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Barbara
Fritchman Thompson Diary
Week
of 11 December 2006
Latest Update: Sunday, 17 December 2006 3:20 p.m.
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Monday, 11
December
2006
We
had a fun packed weekend at Myrtle Beach. If you enjoy the Christmas
season I highly suggest a trip to Myrtle Beach to catch the Carolina Opry and/or the Alabama Theater
Christmas shows. Both shows have singing and comedy routines but
otherwise are very different. We left Level Cross at 6am arriving at
the beach around 11:40. First stop was the mall to eat lunch at the
food court and do some shopping. From there we went to the first show,
the Carolina Opry. It was over at 3:30 so from there it was on to the
hotel to get some rest and freshen up before leaving for dinner at 5:30
then on to the other show. It was 11:00 by the time we got back to the
hotel which made for a very long day.
Sunday morning we had time to sleep in and have breakfast since we
did not have to be on the motor coach until 10:30. Bob had sent along
two 2 liter soda bottles for me to collect sea water for his chemistry
lab. After breakfast Sunday morning I strolled down to the beach in
hat, jacket, long pants and tennis shoes to the edge of the water.
Breaking waves on shore will not run into that very narrow hole in a
pop bottle. After getting my shoes and bottom of my pants wet I walked
backwards toward the sand, removed my shoes and socks and rolled up my
pants a couple of turns the waded out a little further. Nope, when I
put the bottle down it was not deep enough to submerge fully to get the
bottle to fill by the time the waves receded. One particular active
wave crashed a little higher than I expected soaking my pants where
they were rolled up. It was warmer than I though I would be so I was
sweating inside my coat as well.
Finally I trudged back up the beach and walkway to the hotel lobby,
deposited my jacket, shoes and socks; grabbed a Styrofoam cup from the
coffee stand and my two bottles and headed back to the beach. While the
air temperatures were warm enough to be comfortable in my long sleeve
t-shirt the water and wet sand was cold. I waded in deep enough to get
a full cup of water to pour into the bottle. Once I filled on bottle I
sat it on the sand and came by to fill the second one. I am sure the
folks in the hotel were getting quit a show by now. After successfully
filling both bottles I trudged back to the lobby for my coat and
footwear and went back up to the room.
I rinsed my feet in the tube having already had my shower, dried my
pants with the hair dryer as best I could and put my shoes and socks
back on. I then went for a nice walk on the beach to let my pants
finish drying as well as my shoes.
Next time, I shall take a WIDE MOUTH jar along to fetch seawater or a scuba diving outfit.
We arrived back to Level Cross at 6pm. By the time Al finished up his
paperwork and stuff it was after 7 when we headed back toward Winston
to look for something to eat. After dinner I came on home and Al and
Frances took mom and dad on to the house. By the time I got home,
played with dogs while scanning the newspapers and mail it was 10:30 by
the time I was in bed. I made it through about ten pages of one chapter
before turning off the light.
I was little tired at work today but fortunately I had a fairly easy
day. I am still reading the Peter Robinson novel which is switching
back and forth between 1969 and present day with the present day murder
somehow tied to one that happened in 1969.
Hopefully I will have some pictures for you later in the week if Bob has time to transfer them and if any of them came out.
After record cold temperatures the end of last week here it was mild
down at the beach over the weekend. It warmed up nicely today and is to
stay that way all week with temperatures in the mid 50's and low 60's.
I had the 7th of my 10 chiropractor treatments tonight after work.
While I have a few things going on this week it will not be nearly as
hectic and busy as I was last week.
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Tuesday, 12 December 2006
I have another beach story to tell. Saturday
night during the intermission of the Alabama show we went out to the
lobby to walk around in the gift shop. As I stepped in the door of the
shop there was a lady holding a small stuffed border collie in her
hands. She looked at me and asked if I could read the price on it
because she did not have her glasses. She said she bred border collies
and of course I told her I had two. She said she was from NC and I said
I was too and that my dogs came from up near the VA state line in....I
did not get the name of the city out of my mouth when she said
"Hampton, where I live". Upon closer inspection we both recognized each
other at the same time. She was the breeder where Malcolm and Duncan
came from. Of course I had to pull out pictures from my wallet. Another
case of it being a small world. We stood and talked for a few minutes
catching up on the last seven years of news from when we adopted
Malcolm.
Work was very hectic today. In fact, I got tied down handling a problem
until well after time for me to go lunch. Steve let me continue working
through my lunch time and leave at 4pm. That put me at the gym at 4:30
getting me home at about the usual coming home time. I am baking
chocolate chip cookies to take to the Friends of the Library
meeting/Christmas party this Thursday. They are from one of the
pre-made tubs the school kids sale for fund raisers. Better run put
some more in the oven before it gets too late in the evening.
