October 10, 1991

I contemplate my response to next week's awards presentation but so far have written nothing down on  paper.  Today is a slow day.  I continue to revise my reference bibliography.  JoAnna has a meeting in Milwaukee and doesn't return home until after 11.  I give both boys a bath before 9.  A late evening quiet and solitude provides the perfect setting for finishing Rabbit at Rest.  After the final sentence, I rest the book on my chest and then feel my face contort involuntarily, as if to prepare for a rivulet of tears.  No strong outburst occurs, though.

October 7, 1991

I seem to be regaining my enthusiasm for Mondays.  I have so much to do to keep my busy, mostly commitments that involve activities outside of the library.  My little workshop industry, actually.

On the way to work, I stop at the drug store for the usual newspaper as well as a birthday card for Dad.  This will be the first time in many years where I've been on time.  

During my lunch break, I drive to West Towne and buy him a copy of a Billy Graham biography, which I promptly package and mail.

After providing taxi service for Andy, I eat a light supper since I had such a big lunch.

Rabbit screws Pru.

October 6, 1991

LINK

I'm ready to be a stay-in-bed lazybones for awhile until JoAnna suggests that I join the rest of the family at the breakfast table.  She serves up an encore of yesterday's offering:  pancakes.

The day starts out overcast and cool; by midday the sky has cleared but the air remains cool.  I venture outside and do a little yard work:  cutting down the peonies, pulling up the beans, collecting the wind-blown debris from the silver maples.  Nothing major.

JoAnna prepares a shrimp stirfry for supper which Andy, surprisingly, find appetizing.  He especially likes the baby corns.

I spend most of the evening, as I did a good portion of the afternoon, reading Rabbit at Rest.  Throughout the day I have wondered if I'm spending enough time with Andy, if I'm becoming too distant as a dad, too concerned about having time to myself.

October 5, 1991

Andy sleeps in the middle of the bed for the most part, which doesn't do too much to cramp my sleeping style, fortunately.  Eddie wakes up early so there is no opportunity to sleep in.  I fix pancakes for breakfast and hope that Barb will keep herself holed up in the guest room -- I really do emphasize that word nowadays -- until we three boys clear ourselves out of the kitchen.  It's not to be, but I put on a happy face anyway.

At 10:30 we go grocery shopping.  Barb accompanies us, taking advantage of a (rare) opportunity to get out of the house.  And so her rotting life goes.

I try to spend some time with Rabbit at Rest during the afternoon.  I also make a special trip alone to Brennan's to buy a sirloin tip roast (dinner) and a pound of shrimp for a possible appetizer.  I try to call JoAnna on her car phone to see if a deluxe dinner without guests is warranted.  She is either out of range or the power button is off.  I go ahead with my plans.  Dinner is superb.  The roast is done more medium than medium-rare -- but I was only following the Time-Life cookbook instruction.  Along with the meat course, I prepare boiled red potatoes, spaghetti squash and broccoli.  Am I a catch or what!  I even clean up afterwards.  JoAnna is very tired, but I manage to read 30 pages of my favorite author's latest book before dozing off.

October 3, 1991

Today Liz reminds me about her change of schedule for next year.  She'll be working every other Saturday starting in June.  And who will be working those open Saturdays?  What about Christine and Sheila, as I think about it later in the day.  That means we'll need that fourth LAI.  Otherwise, I am stuck with a lot more weekend hours than I care to deal with.

As much as I'd like to stay at work late to begin some serious workshop preparation, I leave the library shortly after 5 to take care of dinner preparations, as I promised JoAnna I would do during our afternoon conversation.  Pork chops, rice, peas and carrots.  A delicious meal.  JoAnna cleans up and I get the boys into the bathtub.  For the rest of the evening, I keep my nose in Rabbit at Rest.