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Barbara Fritchman Thompson Diary

Week of 23 February 2004

Latest Update: Sunday, 29 February 2004 19:55

Monday, 23 February 2004

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Today I worked 7 to 3:30. Our team held a strategy meeting this morning in preparation for a presentation to the bean counter of the firm. We have to justify what each one of us are doing on the software team and how it benefits the lawyers who will be using the new version of the software. I have to come up with a brief outline of what points I want to make in five minutes or less. This is something new for me in my working career. I had to do various types of job evaluations and descriptions during my tenure at the county but I never really had to justify my existence. Our team leader said this is par for course anytime a new product is brought into the firm. I don't think our jobs are on the line by any stretch of the imagination.

By the time I got home it was time to fix dinner so I could get to the gym for my Body Pump class. 

Last night I finished Seven Up by Evanovich and decided read the new Daisy Dalrymple by Carola Dunn. Guess that about wraps it up for a Monday. Hope you have a great week and thanks for stopping by to read my page.

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Tuesday, 24 February 2004

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I fixed fettuccini alfredo for dinner tonight adding a couple of pieces of the leftover fried chicken I fixed for dinner last night. Turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.

I am enjoying the new Daisy by Carola Dunn, Die Laughing. Dunn decides to kill off her neighbor and dentist. As usual for Dunn, she wastes no time bringing the first dead body on the scene, in this case the very first chapter. Her husband, Chief Constable Alex Fletcher, once again despairs over Daisy finding yet another dead body and becoming involved in the investigation. The year is 1924, Daisy and Alex are now married and living with Alex's mother and his daughter from his previous marriage. Daisy's mother-in-law disapproves of almost everything Daisy does from her magazine writing to her dabbling in police investigations. Although Alex takes a lot of heat in the kitchen from the department over his wife playing PI he treats her ideas about each case with utmost respect.

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Wednesday, 25 February 2004

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My fellow co-worker told me a cute joke this morning that reminded me instantly of the character in Janet Evanovich's books. In the first book in the series Stephanie meets a prostitute, Lulu, while working a case. From book two onward, Lulu gets a job working at the bond agency with Stephanie. Evanovich constantly has Lulu refer to herself and her previous profession as "a ho". 

The joke goes as follows: Two potatoes are standing on a corner, how can you tell which one's the prostitute? READY....The one with the sticker saying I-da-ho! Now, if you don't read Evanovich you may not think it was very funny. I thought it was kinda cute.

My dad called this morning to let me know they had cancelled his eye doctor appointment for Friday. I told him that was no problem, I could use the two hours I had worked to make up for leaving to run some errands I have been needing to do. Then, during dinner, the weather gods started talking about snow for tomorrow and Friday with accumulations of any where from 2 to 10" depending on who you believe. I don't believe any of them but if we do get that much snow mom and dad wouldn't be going anywhere anyway. Guess we see what happens.

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Thursday, 26 February 2004

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The snow started flying around 11:30 - 12:00 this afternoon. From my tenth floor window the mountains in the far distance slowly began to disappear then it started snowing sideways, up, down, etc. When I left at 3 it still had not started sticking to the roads but we had maybe 1/4 inch on the grassy areas.

The forecast for tonight is to still get 4 - 6 inches. 

When I got home the guys and I went for a walk in the snow. 

Last night I finished up the Carola Dunn, Die Laughing. Not sure what I will start tonight. 

Well, I need to finish up some work and checking my mail.

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Friday, 27 February 2004

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That's what it looked like when I got up this morning. I guess we had around 4 inches at our house. Depending on where you lived in Winston-Salem and the surrounding 50 mile radius the totals went from 1" to 12". I took these when Bob went out on the deck to brush the snow off the bird feeder.

Once I got out of our neighborhood the roads had been plowed. Other than a little slush and being wet, they were pretty much clear. I called Frances and told her I would leave work at 9:45 to come pick her up and take her to work. They got about 6 to 8 inches at her house. She would have never been able to get out of her neighborhood or the street to her house in her car.

