, I fix beef stew in the crockpot.

I meander through the workday, although I do finally get serious about revising my ETN notes. The evening is slow, not much reference.

January 26, 1991

JoAnna and I make the mistake of allowing Andy to sleep with us.  Consequently, I experience a restless night. I take care of Eddie's 5 a.m. feeding, allowing him to fall back asleep on my chest before returning him -- and myself -- to bed.  Around 8 o'clock I stretch my arm and discover that I'm alone in bed.  I then sleep peacefully for two hours.

Until our guests arrive, it's chore time:  cleaning the house, doing laundry.  I walk to Sentry to buy the ingredients for an appetizer.  It's a cold, blustery day, and my face is nearly frozen when I return.  Chuck and Barb, Larry and Martha join us for dinner, a very relaxing, cozy evening.  The one low point:  my sister's contribution to the conversation about nicknames.  Am I being overly sensitive or are certain embarrassing family-related flashes from the past truly inappropriate?

January 23, 1991

Wake up to a new video.  Keep up as best I can but wonder when the movements will be seamless.  No matter what the push, most of the time I think I'm in pretty good shapes, even if I don't bicycle or cross-country ski anymore.

On my way to a SCLS Finance & Governance meeting, I stop at Scott's to buy treats -- splurging when I ask for two dozen donuts -- and make the extra effort to drive to Sentry for orange juice.  During the meeting, Madison Public Library Director Peter Niemi is not nearly as obstreperous as I would have predicted.  The group makes lot of progress, which doesn't mean it still can't be all for naught.

During the early afternoon, Peter Hamon, Julie Chase, and I discuss the specifics of the clearinghouse arrangement.  The more I think about this change in resource sharing, the less enamored I become of it.

To clear my head, I drive to Hilldale to purchase orange and green hi-liters at University Bookstore.  The nerd in me is ready to cream his jeans.

When I get home, JoAnna tells me we need milk.

January 21, 1991

The alarm goes off at 6:00, but I'm not quite as quick to throw off the covers as I expected to be.  Nevertheless, I still get to work shortly after 7:00.  My Monday game plan is to hit the ground running.  In one way I'm successful in reaching my goal, but by the late afternoon I'm wearing out a path between my office and the typewriter in the staff workroom.  Damn DLS annual reports.  It's so frustrating not to have at hand the statistics I need.

I return home in time for supper.  JoAnna's been doing some great meal planning, but it's only a matter of days until she throws it into my lap and all hell breaks loose.  Maybe a scheduled divided among the three adults in the household is in order.

JoAnna's basketball game is postponed so we have a stay-at-home evening.

January 20, 1991

My head hurts a little bit when I wake up.  That's what happens when the sloshes around on a mostly empty stomach.

I spent a large portion of the day taping Motown music.  I actually finish the project.

We watch the Bills clobber the Raiders and the Giants squeak by the 49ers.

Eddie is such a mellow little angel during the late afternoon.  It's a much different story after supper.

January 18, 1991

I have more of an incentive to get it in gear this morning:  a 9:30 meeting at the South Central Library System administrative office.  Still, it does take a struggle.  JoAnna, looking as though she has seriously questioned the need to get out of bed, helps me out by getting Andy dressed.

The Resource Contract Committee is productive.  At the conclusion of the meeting, which extends past noon, we have identified all the necessary elements of what will be more than one contract.

On the way to Middleton, I stop on State Street for a recording that includes hard-to-find songs by Martha & the Vandellas and the Marvelettes:  "Come and Get These Memories, "Quicksand", "Playboy", "Beechwood 4-5789.  Nevertheless, I resume the Motown that evening, after a very enjoyable staff get-together at Sheila and Bruce's house.  The pot-luck arrangement results in an abundance of food, which I sample sparingly.

January 17, 1991

It seems I'm slipping back into my vacation schedule despite my best intentions to focus on the library.  JoAnna's still home, and she enjoys sleeping in, which leaves it to me to get Andy out of bed, dressed, fed, and chauffeured to daycare.  This morning found me as far behind since Eddie was born.  I even call the library to let staff know I'll be at least an hour late.

After work I pick up the Nissan at Dunn's.  After its two weeks of dead time in the driveway, how sweet it is to drive the car again.  It runs beautifully.

For a second day in a row, JoAnna prepares a delicious supper and the four of us -- Barb, Andy, JoAnna, and me (Eddie is sleeping) -- sit down at the dining room table to enjoy it, with war news in the background.

I complete by taping of the Atlantic Rhythm and Blues anthology.  I'm so intent on this project I basically tune everyone else out.

January 16, 1991

 I wait around the house for the car to be towed.  Didn't really have to, as it turns out.

The poor quality of the cleaning service takes up the majority of my time at the library.  I composes a four-page letter to Don Gibson, owner of D & M Maintenance.  

Sharon gives me a ride home, and I drive the van to Kids Play to pick up Andy since Jo's in the middle of fixing supper.  I notice a disturbing announcement posted on the Puffin Room door:  a case of scarlet fever has been verified.  

After Jo's wonderful supper -- though I do complain that the spaghetti squash is slightly undercooked -- I listen to the war reports on CNN..  (Except for a map of the Middle East, there is no video.)  Feeling extremely tired due to lack of sleep, I turn in early, before 9.  I have to ask JoAnna to take a crying Eddie to another room to settle him down.  I sleep all night.

January 10, 1991

Billboard top 10 for week of January 5-11, 1991

Since Chris is on funeral leave this week, I attend the SCROLL meeting in her place.  The Monona location makes it convenient for me to drop off Andy at daycare.  The meeting itself is routine and surprisingly short.  Stop at Pic-a-Book to buy the latest issues of Variety and Billboard as well as a couple of newspapers, and at Shopko to stock up on white socks.  I eat lunch at home and then spend a progressively less productive afternoon at the library.  A mild headache, stationed just behind my eyebrows, leaves me feeling disoriented.  JoAnna has a great supper prepared when Andy and I return home.  After the dishes are washed and I'm sacking out on the couch, Andy produces two oranges, and the idea of helping him eat them suddenly becomes very appetizing.  Later on, JoAnna takes Eddie duty.  He needs an hour of holding, walking, and rocking nowadays to fall asleep.   It's exhausting, but at least it provides me with additional time for taping music.

January 9, 1991

Andy needs a ride to day care.   This is the thought riffing in my brain when I wake up.  I'm also thinking a flatter tummy and reduced love handles, which gets me out of bed and into my exercise uniform.

JoAnna has supper ready when Andy and I return home, but it's not what I expect.  She says the chicken didn't thaw.  "Aw!"  The frozen chicken Parmesan on noodles is a fine substitute.

January 7, 1991

I get to the library early, shortly after 7. I'm only working a half day so I attempt to pack in as much as I can in four hours.

The rest of the day is devoted to child care since JoAnna attends the inauguration activities. It seems as though I spend most of my time changing Eddie. He must have wet a diaper at least once an hour. Andy doesn't take a nap do I have no time to myself.

JoAnna makes a brief appearance before going to the inaugural ball, which gives her a chance to nurse Eddie. By that time, he has finished what JoAnna had pumped.

Around 10, Eddie starts to get fussy. He's getting to be like clockwork in this regard. 45 minutes later he nods off. Despite the lack of a nap, Andy's still up at this time. Within 15 minutes, though, he falls asleep but Eddie starts fussing again. I get up but see through the window blinds the van's headlights approach the garage.