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Barbara Fritchman Thompson Diary

Week of 22 December 2003

Latest Update: Sunday, 28 December 2003 18:21

Monday, 22 December 2003

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I am well into the second book of the quilting series by Jennifer Chiaverini, Round Robin. I haven't liked this one as well as I did the first one though by no means is it not good. The book opens with the Elm Creek quilters being featured on a national television show. From there we spend a lot of time getting to know the backgrounds of each of the main characters in the book, all of which seem to be suffering from some personal family crises or another. In the meantime, on of Sylvia's (the manor owner) long time childhood friends has returned to visit Elm Creek after seeing the television show. The title of the book is actually a type of quilt where each person in the group takes the quilt and adds their own piece to the top.

There is less quilting in the second book and more of a focus on the characters in the story perhaps to draw in more readers than just quilters. Anyway, I will continue with the series to see where she goes with the next book. 

I have been to the gym now I need to spend some time with The Guys. Have a great evening. 

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Tuesday, 23 December 2003

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I made a quick store stop on the way home. It was very crowded. I went this afternoon thinking it would be less crowded than tomorrow. 

Bob and I are meeting a friend for dinner we have not seen in a couple of years. Robin lives here in Winston but has just been busy and out of touch until she sent us a card for the holidays suggesting we get together. She also suggested the Chinese place like Paul & Mary the other night. It does seem to be one of the perennial favorites of the limited places to eat on our side of town.

I did finish the quilting book last night. Interesting ending. Not sure what I will start tonight, most likely a mystery of some sort before reading the third book in that series.

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Wednesday, 24 December 2003

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I went to the gym this morning then over to my folks house for Santa run. Dad and I took the gifts on over to Frances' house so they would only have to take the food tomorrow. 

After lunch with them I came home and vacuum and washed my car plus took care of a few other odd jobs that needed done. After my shower I sat down to rest, check my mail, and get this post up.

Tonight I will put out my luminaries purchased from our street captain. I don't know how many families on our street will participate but they are really pretty lined up along the curb. We buy ours in support of the Ronald McDonald House. The House is near Baptist Hospital and provides temporary housing for families from out town who have a child in a local medical facility. 

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Thursday, 25 December 2003

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Merry Christmas. I am off to spend the day with my family at my sister's house. I hope you have a wonderful and safe Holiday.

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Friday, 26 December 2003

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After breakfast I went off to the gym. When I returned, around 10, we got started on Bob's office. I guess it has been two years since I did a good deep clean in that room. I know last year I could never get him to cooperate and finally gave us. As you saw from the pictures on his pager this morning his desk and credenza were a cluttered, dusty mess. It was well into the noon hour before we were almost finished. After taking a lunch break we finished up his desk and I mopped the floor.  While he installed some new speakers I started cleaning out the work room. I know he did not want to do that room today but I knew if we did not do it today it would not get done. I didn't want to tie up another work day for him plus I wanted to knock those two rooms off my list. That leaves the remaining rooms for me to without bothering him or needing his assistance.

Bob has after pictures of his office and pictures of the hallway with everything that came out of his work room. I guess he will post those on his page tomorrow. We filled two trash bags with mostly boxes, foam padding, and papers. It was well after 4 by the time I was able to get in the shower and call it a day. 

Thankfully Frances sent me home yesterday with plenty of leftovers so I didn't have to cook anything for diner. We had a wonderful day yesterday opening gifts, telling stories behind them, and lots of laughter being together as a family. Frances' husband Al fit right in and seemed to enjoy himself. We all got some really nice things. I like to watch everyone open the things I bought. Mom and Frances as usual, outdid themselves, finding some very unique and interesting gifts. 

Bob came over around 4 to eat dinner with us. We had pork roast, yams, green beans, wild rice, rolls, apples, and lots of yummy desserts. He left a little after six, I got home around 7. I had bought a couple of things for Bob which he opened after I got home.

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Saturday, 27 December 2003

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I got one side of the room done before lunch. After lunch I gave Bob a haircut before doing a quick vacuum of the kitchen, den, foyer, hall, our bedroom, and bathroom. Those front of the house rooms will get their deep clean next week. It took all afternoon to get my office done. I moved some stuff out that could be stored other places to make some additional room on my bookshelves for more books. We are filling them up at a rapid rate with mysteries, crime books, etc. I finally finished up around 4 tired and ready for a shower. 

Bob has introduced me to another wonderful author, John Dunning. He has written some one offs but the first one of his series about a cop turned book dealer is the one I read titled Book to Die. Dunning is an excellent writer, good plot, and interesting characters. As a cop Cliff Janeway is investigating the murder of a book scout, people that go around to book dealers trying to make a buck here and there on good finds such as first editions, etc. Cliff is also an avid reader of mysteries and a collector of books himself. His dream to open his own book shop becomes a reality when he goes to far in his investigation of the book scout murder. He purchases an old house on "book row" in Denver, where the book is set, and opens his own shop. Unfortunately more murders are to follow. He closes the shop and takes the investigation back into his own hands, much to the dismay of his former partner and the Denver police.

Dunning has only written two books in the series, this one and Bookman's Wake. The third book in the series, Bookman's Promise, is due out in March. Dunning himself, was a former book store owner and has written a lot of non-fiction during the 1990's.

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Sunday, 28 December 2003

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Since dad is having the knee replacement in January I thought nine holes would be enough. Even riding there is still a lot of walking. A lot of fairways require staying on the cart paths plus the walking up and down around the greens. Mom still has her cold so we picked up some KFC on the way home for lunch rather than have her fix anything.

This afternoon I did the deep clean on the hall bathroom scrubbing down the wall and mopping the floors. Bob washed the inside windows then took a bucket, soap, and rag to do the outside of the front windows for me since it was a nice warm day.

After I finished up the bathroom I decided to call it a day and take it easy the remainder of the day. I paid some bills and did some other odds and ends that needed taken care of before fixing dinner. Back to work for me tomorrow so I think I will spend the evening reading and relaxing.

I am reading the newest Robin Paige, Death at Glamis Castle. Robin Paige is actually the husband and wife team of Susan (Wittig) and Bill Albert. Their Victorian mysteries are always centered around real historical facts and characters. Kathryn Ardleigh, now Lady Sheridan after her marriage to Lord Charles, are always on hand to solve the latest murder. In this novel, they are taking up where an earlier plot left off concerning Prince Edward, known as Eddy, once thought to be the mysterious Jack-the-Ripper. Secretly ensconced at Glamis Castle for the past ten years, Eddy has gone missing on the eve of a local villager's brutal murder. Upon arriving at the Castle, Lord and Lady Sheridan learn of the many ghosts who also inhabit the castle, especially one of a deformed half man, half monster who died there. Amid growing tensions with pre-WWI Germany, the Sheridan's have several obstacles to overcome in solving the murder and disappearance of Eddy.

While I do enjoy reading these mysteries, they are not as well written as some of the other authors I read, set during the same time period. But, if you have not read them, I recommend starting with the first ones as they do build upon each other in the series. 

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