Thursday, September 1st, 1977-in which Aunt Betty loses her ducks and geese

Dr.  Baskerville's office called this morning.  Pete's white count is down so they said to cut his medication in half till the next count.  He goes to MSTI again next week.  Thelma called @ 10:00 am and woke me.  She's not sure if she'll be able to take us-last time they only paid her 4 cents a mile for her trip to Weiser and that didn't cover her gas.  Betty called and she came @ 2 pm.  I heated up and iced by second loaf of cinnamon bread.  Petey fussed so much about having some I told him I wasn't going to give him any.  Then I let him have half a slice.  I told him tonight that was a mistake and I wasn't going to do it again-that if he wanted nice things, he must learn not to cry and fuss or he wouldn't get any.  I explained to him several times that it was wrong to tell him I wouldn't let him have something, and then give it to him, and that it wouldn't happen again.  Finally he said "I'm scared about what you said, Mama", but I was certain he understood.  Betty came at two, and she helped me select 3 continuing projects my students can do in Sunday School.  We agreed that was all the "crafts" I'd have time for.  Aging "parchment" with a candle we decided to leave for the parents to do at home if they want to.  I'm not risking burns or fire at church.  She pointed out I didn't have to get through everything listed for each session and we crossed out the parts I don't intend to use.  If Bryan is in the class, I'll have to do a lot of reading out loud because he's still having trouble reading...Betty says she wishes he could learn braille to see if that would help.  He's dyslexic.  Petey has just about memorized Batman.  He "read" it to me last night.  Betty said someone had shot, or else a pack of wild dogs had gotten six of their ducks and five of their geese.  The bodies were torn but not eaten.  The one remaining goose cost her $25.00 at the vet's-wing splint, antibiotics, salve because so many of it's feathers were torn off...and Babe didn't even bark.  The police are investigating and they got another dog-part shepherd-to keep guard outside.  Read last night about an electric shock method for stopping smoking-wish I could try it!  Pete built a farm on the kitchen table tonight.  He played with it for over an hour.  I invented a "trash collector" tonight who collects little boys who don't pick up their toys in a big truck and takes them to work on a farm.  Pete knows it's a "protest"...Betty wants a horse-and they're having sheep again.

Wednesday, August 31st, 1977 In which the Monster sneaks in

With apologies to all who've been following this series, please accept my sincere personal apologies for the serious lag between the last post and this one.  Suffice it to say, I've been having some technological issues (specifically not having regular access to a computer) that's been part of the problem-the other piece being that I often don't take into account the emotional taxation of going through these passages and memories-keeping in mind that I am rediscovering many of them even as I transcribe them for others.  That said, Mom's Birthday fell on the first week of May and Mother's Day Eve in particular seemed the appropriate time to begin again...

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I feel sad and empty tonight-if only there were someone I could talk to at 11:30 p.m.  Petey exasperated me at dinner.  he took over an hour to eat-until, finally, I refused to tell him the stories of "Charlie Brown" and "Charlotte's Web", and threatened to spank him if he didn't sit up and eat his hamburger.  He cried, but ate, and I relented and told him the stories while he had dessert (jello).
I spent the whole day picking up toys he got out and finally tonight I told him I was going to put them all in a sack and throw them away...and I almost meant it.  He spent so long in the bath tonight, playing, that I told him I was going to scream if he didn't get out.  Don't know if I'm so edgy because I didn't take a nap, or if I forgot my pill this morning (Petey said I took it).  But maybe I'm just sad...Sylvia called at 9:00 a.m. and came over @ 10:30 a.m.  We were going to the park but it was cloudy and cold and the children were playing happily so we stayed home.  Sylvia and I had a pot of tea and visited while Sharon and Pete played with play-dough on the kitchen table.  Sharon starts school next week.  I called John Sandquist about transport for next week, and Bob Keele about Pete's medicine.  Dr. Baskerville refused to request the drug exception for 6MP-must ask her about it next week.  Called Frontier Music and Pete can take a make-up class for the 22nd (and the week after if necessary).  Patty came after lunch and we got Pete's medicine and pants (one says "Sesame Street"), some heavy winter shirts, and a pair of shoes (the only ones they had), but I'll have to buy arch supports to put in.  Then Patty picked up Stewart's letter.  I told her Diane was expecting their 6th, and she said " Just wait till I see Armando!".  Then Pete had a nap, but I couldn't sleep so got up and read-intending to sleep during his programs (at least I finished today's paper today.  Yesterday they reported the death of a little boy from eating too much salt at one meal...how can that be!?) but while his programs were on, Pete wanted to make a picture with the "found objects" he and Betty Phipps brought back from their walk yesterday.  So, we got out the  Elmer's glue and the construction paper and glued and glued.  Everything seemed to stick pretty well exception for one leaf that kept curling, and Pete finally pulled it off in disgust and stuck in on numbered (illegible) they'd found.  The tape "mustache" stuck well as did the bottle caps.  Next question, what can we do with the picture?  Pete and I made jello in a mold today (and consequently I washed all the molds and the wall) and Pete helped loosen it in hot water and turn it.  He wanted to eat the "pretty jello" all by himself  but let me have some.  He made me a Tinker Toy swing set today, because Paul broke mine.  I resolved to clean kitchen cupboards tomorrow...weevils (ugh!).  Read Pete Black Is Brown Is Tan about racially mixed marriage.  I read The Monster Makers.   I worry I'm turning into a "Monster" too!  Tired of trying to be perfect all the time!

