Friday, June 24th, 1977-in which Petey learns to golf

Pete wanted me to write about the machines (video games) at the Mall, one with motorcycles, one with 3 cars, and one with race cars and two steering wheels-he and James and Tommy were "driving" them after Windy's (the clown) demonstration while we waithed for Thelma (I wouldn't give them any quarters to put in so they couldn't really play, but Pete thought they were).  That was what impressed him most about the Mall.  Guess imaginary pleasures are often greater than real ones.  I slept till noon today.  Then Petey and I both took baths and washed our hair.  I twas hot and we drooped around the house till Dad came to see if we'd like to go out for a cold drink.  I had a root beer float-gave Pete a couple of swallows.  He didn't want a bite of the ice cream tho because "it has carbohydrates".  He had diet 7-up but didn't drink it (he wanted diet orange but they were out).  Our A&W* has stuffed bears but they don't have the straws that are advertised on TV so Pete was disappointed.  He had his Methatrexate today and took a very long nap in front of the TV.  We had "sloppy joes" because he's been asking for them a long time but he just picked at his.  Marilyn Cates called today to get our correct address-said she'd pass it on to the church secretary-and to see if I'd like to have some dresses she's not wearing (I could use some summer ones, but I think these were winter clothes) since we're roughly the same size tho I'm a bit taller.  We're going over to her house next week and I'll have a look.  Pete and I went out about nine because the house was so hot.  I got down tricycle and he played hide and seek around the house (I went into the kitchen and he looked for me, then I came out and he'd gone around the house so I looked for him).  The neighbors had had a party and he watched their guests go.  Daniel had unearthed a stand pipe for watering, leaving a big hole.  He told Pete he used to sleep in a hole like that in the war-and they used to drive caterpillars right over them.  Helen Horne (our downstairs neighbor-I finally asked her name) gave us some more peas and we played "beavers" and ate them raw.  She gave us some pretty nasturtiums for the house too.  Told Daniel that John Sandquist was interested in his old Cadillac.  Pete tagged him around.  Daniel and Maria had company and one of their guests, a young man, was practicing putting on the front lawn.  Pete got out his golf clubs and was given a lesson in proper stance...and two "real" golf balls.  They played till it was too dark to see and Pete forgot his tees and left them outside so we had tears when he went to bed, but he had a good time playing.  We split an artichoke for dinner and I finished the sloppy joes.  Pete didn't want any more.  He couldn't settle to sleep tonight-the heat and his long nap.  He was frightened-I had to close the window so the curtains wouldn't blow-lonesome-I got Taybear and he got in my bed-hot (couldn't do anything about that-thirsty-I got him a drink-and at last asleep