Week of 14 May 2007

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Barbara Fritchman Thompson Diary

Week of 14 May 2007

Latest Update: Sunday, 20 May 2007 3:30 p.m.

Monday, 14 May 2007

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Happy Monday. Bob and I brought up the refrigerator foods from the small down stairs fridge last night when we got home from Frances'.s how wonderful it was this morning to have cold milk on my cereal again rather then sort of cold milk and sort of cold orange juice.

I finally made it to the gym. I did go at the hotel once while we were at Malice and took a long walk Sunday afternoon in the underground shopping area. Before I fixed dinner this evening we brought up the frozen foods being stored in the downstairs freezer. Lots of room left over after bringing up the stuff we had taken down. It was so nice to open the freezer and not have something come flying out at you. And, I can actually see what is in the freezer without standing on my head. Needless to say I am exceeding happy with my new fridge. I know, doesn't take much does it? Now you can see why over the years Bob has bought me presents like new garage doors, a garbage disposal, socket wrench sets, etc.

Yesterday on the way over to Frances' house I noticed the gas pedal did not feel right when I let off the gas. Sort of like it was trying to stick. It was still doing it when I went to work this morning. When I parked in the parking garage I used my hand to press on the pedal. Something is not right for sure. I called our mechanic to make an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. Also, when we had the car parked at the Bilbrey's last weekend it was slow to turn over when we had to move it around to let Brian or Marcia out of the garage. Guess they will have to take a look at the battery and/or the alternator.

Drew and I have to go back out the farm tomorrow morning to do some more work with the boxes. Not sure how long it will take. Thankfully the cool weather from today is to continue into tonight and tomorrow morning with lows tonight in the 50's. It is hot in those tobacco barns.

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Tuesday, 15 May 2007

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This morning as I pulled up to the stop sign where I exit the neighborhood onto the main road I could not get the car to stop. I put both feet on the brakes to keep from going out onto the road. After checking to make sure the coast we clear I let off the brakes. The car shot out onto the road without me stepping on the gas. I got the car going straight again and stopped long enough to make a quick right into the gas station parking lot. I called Bob to let him know I was heading out to the mechanics. The partially sticking gas pedal had become a sticking gas pedal. It behaved okay on the drive out to Tim's.

After dropping Bob back off at home I headed on out to the farm arriving about half an hour later than I was supposed to. We completed the work out there in about two hours then went into the office. I had taken a change of cloths and shoes.

I worked through lunch leaving at four to pick up Bob and drive out to retrieve the car. Turns out it was a minor problem with the cable link. The starting problem may be the starter. It is not the battery. We replaced the starter in 2004.

Paul and Mary are due over soon for pizza. With Mary's allergies we have to sit outside on the deck. It was warm but there is a nice breeze blowing. Should be a great evening though the pollen count is pretty high. We need rain desperately.

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Wednesday, 16 May 2007

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It was a really, really busy day at work. Lots of requests for files and other stuff going on. Drew had to leave early which left me with having to do the afternoon deliveries.

My friends Nancy and Betsy and I were meeting for dinner after work. Betsy chose Salem Tavern which is about five minutes from where I work. Nancy, who has just retired from the library, met me at 5:15. We spent half an hour walking around Old Salem where the Tavern is located while waiting on Betsy to arrive.

Just as Betsy arrive it started to pour down rain but did not last very long. We had a nice long meal finishing up around 6pm. Just as we started to leave the restaurant the bottom fell out again. I drove home in a pretty good thunderstorm dodging several flooded out places in the road. We did get .24 inches here at home which we need.

When I went out at lunch today the air was hazy and acrid smelling. Turns out we were actually getting smoke the from the huge forest fires raging south of us down in Georgia and Florida. I think there is now a large wildfire up in New Jersey. Things are very dry here on the East coast.