Tuesday, August 30th, 1977-in which the Sandovals pay a visit and Nancy stresses about teaching Sunday School

Pete had his mehatrexate today-apparently with no ill effects.  I overslept this morning and Pete woke me at 10:30am when Betty Phipps came to the back door...she said, "I;m so sorry, I waited till I was sure you'd be up!".  I got dressed and Pete and I took some vegetables (beans, corn, squash, tomato, cucumber, peppers) over to her house and I had a cup of coffee with her.  Be5tty kept Pete while I dashed over to WIC headquarters to pick up my August coupons.  I tried to fix lunch and Diane Sandoval phoned to say she was coming over, Thelma called (Vernon might have to go jail and she's having trouble collecting her unemployment), and Betty came over again to invite Pete for a walk.  Betty Nelson brought our laundry over.  Then Diane, Paul, Monica, and Carmelita arrived (she's expecting their sixth and Paul's not a year old yet!)  Monica, Rosanna, and Yvonne will all be in school this year-Monica's in the bi-lingual program at May Roberts.  They left just after 2:30pm and I tried to settle Pete for a nap, but he was too excited to sleep.  I finally turned on the television for him and I slept till 4:30pm, when he woke me up from a dream about carrots.  Betty Phipps made chicken in her pressure cooker and brought Pete a piece.  He watched his shows till 6:30pm, when Betty took him for an exploring walk.  I did my Sunday School lessons and panicked-I can't do all that singing, and craft work, and...but I called the farm and Betty (Nelson said she'd come over on Thursday and help me plan.  Betty Phipps and Pete came back with a sack full of stuff they'd collected, which Pete plans to make into a picture tomorro0w with white glue and construction paper.  He showed Betty his "school book" and tried working on "a" while she was here.  We did "p" last night and a maze.  Tonight he did a dot-to-dot picture and "o".  "c" was harder than "p".  After dinner I read him My Mommy Says There Aren't Any.  I dusted half the books in the bedroom tonight.  Pete told me Taybear poured a bucked of dust on them and certainly looked that way!  Scrubbed Hermit's bowl today since Carmelita spilled his water and Paul got into his shells.  Promised Pete a bath in the morning.  He said he was too tired tonight.  Must ask Patty to take his pills for refills tomorro0w.  I'll ask Betty Phipps to babysit while I see Dr. Daniels-don't want Pete there while I have my Pap.  Thelma said she'd take us to MSTI.  Read The Amiable Meddler today.  Supposed to be funny...really sad.

Monday, August 29th, 1977-in which Pete is not allowed to see the Star Wars of his generation

