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Barbara
Fritchman Thompson Diary
Week
of 7 May 2007
Latest Update: Sunday, 13 May 2007 3:00 p.m.
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Monday, 7
May 2007
No update.
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Tuesday, 8 May 2007
I'm back from a very nice, long relaxing
vacation. Bob, the dogs and I took off for Bowie and the Bilbrey's last
Wednesday afternoon. I left work at 2 getting up out of town by 2:30
and up to Bowie by 9:45. We hit our usual frog chocking downpour in
Virginia but fortunately ran out of it by the time we made it into
Maryland.
The reason for going early this year instead of Memorial weekend was so
that Marcia and I could attend the Malice Domestic mystery conference.
It is held every year in the Arlington, VA area. By driving up
Wednesday, I had Thursday to hang around the house with the dogs and
relax before Marcia and I left Friday morning for the hour drive to the
conference.
We spend Friday - Sunday going to author panels, having books signed,
and meeting some really nice folks. All in all we had a great time.
Marcia and I drove back home Sunday afternoon then we all spend
yesterday relaxing around the house again. During the weekend I
finished the Joan Hess I had started here at home. Read a new quilting
book by Jennifer Chiaverini, a the most recent Hamish Macbeth, and
started another Joanna Brady. I did buy some books while at the
conference. Once I get the stack of library books I have now read I am
going to start on my TBR pile. Lots of exciting things to get into.
We left this morning at 9 to drive home. Other than a hit and miss
shower we had great weather all the way down arriving home about 3:30.
After helping Bob unload the car I fired up the mower. During the time
we were gone it was very cool and dry thus the grass was not all that
high. As a matter of fact Bob had set the AC on 80 when we left. It was
65 degrees in the house when we got home.
After the mowing I took the car to the car wash for the usual
inside/outside cleaning necessary after having the dogs and us in the
car for a total of 13 hours. I then picked up food on the way home.
I have newspapers and snail mail to catch up on plus loads of e-mail I
will not get through tonight. I will unpack what I need for home use
and leave the rest of later.
As usual, Brian
and Marcia were excellent hosts. The guys and dogs managed to get along
without us for a few days though the dogs missed me a lot. It was a bit
weird for them to have me go up there and then disappear for a few days.
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Wednesday, 9 May 2007
No update.
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Thursday, 10 May 2007
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The problem with going on vacation is coming
home from vacation. It was well after 9pm Tuesday evening when I had
things well enough organized to go to bed. Last night I went to the
grocery store then spent an hour or so catching up on the rest of
my e-mails.
Things were also very hectic at work yesterday for my first day back. They slowed down somewhat today.
Bob has a great picture posted on his journal page for today
taken at Malice of Myself, Marcia, and author Diana Killian during the
Awards Banquet. Her friend, author Sara Rosett who took the
picture gave us permission to use the photo. She and several of her
friends were also sharing our table.
I did finished reading the J.A. Jance last night. I decided to pick up
a book from my TBR pile, the last Robin Paige Victorian mystery. I had
this book signed at Malice by the author whose real name is Susan Wittig Albert.
Her and her husband Bill wrote this series which they have ended with
Death on the Lizard. If you enjoy historical mysteries featuring real
historical characters I highly recommend this one. I have not read
Susan's other series staring China Bayles but have added them to my
list of future series to start. I am also reading her Beatrix Potter
series which now has three books out. Those are excellent in following
the real life of this famous children's author.
Today I had Friends of the Library meeting. We have been outside
visiting with Stephanie, her girls, and Mimi and Shane while Stephanie
cut Bob's hair. The weather has turned warm and humid again.
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Friday, 11 May 2007
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No update.
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Saturday, 12 March 2007
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Bob and I took off about 8:30 this morning
out to Lowe's to order a new refrigerator. They had the Whirlpool
regular model in beige in stock or the Whirlpool Gold model in
stainless steel in stock. The Gold model has better shelving inside and
thicker doors. Rather than wait another week to ten days to order a
beige one in that model we went with the stainless steel. Later on, we
will replace the dish washer with a stainless steel front to match.
They will deliver the new fridge sometime tomorrow.
On the way home we stopped at the garden store out Reynolda Road to
pick up a few bedding plants. Back home, I did the weekly house
cleaning and finished putting away most of the stuff from the trip.
Next, I moved downstairs to the unfinished side of the basement. It too
is a mess. I flattened and stacked the cardboard boxes, organized my
painting supplies since it will be awhile before I get back into that,
and stacked some things I need to deal with later out of the way. Then
I used the blower to blow some of the dirt and helicopter seeds out
from under and around the cars and from the driveway.
After a quick lunch break I took the dogs out front to help me with the
gardening. I pulled up the old pansies and replaced them with the new
plants. Using the pruners I trimmed back the little bushes in the three
small beds. Using the nozzle the gutter installers gave us, I hosed
down the gutter edges and the siding. They recommend we do this twice a
year to get the tree sap and gunk off the edges to make the water flow
better. I also hosed down the shutters to remove the yellow pollen
film. The dogs had a great day running back and forth from the front to
the back and/or laying out in the grass watching.
After finished all that I still had some energy left so I took the
pruners to the front bushes. Instead of using the electric trimmer to
get just the tops it was time to snip these back. They had gotten way
to tall and busy for the front of the house. By the time I finished the
yard cart was full and I had now run out of steam. The temperatures are
not all that bad, high 70's but the humidity is terrible. If we get
those promised rain/storms this afternoon we could have some severe
weather as the front drops through.
I hate we will not get in an observing session tonight at Fancy Gap but
with all the work I need to do around here I am just as glad we are not
going up. My desk has the usual pile of paperwork to be dealt with but
I think I shall leave it for another time. Instead, the golf match is
on this afternoon and a NASCAR race tonight from Darlington, SC if it
does not get rained out.
Until next time, Cheers.
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Sunday, 13 May 2007
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The front came through yesterday but we
missed all the rain. My dad got rain at his house but Frances, who
lives about 5 miles away, did not get any. However, it did make for a
very cool and cloudy morning for golf without the high humidity like
yesterday. It was also pretty windy but all in all, we had a good time.
Since we are going over to Frances' for dinner to celebrate Mother's
Day I did not stay at mom's for lunch. When I got home, around 11:30,
the fridge had not arrived yet. Just as I finished fixing a bit to eat
they called to say they were on their way.
While they hauled out the old one and hooked up the new one I started
my yard work. I used the Spectricide spray I bought at Lowe's yesterday
to kill the poison oak and ivy, and Virginia Creeper in the natural
areas. I will not pull it out and take a chance breaking out again like
I did after I did those two beds for dad a couple of weeks ago.
They finished up just as I started the mowing. I edged and swept before calling it a day.
Hope all you mothers out there have a splendid day.
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Copyright
© 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
by
Barbara
Fritchman
Thompson. All Rights Reserved.