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Barbara Fritchman Thompson Diary
Week of -4
January 2005
Latest Update: Sunday, January 2, 2005 6:11
p.m.
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Monday, -4 January
2005
Good
evening. This were fairly slow at work today in terms of database
changes which was good. It gave me a change to work on the company
project for one of the offices.
I am sure it will be that way most of the week. There were hardly
any cars in the parking deck this morning when I arrived at my usual
time.
This evening we had the last of the leftovers for dinner so I could
make the 5:30 step class. Tonight was the last time we had to feed and
walk our neighbor's dog. They have returned home after being gone all
last week for Christmas.
I am still reading the Sister Fidelma mystery. Otherwise, not much else
newsworthy for a Monday.
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Tuesday, -3
January 2005
Today was errand day. In order to make the
rounds from Office Depot, the library, pet store, and finally the
grocery store, I left work at 2pm. Tomorrow is my last day of the work
for the year. I have 2 days plus part of another day of my vacation
left. I can elect to have the partial day paid out or carry it over. If
I carry it over I have to use within the first couple of months of the
year.
After we unloaded and put away the groceries I moved all the Christmas
decoration boxes back upstairs. In order to begin the cleaning assault
on the house I first have to get all the Christmas stuff put away. I
used to leave my tree up until the 1st but I also did not put it up
until the first or second week of December. When I started using this
time of the year for my deep clean I moved putting the tree up to the
week after Thanksgiving and taking it down between Christmas and New
Year's Day. This allows me to get the house cleaned and everything back
in order by the time the New Year's holiday is over.
Last night I finished the Sister Fidelma mystery. If you enjoy early
time period mysteries I highly recommend this series.
At the library this afternoon I picked up the three remaining books in
the Berenson dog mystery the library had in the system. They do not
have the entire series. Unlike some series where I buy the ones
unavailable, I will just read what the library has. Tonight I will
start the next one in the series we have which I think is number 4.
But first I have to fold, stamp, and label the Friends of the Library
newsletter to get it out in the mail this week. We have our annual
meeting coming up January 8th.
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Wednesday, -2
January 2005
I am guessing many of attorneys and
secretaries came back to work today since I was covered up in database
changes. I worked fairly steady all day taking a quick break to walk to
the PO and grab some tale out vegetables at the cafe on the way
back. By 4pm I had cleared close to 400 with another 150 waiting in the
wings. With both of us out the remainder of the week we will be covered
up in tickets Monday morning.
Tonight I did the 5:30 step class again rather than the 6:30 power pump
class. While it is a bit of a rush to get dinner and out by 5:15 in
order to make the 5:30 classes it gets me back home earlier.
Time to play some ball with the guys.
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Thursday, -1
January 2005
[Last
Week]
[Monday] [Tuesday]
[Wednesday] [Thursday] [Friday]
[Saturday]
[Sunday] [Next Week]
It was a very busy, tiring, and successful
first day of the cleaning marathon. By midday I had all the decorations
down, boxed up, and moved to the finished basement area. I will pack
them in the closet later this weekend. The living room has been cleaned
from side to side and all the furniture and knick knacks dusted.
Sometime this weekend I will get them all placed where I want them.
I started the dinning room but did not finish. 3:00 was my targeted
quiting time. By then I knew I would be too tired to try to continue
which turned out to be the case. I had pretty much run out of gas so I
stopped. Once I get that tired I start stumbling around over the
vacuum, the furniture, and anything else in my path.
Mother Nature has decided since I am spring cleaning to cooperate with
the weather. Today's temperatures reached into the 60's with expected
highs to be in the 70's by Saturday. I am grilling ribs and chicken to
go with boiled red potatoes in their jackets for dinner.
Tonight we will relax, read, and play with the dogs.
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Friday, 0 January 2005
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Week]
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Week]
Happy New Year's Eve. Wow, another year gone.
Bob and I have a lot to be thankful for. We had a successful year with
our books and I have a good job. The dogs have been more or less
healthy, Bob and I are healthy, my folks are in good health for their
ages, and my sister and her husband seem to be doing well.
We are making progress in the house cleaning. Bob helped with the major
chore of the day, getting the kitchen window cleaned. I managed to get
it unstuck and part way up. However, I am not tall enough to get any
leverage on the window to get it all the way up unless I climb into the
sink. He pulled out the storm windows to be washed. But, the top part
of the window just refused to come down. I did the best I could getting
the outer side of the windows cleaned by reaching up from underneath.