We're being invaded by insects.  Pete found a big ant on the floor tonight and I found a big black beetle or cockroach or something on the floor in the bathroom and smashed it and smashed but I douldn't kill it so I finally flushed it down the toilet.  I hate bugs.  Mr. Baker came today to take us to the hospital, but before he came Lorraine Bennett phoned to let us know she was back in town.  We stopped by Ontario Pharmacy to refill Pete's mercaptopurine, only to find out they've never gotten a drug exception for it so they couldn't fill it.  Pete was fussy and whiny before his blood test today but Sister Angelica talked him into a better mood, and he went back to see her to see how she ran his blood test, while I waited for him in the waiting room.  We saw Marsha Dekker and she told me she might bring Allen over Wednesday if she can-her baby is due almost any day now (she's still working too-at least she'll be handy to the hospital..).  Pete told me tonight that when Dave babysat for him he saw his friend , Bonnie, who took care of him when he was in hospital, and he ran right over and jumped in her lap he was so glad to see her. Pete was upset with me because I wouldn't take him to "Star Wars", but I told him we had to save our money for music lessons.  John still hasn't found anyone to help.  Good thing it's not the $25.00 for Nursery School I'm facing (kindergarten, that is)!  John called today.  Stewart wanted to know if Betty would act as intermediary with me-I said "no, but ask her yourself", and Pete's inside leg measurement so he could send him a bicycle.  I said "HA!"  Forgot to ask about music lessons or tell him about the drug exception (I did call Dr. Baskerville) and couldn't get him back so I'll have to call Wednesday (he's out tomorrow).  He said he'd have Patty pick up Stewart's letter.  I think Pete and I will have to walk over to the WIC clinic tomorrow to get our coupons for August.  I hope Pete can walk that far and it doesn't rain! (cloudy and cold again today, warmer tonight).  Pete went out to see Daniel tonight and he gave us green and red peppers and swill chard-I ate some of Dad's cucumber today-a mistake!  Petey played with his electric train tonight and was singing a song about it "down-a-down...plop!".  The plops were when the train hit the track he said.  Pete said Taybear (my teddy bear-PL) taught him the song , Taybear's Daddy (Pink Robert) taught it to him, and Rabbit taught it to Pink Robert-as good as the provenance of most modern folk music.  Pete would please Robert Bebog-he thinks all poems and verses...nursery rhymes, et al...are songs.  I said "Good night, Sleep tight" to him tonight, and he said "don't sing me that song!".  He tried to have a tantrum today because I wouldn't let him have hot dogs for dinner, but he couldn't keep it up after I pointed out it wasn't getting him anywhere.  I read Lathen's Ashes to Ashes (chapter heads from hymns) and By Hook or Crook today.  I'm sorry I only got four Lathens, now I'll have to read someone else.  Read Pete Ivanko and the She-Dragon and Batman tonight.

Sunday, August 28th, 1977-in which Petey goes fishing but doesn't catch anything

Overslept this morning, in spite of the alarm and had only 10 minutes to dress for church.  Fortunately, I had decided to wear what I wore last night and dressed quickly, but I had to finish dressing Petey while Dad was here.  Still, we arri9ved at church on time and I had remembered to put Pete's fishing pole in the car.  Petey had gotten up early, sliced his banana, and eaten his cereal and then gone back to bed.  We sat with Margaret and Erik Bunce at church.  Erik had some little cars with him and he and Pete played (I'd forgotten Pete's cars).  Then Bernie and Richie came in late and sat with Pete and Erik.  After church Dad dropped Bernie and Pete at Becker's pond.  It was cloudy and overcast but the rain held off.  Dad took Mom and me to Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch-I was able to enjoy my mashed potatoes and gravy with a clear conscience since Pete wasn't there to see me.  Then Dad got chicken snacks for Pete and Bernie (I'd saved some of my coleslaw for Pete because he likes it...from there, he won't touch mine).  Then Dad dropped me at home and went back to pick up the boys.  Petey had a bite but the fish got away.  I was glad I didn't have to clean and cook one!  Bernie said he'd take Petey fishing again, only next time at the farm where he thought he'd have better luck.  So Petey must have behaved well.  We napped-I was exhausted from staying awake worrying about what Stewart might do until 3am this morning.  Then we watched "The Muppet Show", "Wild Kingdom", "Wonderful World of Disney"...then Pete and I went outside to play "Justice League" with his airplane, helicopter, and pickup truck.  It was so cold we wore coats (our furnace came on again last night).  Vicky called to see if Pete started school tomorrow.  Maybe by next year he won't have to make so many doctor visits.  Then we came in again and Pete watched "6 Million Dollar Man".  We had hot dogs and beans for dinner while I ate last night's left overs and told him stories of "Charlie Brown" and "Charlotte's Web".  He like "Charlotte's Web"better than "The Rescuers".  Then we played "Snoopy and Charlie Brown and Woodstock" while I watched the Boston Pops with Ethel Merman and part of Masterpiece Theater's first episode of Charles Dickens' life.  Petey listened to "Hardtack is a Fine Old Engine".  Then I put him to bed and read Zeek Silver Moon and we talked about baking bread together like the story.  Carol Wallace gave him a Sambo's book at church today and we cut out the Sambo and Tiger paper dolls and played with those tonight.  I read Murder Against The Grain-Soviet American wheat treaty (?-writing was a bit faded here-PL)-ahead of its time.

