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Photograph of Robert Bruce Thompson Barbara Fritchman Thompson Diary

Week of 17 March 2008

Latest Update: Sunday, 23 March 2008 1:00 p.m.


Monday, 17 March 2008

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I chose the new Mary Daheim mystery featuring Emma Lord Alpine newspaper owner, Alpine Traitor, as my next read. Daheim, along with her usual characters, introduces us to her new reporter who replaces a character she wrote out of the last book. Emma has more than murder to write about when she becomes a person of interest in the murder of an out-of-town visitor interested in purchasing her newspaper. It turns out the murder victim is married to Emma's former lover's daughter. Readers of the series will know the inside and outside of this tangled relationship but I will not spoil it for those who may intend to pick up the earlier books in the series.

On the knee front. I have noticed that as my knees are slowly getting better my energy and stamina are also returning. More than likely that is due not only to my knees feeling better but being able to work out longer and harder than I could a month ago. Even after a very long day today on my feet, I have another very large project going on, I was still able to do a pretty intense full workout tonight at the gym. And, I walked at lunch. Although they sore and still "catch" on occasion I am not having limp. I am working on trying to walk evenly with both legs. You would not believe how hard that is after limping on one leg and then the other for four month.

It has turned back to chilly, cool temperatures at night and during the day again. We have a pretty good frost last night with lows to be down in the 30's again tonight. Today was quit windy, cloudy and only hit a high in the mid 50's which is below the normal of low 60's.


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Tuesday, 18 March 2008

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No update.



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Wednesday, 19 March 2008

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Not much in the way of news. It was actually too blustery to try and walk at lunch time today. The winds were out ahead of a strong front bringing in some more rain. We've only had about a quarter of an inch so far with it still coming down. It was raining pretty hard when I left work. I carried my big, wind proof umbrella with me this morning. It's pretty cool to watch in action. When the wind gets up under  the second set of smaller hinges lift the flaps to keep the it front turning inside out. I had on rain jacket which helped along with the umbrella but the back of my pants were damp by the time I made it to the deck from the wind blowing rain behind me. It was still raining pretty hard by the time I got to the gym.

The winds tomorrow are to be high again but the temperatures are staying the low 60's with 30's at night.


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Thursday, 20 March 2008

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Happy first day of spring. After a very chilly and windy start it turned out to be pretty nice day. Tonight it is to get down near freezing but will warm up again by tomorrow afternoon.

Last night I finished Alpine Traitor and started the second book in the China Bayles series by Susan Wittig Albert, Witches Bane. It's Halloween in Pecan Springs. Someone is killing small animals around town getting local folks talking of witchcraft and satanic rituals. One of the local garden club members entered her poison garden in the contest upsetting the owner members until China reminds them the state flower of Texas, the Bluebonnet, is poisonous if you eat the seeds.

The Firm, like the rest of the businesses in the United States, has had to do some downsizing due to the economy. Several weeks ago they laid off 45 employees, 11 from our Winston-Salem office. I feel very fortunate I did not loose my job. Some of the practice groups are moving to other floors including ours. Starting tomorrow and all of next week, in addition to my regular duties, I will be organizing the movement of our files from one floor to the next as well as helping some of the secretaries and paralegals move some of the files and books in their offices.

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Friday, 21 March 2008

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One of the advantages of having to go to work when everyone else is off if the lack of traffic. When it is just a no school day that lightens things up a lot especially if the private school I have to pass by in the mornings is out. Today was a holiday for the schools plus the city and county. That cut down on a lot of traffic for me. Coming home was lighter than usual but still pretty heavy since I imagine a lot of people were out and about by that time of day.

It was a really nice day for those who were lucky enough to be off. The temperatures got up to the low seventies with a lot of sunshine. I walked up the street with a co-worker to grab a bite of lunch. The census was pretty light on my floor though my most of my group was working which kept me busy most of the day.

Duke won their first round game last night but just barely. Several upsets today in the second round of the NCAA tournament but the most surprising was Davidson College beating Gonzaga. Davidson is a private school about an hour from here. It is the first time since 1969 they have won a game in the NCAA knocking off a team that went as high as the semi finals a couple of years ago.

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Saturday, 22 March 2008

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This morning I gave the dogs a good brushing then took them out to play while I did a couple of things in the basement including loading up the car with a cardboard load. I took them in then used the roundup to spray weeds in my little natural area and the grass around the front landscape timber boxes and grass in the sidewalk cracks.

Dad had some yard chores he needed done. The weather today is perfect. By the time I made it to their house it was already close to 60 degrees at 10:30. I dug out some grass around a new bush in the yard and put some pine needles around that. I dug three dead bushes he had along the back fence before calling it day. I did not want to overdo things it being my first real day out in the yard other than mowing and light stuff. Digging and pulling bushes uses my legs and knees a lot more plus takes a lot more energy.

After lunch and a nice visit I headed on back home. Then the real test, giving the guys their baths. I as I have said, wrestling with those two in the shower is like trying to tackle and hold on to greased pig in a mud hole. Not that I have ever tried to that. After bathing them and then myself that about does it for me for the day.

Duke is playing West Virginia this afternoon. I am sure there must be golf on later. There are few things I need to do later this afternoon including grilling steaks and chicken for dinner.


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Sunday, 23 March 2008

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And, a Happy Easter to you. It's a lovely day here but very cool compared to yesterday. We went from a high yesterday of almost 80 to a high today of almost 60.

The weekly house chores are completed as is another bushel basket of work shirts and pants ironed. I've cleared my desk but still need to pay some bills and do a few other minor things.

Duncan is having another one of his weak back legs spells. Not sure if the bath took too much out of him or it is just something that will continue to come and go. Who knows, the weather changes could affect him like they do people. Yesterday afternoon he could barely keep his back legs up enough to walk around. We did the previous trick of walking him with a leash and holding him up by his tail. Last time we were at the vet, Dr. Taylor gave me a picture of a neat harness that he said his clients have had success with. Just so happens Pet Smart sells them. It may be time to get one.

He was not much better last night or this morning but I just had them out for another walk and he was doing much better. Hopefully another full day of rest will get him back to where he was. Not backyard ball today. I could take just Malcolm out but I think we will just skip it today.

Duke lost last night. Only Carolina remains from the ACC. They play this afternoon. I was pretty impressed with the West Virginia team that beat Duke. I'll follow them to see how far they go.

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