I finally finished the last Robin Paige mystery. I think I mentioned last week they have stopped writing this series for right now. They always feature a true historical figure in these books. This one was about Marconi and the wireless telegraph.

Today at lunch I started another J.P. Beaumont by J. A. Jance.

It has been a long day. Time to take the dogs for last night and head to bed to read for awhile.

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Thursday, 17 May 2007

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Is it Friday yet? We have been slammed at work all week. That, combined with being gone almost every night, I feel like I have run non-stop for days.

After work I stopped for a quick dinner before doing some shopping. First, I stopped in Catherine's, a really nice clothing store that sells plus sizes. I like my knit and button up the front shirts roomy. About twice a year I shop in there. They always have some great short sleeved shirts marked down this time of year and again in the fall. I picked up two short sleeve blouses and two knit, golf type shirts on sale and one pullover shirt at full price. Those will get me through the summer.

Catherine's is in the same strip mall as the Wal-Mart. I had a long list of things I needed from there so I combined the weekly food shopping and that stuff into one trip. It was going on 8 when I got home. The trash has been emptied and taken out and the recycling is ready to go. That takes care of the evening chores.

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Friday, 18 May 2007

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No update.

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Saturday, 19 March 2007

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I heard Bob get up with the dogs around 7:30. I napped and rested up 9 getting some much needed extra rest.

Today plans were to tackle indoor projects. Bob helped me clean the hanging chandelier type light over the kitchen table before installing the new ceiling light that is near the sink and stove side of the kitchen. The one we put up after we first moved into the house has never worked properly. The bulbs kept burning out and when lit did not give off much light.

We bought one that will take two regular 60 watts bulbs. I now have light when I am working on that side of the kitchen. After quickly vacuuming the floors I mopped almost all the rooms, foyer, and hall skipping only the living/dinning rooms and Bob's work room. In between I washed a load of sheets and a load of my special work shirts and pants and took the dogs out for some play time.

I still have a few minor chores to finish up including emptying the ironing basket before spending most of the afternoon on my desk filing and organizing.

This has been the strangest year for weather. We wore short sleeve shirts in February and March, it warmed up in April and part of May now we are back down into high 40's and 50's for lows at night and barely reaching 70's during the day. It just beautiful outside right now with deep clear blue skies and a slight breeze.

It the conditions hold up we may try to get out to do some observing tonight.

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Sunday, 20 May 2007

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We had planned on making an outing to the soccer field las night to get in some objects on our Urban Observing list. But, when we walked the dogs around 8:40 the skies were not looking all that great. I was not really all that disappointed since I was actually feeling pretty tired. Instead, I went to bed early to get in some reading. I think I mentioned I finished the J. P. Beaumont and started a Joanna Brady. Turns out I started the one that Jance features both detectives in the story. While it is a Joanna Brady in the series she has Beaumont come out to Bisbee from Seattle. When a young women in the Washington State witness protection program dies from being poisoned the attorney general sends Beau to check out what has happened. I guess at some point when I go back to the Beaumont series I will find out when Beau left the Seattle PD and went to work for a special unit of the attorney generals office. Of course Brady and her fellow officers are insulted to have another investigator on their patch. BTW, coincidentally, Jance has one of Joanna's dogs die after having been put to sleep because of rapidly growing tumor. That hit real close to home.

Following yesterday's long day of indoor chores I did the same outdoors today. Now I feel like I have almost finished all my little projects I wanted to get completed. First thing this morning I fired up my gas trimmer to do the forsythia hedge along the drive and the azaleas. Then I used the hand trimmers to do the rest of the bushes out front chopping everything way back. After a short lunch break I finished up the raking of the cuttings, sweeping the curb etc. before finally getting to the last chore, the lawn mowed. I almost ran out of steam before I finished.

Rest, relax, and read for the remainder of the day though I still need to water the plants at some point. The pollen on the bushes and the grass when I mowed was blowing all over the place. We need some serious rain and summer is not even here yet.

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