Saturday, August 6th, 1977-In which Nancy does some babysitting and mulls a "special offer" on music lessons

Babysat for Sylvia until 1:30am.  Didn't get Pete resettled in bed at home till two.  Dave came by for us at 8:00pm-I was just feeding Petey since Sylvia had said they'd go at 9:00pm so I told him to come back in half an hour.  I gave Pete a baking soda bath tonight-it seems to be helping the prickly heat under his arms.  Just after Dave left, the phone rang.  Thelma said her father was back in the hospital.  They were giving him packed cell transfusions and she was leaving for Oklahoma tomorrow (She's going by bus-won't get there till Tuesday) so she couldn't take us to Boise Wednesday.  She was worried about calling John, but I told her I'd do it on Monday.  She said she'd send Pete a post card from Oklahoma.  Dave came back for us at 8:30pm and this time we were ready.  Little Davey cried a little when Mom and Dad left, but not for too long.  The children were a bit snappy tonight.  Sharon was saucy and Pete imitated her.  Pete brought little cars and Davey wanted them, but the other two took them away.  Sharon hit little Davey and I told her I'd spank her if she did it again.  She started, "you're not my boss", but I told her "While I'm here, I am", and she backed down-wasn't sure I'd carry through but didn't want to risk finding out.  All 3 of them went out in the backyard to play.  Sharon hung upside down from the swing set (in her nightgown), telling Petey "you musn't look at my underwear".  They built "roads" and got nice and dusty.  They came in and played Batman, Robin (Davey), and Batgirl.  Were very indignant that I wouldn't let them take the best bath towels for capes.  They were so tired that they were all 3 stretched out on the floor playing "prisoners" so I diapered little Davey (remembered to use two this time) and put him to bed with his bottle.  Then I read 101 Dalmatians and The Jungle Book (Walt Disney versions) to Pete and Sharon.  Sharon went to bed and was asleep while Davey still had his eyes open staring at the ceiling but he was quiet so I left him.  Then I read The Jungle Book to Petey again and put him to sleep on the couch.  I couldn't even make a cup of tea because there were no tea bags.  I read What Can You Do With a Kinkajou? which was supposed to be funny, but it reminded me nauseatingly of cleaning up after Lee's (Nancy's First Husband-PL) (anyone who mucks out  twenty seven horses and ten dogs has to be crazy).  Then I read part of an old Redbook.  Sylvia and Dave came in at 1:30am and said they were too tired to pay me, -they'd write me a check next week...they still owe me $2.10 from the last two times.  Had to wake Pete up to go home and by the time I got him settled in bed, it was 2am.  Got a letter from Frontier Music-If I pay Pete's beginning fee of $18.50  before August 20th, I get $3.50 off.  I f you pay for four month's lessons at once, it's "only" $54.00 instead of $60.00...but there's no way I could come up with that much.  Classes start September 8th-Thursdays at 2:00pm.  Must ask John about help for Pete's lessons on Monday-hope he finds some!

Context and Insight: I've said before that this has been a journey of discovery, and so it has.  Mom very rarely spoke about her first husband, Lee (Stewart, my birth father, was her second marriage), but it seems, regretfully, that she never really found the joy in a marital connection in her life, that I have found in my own,  As I understand it, the beginning of the end for her marriage to Lee was the night she awoke to use the restroom adjacent to their bedroom, and Lee, who was both a light sleeper and in the habit of keeping a hand gun under his pillow, was supposedly "startled" out of his slumber by her movements-resulting in him firing two shots into the door frame of the bathroom as she was about to exit.  Had things worked out only slightly differently, I wouldn't be typing these words today (suffice it to say, while I believe she admired those who used their weapons in the line of duty and at least respected those who handle fire arms responsibly, she herself was NOT an enthusiast-Peter).