[Top]
Wednesday, 13 December 2006
I chose just one picture from the Carolina Opry. This is a comedy skit
with the performers singing a song asking mom to serve beans for
Christmas. These same folks do series music in other sets as well as
other comedy routines.
Motor coach folks have their own entrance to the Alabama theater show.
We get out tickets at the door and go right in to our seats.
Again, this is a comedy routine with the young lady in red singing
Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer. Victoria Higgins is only 13 and has been
singing with this show since she was seven. Once her voice matures she
will be an awesome performer.
Well, this was not part of the Christmas show. When I came back from my
walk on the beach after the bottle filling episode this guy was
swimming in the hotel pool all by himself like he owned the joint. I
just thought it funny so I took a picture.
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Thursday, 14 December 2006
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Last night I finally finished reading the
Peter Robinson. It was very good as usual. Not sure what I will pick up
next from my library TBR pile.
We had a nice little light snack Christmas party during our usual
Friends of the Library meeting this afternoon. Tomorrow night is the
Firm Christmas party at the local country club. We hold it there
because of lack of a large enough space in our office building.
It continues to be very spring like. This morning we actually had fog.
Since I had to leave at 4 which meant working through lunch I did not
get a chance to enjoy the nice weather today. The forecast is for this
to continue through early next week.
Not much else in the way of news. I am ready for Christmas except for package wrapping which I shall do this weekend.
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Friday, 15 December 2006
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No update
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Saturday, 16 December
2006
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Bob did very well at the Firm party last
night. Yes, the music was actually a little too loud for talking but
otherwise I had a good time. It was nice to visit with some of the
folks I work with in a relaxed atmosphere. I wanted Bob to meet some of
them to put a name with faces that I talk about from time to time. The
mild temperatures made it nice enough to stand outside occasionally.
The food, as usual, was excellent.
Since Thanksgiving weekend I have been horribly busy week days and
weekends. My house was starting to resemble something left in the wake
of a major wind storm. After putting things away and tidying up the
rooms I swept and dusted. Getting the dog hair and trash we drag in off
our shoes helped a great deal. My office looked worse than the entire
house having used it for a dumping ground for three weeks. I have a
table set up to wrap Christmas presents which I have gotten about
halfway through. Once I finish that I can take the table down plus it
will have relieved my office of many, many bags of gifts I have stored.
My desk still has several piles of junk to sort and I have an over
flowing laundry basket I hope to also take care of this afternoon.
While I am back here working I have Christmas CD's playing. It is hard
to believe it is December let alone almost Christmas. I just had the
dogs outside playing in 66 degree temperatures, blue skies, and
absolutely no wind. If the forecast holds for tonight we are going out
to observe. Not only will it be clear but it will also be fairly warm
for this time of year, a great combination. Plus I will get to play
with my birthday present, my green laser.
Bob has introduced me to another new mystery author. I highly suggest
J.A. Jance. I am about half way through the first book in the series
and instantly fell in love with her character. Joanna Brady becomes a
sheriff deputies widow after her he was murder in what looked like a
good cop gone dirty with drug smuggling. He was also running for
sheriff. Joanna is determined to expose the real truth behind his
murder. The books are set in the desert of Cochise County, Arizona.
Desert Heat is the first title.
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Sunday, 17 December 2006
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Despite a decent frost this morning dad and I
were able to tee off about 8:40. We had not planned to get there much
before 8:30 anyway to make sure it warmed up enough for him to be out.
After several months of fussing I finally convinced dad to start back
to the gym. He joined the one at the hospital and now goes several
times a week. Since we last played I could see a lot of improvement. He
hit the ball much farther today and did not get too tired after 18
holes.
After lunch I made a quick stop at Frances' and then the grocery store
to pick up a few items. I have not been on my regular grocery store
schedule for several weeks due to being so busy at night. We needed a
couple of things to hold us over until later this week when I get back
on schedule.
The temperatures, once again. climbed into the low 70's this afternoon.
It was still so pretty when I got home I took the dogs outside to play
some balls. The girls were out next door. They had a good time running
around playing with them. We did not go out observing last night. It
was clear but the conditions were not all that great for observing. It
looks like tonight will be about the same. We get clear skies but low
level clouds and haze. Oh well, an astronomers way of life.
I did finish up the J.A. Jance. Not sure what I will start tonight.
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Copyright
© 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 by
Barbara
Fritchman
Thompson. All Rights Reserved.