I was back at work by 10:45 having used one of my two extra hours. I was the only person on my floor until about 9:30 and the only one in my office area to make it in. I left at 2:15.  Although the streets were pretty much dry by the time I got off I did not know  what businesses would be open so I came on home instead of running errands.

Just as I got home I remembered I needed to have the oil changed in my car. I called Tim and he said to come out in about an hour. I walked the dogs and checked my mail until time to go. On the way home I picked up Subway sandwiches for dinner. I will go pick up Frances when she gets off at 8 and take her back home. Mom's Friday afternoon hair appointment was moved to tomorrow afternoon. Frances should be able to get her car out by then as fast as the stuff was melting this afternoon. It warmed up to 47 degrees, much higher than predicted, melting off a lot of what had fallen during the night.

Duncan, even at nines years old, still tends to act like a puppy from time to time. The other night he stole a paper towel from Bob's shirt pocket and started shredding it into pieces and eating it like Malcolm does. I could not believe my eyes when I saw what he was doing. 

I mailed off the new contracts for my Microsoft job today. I am guessing I will be getting started back with that next week. Between Bob's deadline for his book in April and my jobs it will be a very busy next couple of months around the Thompson Techno Grotto.

Have a great weekend.

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Saturday, 28 February 2004

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We will do the family birthday dinner tomorrow evening when Al is back in town.

Repeat, repeat. Yep, snow one day on my journal page the next day talking about temperatures in the 60's. When I returned from the gym this morning I gave Bob a haircut. I decided since I may as vacuum up the hair and go ahead and do the remainder of the house while I was at it.

Next on the list, wash the latest round of salt from my car. And yes, I was outside in just a tee shirt, no coat necessary. After I finished up that chore I had some things to do at my desk.

The weather is looking possible to get in some star gazing tonight. More on that tomorrow.

Also, I have started a new author, David Handler. He has three books out in a new series starring Mitch Berger and black police detective Desiree Mirty. Handler writes another series,  Steward Hoag. In the first book of the series I am reading, The Cold Blue Murder, recently widowed Mitch, at age 30, is looking for something to jump start the hermit type existence he has been leading since his wife died of cancer. A film critic for a New York newspaper, Mitch's editor sends him to Connecticut to cover a travel piece and to get him out of his apartment. While in Connecticut, Mitch finds an old carriage house for rent on Sister Island, home of some very wealthy long time residents of the island. Mitch turns the carriage house into a writer's retreat to allow him a secluded, quiet place to work on a book in progress. Before long, Mitch discovers his remote island is not so quiet after all. He learns from his land lady, Dolly Seymour, a rape, murder, suicide occurred in his house thirty years ago.

While digging up an old garden area for his own vegetable and flower garden, Mitch discovers the dead body of Dolly's second husband who has recently gone missing and thought to have left the country with all her money. Desiree Mirty, is called upon to head up the investigation of the murder. Suspects include a gay couple who lives in the old lighthouse, Dolly's first husband, now married to a very volatile woman, Dolly herself, and her brother Red. 

Handler's writes well, keeps the plot moving, and introduces some great characters. His set up in the first book for a potential romance between Mitch and Des may seem a little pushed for the plot. But, otherwise, very enjoyable modern day crime mystery set on the coast of Connecticut.

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Sunday, 29 February 2004

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We packed up and came home around 9:30. Fed the dogs and gave them some play time. I went to bed about 10:45 and read a couple of chapters in my book before turning out the light.

Since I vacuumed yesterday the only thing I had to do this morning was clean the bathrooms and dust the bedroom. After I finished up I took my shower than made brunch fixing Bob eggs, Ego waffles and bacon, and waffles and bacon for me. 

Other than a couple of breaks to walk and/or play with the dogs, I spent the remainder of the day working until 3:30. 

We picked mom and dad up in order to meet Frances and Al at the Chinese restaurant on their side of town for mom's birthday dinner. It was a very nice evening. 

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