Saturday, August 27th, 1977-in which we see a double feature and Nancy is irritated by people who talk in movies (now we know where Pete gets it from)

Pete and I went to the movies with the Loebachs tonight.  We saw "Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown" and "Charlotte's Web".  Pete had seen "Charlotte's Web" before on TV (he told the librarian the plot while we were there this afternoon) but didn't mind seeing it again-and it was, of course, better in colour.  Pete got up at 7:00am to watch TV and didn't eat breakfast until 11:00am, when there was a Frisbee contest he didn't care about.  He had a banana sliced on his cereal and I had to get more beananas today so he could do it again.  He lay down about 1:00pm , and when Granpa came to get us at 2:00pm, he was sound asleep.  At the library, he found a big chairl to sleep in while I got my books.  He finally woke up enough to get his own books.  He told me, "I got some really great books Mom!-Look at the pictures.  I know some are a little bit scary, but I won't be scared, I promise!".
I got through J and K today and started on L-I got some new Emma Lathen's.  I like her hero, John Thatcher.  From the library, we went to Safeway.  Got more cube steak and some very ripe watermelon (I think it will be our last this season).  Mailed a letter to Starr Savage today and sent her a copy of Pete's story about the two little pigs who lived in the snow.  I fixed chicken soup as soon as we got home and we lay down for a nap at 4:30pm.  I set the alarm for 6:00pm so we'd have plenty of time to get ready.  Pete wanted to dress up for the movie so I wore my new blue dress  Betty gave me for the first time.  He wore his "leisure suit".  The Loebachs came at 7:00 so we were right at the head of the queue (or however it's spelled).  The "Charlie Brown" movie was first and Pete thought the parts about being outside in the dark and the owl chasing Woodstock were scary, so he sat in my lap for most of the movie.  There was a couple behind us who had apparently come in on their own, sans kids, and kept explaining the movies very loudly to each other, which was pretty irritating.  Little Davey took off down the aisle by himself and got lost, but Peter went and guided him back.  For the most part he was very well behaved (a lot more active than I remember Pete being at one and a half, but then Pete was in training at the Komstam Nursery to be a proper phlegmatic Englishman).  I heard nothing further about my "emergency phone call" from England, so have decided it was just another ruse to get my phone number.  I fixed Pete and me cube steak and peas and sweet potatoes for me when we got home, but Pete just picked at his dinner.  He said he was so tired he could collapse and he could just go to sleep without a bath, but he insisted on a story because it made him sad if I didn't read one.  He had Ivanbo and The Dragon and I started Death Shall Overcome.  So cool and rainy today the furnace switched on.  Fishing with Bernie tomorrow!

Friday, August 26th, 1977-in which Nancy receives an emergency call from London and Pete worries about bats (again)

The telephone company called tonight and said they had an emergency call for me-would I please call a London number, which they gave me.  I called Dad and talked it over with him.  He assumed, as did I, that it was another of Stewart's tricks.  He suggested I call John Sandquist so I did and gave him the number.  He said he wouldn't call it, but would pass it on.  I told John that Stewart had tried once to commit suicide and I was a little worried on that score-but I knew, even if I talked to Stewart, that I wouldn't tell him anything he'd want to hear.  As I told John, the only thing I'd consider an emergency would be if something happened to Pete and he was right here, sleeping safely in his bed.  He didn't take a nap this afternoon, then went to sleep in front of the TV watching "Wild Kingdom", so I carried him in and put him to bed.  He woke just long enough to have some chicken soup, milk, and a story (When the Root Children Awoke and Batman and Robin: From Alfred to Zowie), a song, and then back to sleep.  He had his methatexate today and complained of his stomach hurting so I gave him 1/2 a Tylenol-perhaps that's why he was so sleepy.  I set the alarm for 7:am in the morning so I can switch on his cartoons.  I called Sylvia and we arranged to go to the movies ("Charlotte's Web" and "Run For Your Life, Charlie Brown") tomorrow night.  Dad couldn't come in today so he's planning to take us to the library tomorrow, too.  I called Thelma tonight but Sissie said she was busy and couldn't come to the phone.  I just pray Stewart wasn't thinking of suicide tonight.  It would be a terrible thing to have on my conscience that a phone call could have saved him and I didn't make it.  But once we're divorced he can't be anything to me anyhow.  I have to think of Pete and how to keep Stewart from doing him harm.  I wrote to Starr Savage tonight while Pete was sleeping.  I'll get Pete to paint her a picture tomorrow to slip in the letter.  Elliot's left and Dad decided not to go with him after all because Mom's health is so precarious and he didn't want Betty to have all the care to doalone.  Must be rather like Noah's sons seeing the old man drunk and naked for Betty to have to help Dad with Mom's care.  Embarassing for both of them.  I fixed the cinnamon bread I got at Safeway today., but didn't find it any better hot with icing than cold without.  It was rainy and cold today and we stayed in all day.  I ready Haining's The Ghost's Companion and The Wild Night Company.  Washed my hair.  Pete worried about bats again.