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Barbara
Fritchman Thompson Diary
Week
of 17 March 2008
Latest Update: Sunday, 23 March 2008 1:00 p.m.
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Monday, 17
March 2008
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
No update.
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Wednesday, 19 March 2008
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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Copyright © 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002,
2003,
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
by
Barbara
Fritchman
Thompson. All Rights Reserved.