Thursday, June 30th, 1977-In which a gift is received, a pool is splashed in, and hard choices are made

Sylvia came over at 10:00am.  First we went to the post office and picked up Pete's package.  It was from Carol Carr and her children-a tiny driftwood sculpture, 3 posts wrapped together with tiny "nesting gulls" on two of the posts and a gull in flight perched on the third, and a tiny, tiny starfish.  Pete was delighted.  He handled it very delicately (there's nothing wrong with his fine muscle coordination anyhow).  Then we went to Albertsons.  Their Bingo promotion has ended and I didn't win a thing...too bad.  Used up all my remaining food stamps on meat and bought Pete some more batteries for his electric train.  Then we brought my groceries home and picked up Pete's big ball.  We went to Sylvia's so she could put away her groceries and drove by Lion's Club Park.  The wading pool was crowded so we brought Pete and Davey home, put water in Pete's pool, Sylvia made teaand we had apples, cheese, and dried fruit.  Sharon was away today on a special program so Pete and Davey wer on their own.  At first Pete was inclined to be whiny over not going to the park but he snapped out of it and he and Davey waded and splashed and played ball (the water was too cold to sit down).  I took a couple of pictures-they looked cute.  Hope they turn out.  Then Sylvia and Davey left and Pete and I had some soup, then napped.  I left the pool out and right after naps Pete got back in it.  This time he could stretch out, kick, splash, and (at Mary Jo *Eiguren, now Spangler*'s suggestion)try blowing bubbles.  Mary Jo said the tiny tots' class at the swimming pool had been so jammed it wasn't effective and they're not doing it again.  She recommended the Barinaga's daughters who give private lessons, but I think that will have to wait till next summer.  Pete went in to watch TV while I emptied the pool and quickly watered the lima beans (Daniel had told Pete to do it but he wanted to watch "Electric Company" and forgot-at that, he only caught the end of the show).  I called Yamaha about their lessons, $15.00 a month for one hour a week and an $18.50 beginning fee...but music is something he will always be able to enjoy-where he can compete at a normal level...(as the non-singing, non dancing "old man character in every Musical Theater production I was ever in, I'm not entire sure this was the case, but I sure love her optimism!-PL)
They ask the parents to attend with the children to learn what to do at home to reinforce the lessons.  Piano rental was $30.00/month and limited to 6 months.  I couldn't possibly afford that-but I explained my limited budget and the woman tol me they'd just gotten a small, cordles electric organ (3 octave, 6 chords) on a trade in, and it was only $29.50,  She said it had an adequate keyboard for 2 to 3 years of musical instruction so I asked her to hold it for me and arranged with Dad to take me over Tuesday to buy it.  I can't affort it, but I can't afford not to have it-maybe that'll be be an incentive to quit smoking.  Pete told me very solmenly today, that he didn't want to wait an extra year to start school..."I don't want to just be at home with you all the time, Mother, I want to do some grownup things on my own".  If he could just relax sometimes and enjoy being a child, but his illness has mad him grow up so fast!  Still he enjoys playing baby too.  We cleaned his playroom tonight...Hercules isn't in it... 

A Sample Page of Mom's diary...left handed, small writing (I can't find the right controls to turn the picture upright, but you get the idea =-).   PL