In between helping him with some things in his office which included
installing the 100 pound gorilla (UPS battery) I launched a full scale
attack on the den, moving and cleaning the furniture, cleaning lamps,
washing windows, etc. Other than a short 20 minute break for lunch we
worked steadily all day. As usual I ran out of gas around 3:30. I did
not get the microwave cabinet, kitchen counters, and kitchen cabinets
wiped down. Not did I finish up the mantle and fireplace area in the
den. I will do that tomorrow. Bob still has the other half of his
office to clean up and be vacuumed but his desk area looks clean and
tidy.
Be sure to visit his
page for today. We
now have a whole flock of Tux's running around the house thanks to my
parents and sister. They found the Emperor and the King Penguin at Sea
World in Florida for me.
Last night I finished the Berensen dog mystery. I will start another
Sister Fidelma tonight. We will stay home for New Year's as usual. I
will most likely be in bed asleep by midnight but will be awakened by
the fire works and the dogs being upset.
Have a safe and Happy New Year!
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Saturday, 1
January 2005
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Week]
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[Friday]
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Week]
Happy New Year!. Happy Birthday to Duncan. He
turned 10 years old today. I took this picture this morning. While he
remains very active for an older dog he does enjoy sleeping on the
couch.
Last night at was sound asleep at midnight. At 12:01 AM I was wide
awake. Malcolm's single BARK was his answer to the first of the fire
works and sparkler going off. He then proceeded to bark at them off and
on for about 10 minutes. In the meantime I lured Duncan out of the
bathroom where he was hiding and up onto the bed to be comforted. He
laid down with most of his head and body on my pillow and went back to
sleep. Bob finally got Malcolm calmed down where he curled up and went
to sleep in the crook of my legs. I dozed off and on since I do not
sleep very well in the S shaped position.
It was around 8:20 when I first woke up this morning. Bob took the dogs
out while I dozed another ten minutes or so. After reading the paper
and having breakfast it was back to work on the house.
While I was rested this morning I hauled the mantle stuff out of my
office and dusted it for placement. I arranged some of the stuff in the
living room but did not finish. After giving the remaining part of the
house a quick run through with the vacuum I started removing all the
stuff from my desk for a good cleaning. Bob installed a set of
Studiopro 4 speakers to replace the little computer speakers I had on
my desk. We took out the stereo and two speakers than had been Lenore's
and moved them downstairs. The intent was for me to be able to listen
to my CD's from my PC but the software I have installed will not talk
to the speakers. Bob will work on that when he has time.
In the meantime Bob was cleaning out his office throwing away a
surprising amount of boxes, hardware, and other assorted not needed
objects. Around 11:45 Mimi called to ask the Guys to come down to play
with Emma. We spent about 1/2 an hour visiting while the dogs played.
Once back home, the dogs settled down for long afternoon naps while I
tackled the worst of the kitchen chores. Scrubbing down the cabinets,
microwave cabinet, refrigerator, and counter tops. That took most of
the afternoon. The kitchen table still has a pile of stuff to be
sorted, much of which goes back on the microwave cabinet, atop the
fridge, and Bob's office. Everything needs a good cleaning before it
can be placed back. With all this scrubbing my hands and fingers get
very, very tired and sore. 20 years of playing sports, particularly
basketball, has resulted in some mild arthritis in my hands and
fingers. That is why I do not like to wipe and handle my knick knack
stuff after I have been doing the heavy duty cleaning.
After getting everything scrubbed down good I mopped the kitchen and
den floors before declaring it quits for the day and heading off to the
shower.. All the stuff from my desk still sits in my office floor. I
can work on that tomorrow afternoon. Bob has made great progress with
his office. Perhaps he will be willing to tackle the annex to his
office on another weekend.
I will try to finish up the little jobs remaining tomorrow afternoon.
As it stands right now conditions look favorable for golf in the
morning. It will be nice break from scrubbing, vacuuming, and dusting.
Next weekend I will break down the boxes for hauling off to the
recycling bin at the fire station down the street.
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Sunday, 2 January 2005
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Week]
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[Wednesday] [Thursday]
[Friday]
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Week]
Things are finally starting to come together.
I would have been able to finish my office and the living room had I
not taken the morning off to play golf. Oh well, such is life. It was a
beautiful morning with coolish temperatures when we teed off warming up
to well over 60 degrees by the time we finish. After I great lunch I
was back home by 1:00 and immediately dove back into the cleaning
chores. After sorting and replacing necessary items back on my desk I
put the towels in to dry and made up the bed with clean linens. I
worked on the dinning room and living room while keeping an eye on the
red potatoes boiling for dinner. I can work on odds and ends of getting
things back in place at night and finish up next weekend.
I need to check my mail and pay some bills.
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Copyright
© 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 by Barbara Fritchman
Thompson. All Rights Reserved.
