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Barbara Fritchman Thompson
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Barbara Fritchman Thompson Diary

Week of 14 October 2002

Latest Update: Saturday, 26 April 2003 08:54


Monday, 14 October 2002

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Happy Monday to everyone. I hope your day and week get off to a great start. 

Yesterday, as I promised, was a lazy day around the Thompson Techno Grotto. The race in Charlotte was delayed by rain. During which time I managed to clear another pile of detritus off my desk and in box.

Around 3:30 or so the race finally started. I caught up on the pile of reading material on my end table and worked the cross work puzzle while watching/listening. After dinner, Bob did the second Lenore visit for me. I was still just completely whacked from the past week.  

I started a new J. S. Borthwick mystery last night, Coup de Grace. Sarah has returned to her hometown of Carlisle, Maine to teach a semester of English at Miss Merritt's all girls boarding school. Her husband Alex's cousin Giddy encouraged Sarah to take the position after Sarah recently finished her Ph.D. in  English Literature. Sarah very quickly learns things at the boarding school have a rather sinister air due in part to French teacher Grace Carpentier who rules the Language Division with an iron hand while walking around the campus in her black cape. Effigies of witches and other similar items are found around campus from time to time insinuating the harm that will come to the French teacher if she does not back off. In addition to the French teacher, Sarah is learning very quickly other staff eccentrics adding to the mix.  

Off to the gym for Body Pump then over to visit Lenore. I have hair cut appointment at 2 pm and several errands to run. Guess I better get going.

 

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Tuesday, 15 October 2002

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I made a mistake in my review of Coup de Grace yesterday. Sarah returns to her home in Carlisle, Massachusetts not Maine. 

After I returned from my hair cut appointment I decided I better get the lawn mowed for the week. We are supposed to have heavy rain come in today, tonight, and in the morning tomorrow. Afterwards, I fixed dinner then did the evening Lenore visit. I did two yesterday because Bob has to do two today.

I am off today on a tour of two vineyards located in the Yadkin Valley of North Carolina. This one day bus trip takes us first to Black Wolf Vineyards. We will be eating lunch at their Wolf's Lair Restaurant. Our region of the county has started to expand in the wine making business in the last five years or so. 

After we tour Black Wolf we drive over to the Shelton Vineyards located on a family owned estate. In addition to wine they also make a wide variety of cheese made from the milk of local goat and dairy farmers.

While the weather promises to be horrid I am sure we will still have a good time. We may end up slogging around in the rain but it will be nice to get away for a day from all the recent stress and worries. I am taking the digital camera. Hopefully it will behave well enough that I can get a few pictures.

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Wednesday, 16 October 2002

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We had a good time on the wine tours despite the fact it rained steadily all day. No pictures but you can check out the links I posted yesterday. I did not really like any of the wines we tasted at Wolf's Lair. The grapes are grown on the property where the restaurant is located but the wine is actually made in a nearby county. I did like two of the wines at Shelton Vineyards. However, their prices were a bit high for what I wanted to pay for a bottle of wine. However, I like to support our local wine products as much as possible when I purchase wine at the local grocery stores, so getting to taste them first helps.

As of this morning we had exactly two inches of rain. The hard rain and blustery wind woke me several times during the night.  

I am off to the gym this morning and the grocery store. 

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Thursday, 17 October 2002

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Well, not much news from yesterday. I spent the afternoon working in my office taking occasional breaks to play with the dogs. The rain finally moved out around 1 pm and the sun started trying to come out. Malcolm kept pestering me to go outside to play ball. It is very hard to explain to a dog about wet and muddy lawns and ball playing. Instead we took several walks up and down the street and played a little stick fetch.

Last evening after our library visit we stopped at McDonalds for a Happy Meal for Lenore for dinner. We visited with her while she ate then took off to meet our friends Mary and Paul for dinner before our FAS meeting. 

I have an assortment of errands to run this morning which includes the morning visit with Lenore. 

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Friday, 18 October 2002

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Best news of week. When I got home yesterday Bob told me I had a call from the law firm I faxed my resume to on Monday. I go next Monday for an interview. 

Worst news of the week. This morning I had a call from the nursing home. The pervert that had been bothering Lenore is being returned to the nursing home. I guess they hauled him off to the hospital mental ward last week after he tried to attack a staff member. Lenore will be very upset that he is coming back. Bob and I have an appointment today at 2 to take a look at another nearby nursing facility. 

I went to bed early last night to read to and stayed up until after 11 finishing Coup de Grace. 

This morning I will go over to the library to clean up what remains of the book sale and make a stop to visit Lenore.

I hope you have a great weekend. 

 

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Saturday, 19 October 2002

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Some good news after all. Last night the nursing home called to tell us the pervert will not be coming back. They found other accommodations for him. We are very happy about this turn of events.

On that note, we visited another nearby nursing home yesterday afternoon. Bob and I were both impressed with the facility and the young lady who directed our tour. Last night Bob filled out the application for Lenore to go on the waiting list for this facility. It may take several months but we are not in any hurry. Lenore cheered up a lot when she learned there may be a possibility she will be moved.

When Bob and I returned from the nursing home visit he helped me try to crank my new leaf vacuum. After trying Thursday evening I thought perhaps I had flooded it. But, it still would not start. I loaded it in my car and took off for the Sears service center to drop it off to have them check to see what the problem is. 

I grilled steaks for dinner then spent the evening reading. I started a new Aaron Elkins, A Wicked Slice. He and his wife write these golf mysteries as a separate series from the museum curator. As you all know I am an avid golfer. This particular one is set on the women's golf tour. A well known, top ranked professional goes missing the second day of a tournament. Lee Ofsted, struggling rookie on the women's tour, finds the body in a pond just off the practice tee. Graham Sheldon, who knows nothing about golf, is assigned to the murder investigation. Together he and Lee attempt to solve the mystery. In this first book Lee and Graham also form a personal relationship.

Today I have lots of plans of things to get done. Since the ground is nice and soft from all the rain I want to rake some of the spots that the grass has not come back in and throw out some more seed. Bob and I need to hang the curtains on the downstairs French doors. My desk, of course, needs some major attention. Lot's to do so I guess I best get started. 

 

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Sunday, 20 October 2002

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I slept in until 8:15 this morning, which is pretty late for me. We got all our chores done yesterday as planned. Malcolm got to go visit Lenore at the nursing home last night. We spent the remainder of the evening reading and of course throwing the ball down the hall for the dogs.

Today's plans, after house cleaning this morning, are to catch up on the large pile of magazines from my end table. The Winston Cup race runs from Martinsville, VA today. It may be rained out or at least delayed. Martinsville is only an hour northeast of us across the NC/VA state line. We are supposed to get rain here this afternoon so I imagine it will be raining up there as well.

 

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