December 8, 1976

From 1976 desk journal

Tuesday

Some time running around for Old Man - rest of day on book. Finished roughing chapts 14, 15, 16, 17 and sent them to Claud.

Isabel went Club meeting and Brenda, Yancie and I went to Pigs for dinner. While we were there the Rachels came in with entire brood. Yancie and John Milton lay side by side and in a moment of harmony and understanding - shit together.

I also called Tom (Manny) Wolpert yesterday at Cardinal.

December 13. 1976

From 1976 desk journal

Monday

Pitiful nail driving performance in morning trying to help John "box" house #39.

Yancie's first day in nursery and Brenda's first day back at work. Yancie seemed all right at her return home - except for being hungry and a bit cranky. But Brenda was in foul shape... guilt, psychosomatics, and pain from unused muscles. She finally had to take a pain pill. She went to bed at about 9:00 PM and slept until alarm went off at 5:10 AM/.

December 3, 1976

From 1976 desk journal

Friday

Yancie bitched last night keeping us up until 3:00 AM. So I was going to sleep late this morning. However Old Man called at 6:45, asking me to lay off house, which I did... with Joey. It was most successful lay-off yet, only taking 2 hrs. (2012 note: "laying off" was staking off precisely where foundation would go. Fairly abstract work. For some reason most carpenters could not do this.)

Received review "B" from Little Brown. Looked good.

Had an attack of nerves tonight at supper - re: Isabel. Will have to get out of here.  

December 1, 1976

From 1976 desk journal

Wednesday

Had to work all day for Old Man. Joey went "fishing" and Raymond couldn't lay particle board by himself. Very tired when I got home.

Yancie, Brenda and I visited parents. Old Man seemed preoccupied , probably a sign of money problems. I was also less than perfect company.

Over the past week Yancie has become a cheery little person (most of time).

Stopped by Pigs. Milton was manic. Apparently he is in dire financial straits.

Also learned today that Raymond Allen is a painter. Life is certainly strange.

November 15, 1976

From 1976 desk journal

Monday

Morning running for Old Man. Afternoon fairly successful writing session. Only a little left to finish rough of starter chapter.

Brenda brought Yancie by while she, her mother and Linnie Byers went out. (2012 note: Linnie was nice 60ish woman, tall and horse faced, wealthy. Brenda's father said that Linnie liked sex the way a pig likes slop.) Yancie is a good writing companion, only occasionally  squawking. 

November 4, 1976

From 1976 desk journal

(2012 note: This was fairly typical routine, working for Old Man in morning, writing textbook in afternoon. I think I was beginning to supervise some of house building tasks.)

Thursday

Dug Webber footing today, and had it inspected. It passed. Was probably proud.

Continued on Starter Motor chapter. It seems to be going fairly well. Although it is very very difficult. I have to find ways to make more money.

Pigged tonight while Brenda and Yancie slept. Saw John Milton. He behaves somewhat like Yancie, although he is bigger.

Changed Yancie's shitty diaper all by myself.

November 1, 1976

From 1976 desk journal

(2012 note: Little Brown was first publisher we approached - or who approached Claud and me - about writing car books. Ultimate publisher was Reston Publishing who got bought out by Prentice Hall - who as I recall got bought out by Simon and Schuster.)

Met Chris Hunter of Little Brown in Charlotte. I picked him up at Red Carpet and walked up to Cardinal. Cardinal was very pitiful. Cold dirty, not even any coffee. I had to buy ours.

I guess the meeting went OK.  Claud came over then we did CPCC tour. Chris didn't have any money. Said it would be forthcoming when reviews come in. First review is OK.

Yancie had her first check-up today. She weighs 6 1/2 pounds - is OK.

Flat on van as I drove back along I-85

October 29 - 30 - 31, 1976

From 1976 desk journal.

Friday, October 29  - (first writing since Yancie's birth Oct 9th)

A lot to write but difficult to casually note. Yancie is doing well, eating 22-23 ounces on some days.  Brenda is OK. At home. Isabel is worse. Don't know if Brenda will ever have the courage to make the required move. I may have to do it on my own.

I have been smoking more these past weeks. I don't exercise  any (except for work). I don't write. It remains to be seen whether I will establish any of my former routines. Of course much of this routine is not worth resuming anyway.

Saturday, October 30
I can't casually note a routine. Saturday anymore because I haven't discovered yet what my routine will be. I did get coffee with Frank this morning. And Brenda and I took Yancie to Eastridge Mall in the van. Yancie is a very peaceful traveler, sleeping all the time.


Sunday, October 31
A fairly quiet day, except for fuses blowing in water heater which I fixed. I wrote some reminiscences for Mickey. It was the first writing I have done in weeks - including these notes. I'll leave it to Brenda to keep Yancie notes. But she is changing perhaps in ways we don't see because we are too close.

October 9, 1976

From 1976 desk journal.

Friday, October 8  - Saturday, October 9 (written at hospital)

It was an ordinary day... work for both Brenda and I, the grocery store for her, the Pigs for both of us until eleven, then Johnny Carson ... until about 3:00 AM Saturday morning. At that time Brenda woke me up complaining of severe pains. We discussed and argued for about a half hour until her mother and I convinced her that it could  be labor (20 days early). I drove the Volvo in the front yard up to the porch to keep her out of the downpour and we went to the hospital. (2012 note - she thought that was foolish) It was labor and at 4:02 Saturday morning YANCIE WEATHERS was born. She weighed 5 lbs and 4 ozs and after some initial wrinkling she became very pretty with wisps of red hair. Brenda did all right shortly after birth but later the nurses and Doctor Benjamin had trouble expelling all the blood clots. They do this by pressing down hard on the abdomen. Brenda suffered a great deal and about 12:00 or so Sunday morning he did a modified DNC. But by that time the bleeding had stopped. At this moment I think it will be OK. I left the hospital about 1:30 after Brenda had gone off to sleep. (2012 note - we went home Sunday morning in the orange industrial van I bought from Stinker Rodgers. She and Yancie lay on old sofa in back. Yancie lay in a wicker dog basket. It was some days before Brenda could sit again.)

There is a lot more to tell - the other father in the waiting room - Brenda's long suffering - my numb anxiousness - and Yancie herself - the object of all of this. I'll write about it later. (2012 note - I didn't write again until October 30.)