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Barbara Fritchman Thompson Diary

Week of 15 March 2010

Latest Update: Sunday, 21 March 2010 2:00 p.m.


Monday, 15 March 2010

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As Bob announced on his page today we are back in book business, specifically the building PC's book business. I will now have to move cleaning up the work room to the top of the list. Bob's office is in fairly good shape but we do need to do a little work in there as well. Not only will we be getting a flood of computer parts but boxes, boxes, and more boxes of all sizes. Those two projects are on my list of things to get done before spring yard work officially begins. 

The one project I had planned on I will bag for now. I had wanted to paint my office but with Bob working on the book it can wait. Plus, both knees have been acting up which makes standing on a ladder and/or getting down on the floor to paint baseboards somewhat difficult.

Seriously,  I am thrilled Bob has another book contract and look forward to building some neat systems.

Windy and cool today. More sticks to pick up, yea!


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Tuesday, 16 March 2010

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The pace at work continues to be busy, busy, busy. I went non-stop today other than long enough to eat a bit of lunch. As last night, I did not get out until after 5pm. I did go on to the Y last night to get about 40 minute cardio workout in. Since parking or getting machines is no longer an issue it does not matter what time I get there. I still like to leave at 4:45 if I can just to keep from getting home so late.

Tonight  I had to stop at the grocery store to pick up milk and a few other things making it night of getting home.

I am reading a new Deanna Raybourn, Silent on the Moor featuring widow Lady Julia Grey. Raybourn's books are a nice change of pace from any of the other authors we read. Set in the late 1880's, Lady Julia and her sister Poria are "daring women" for the times. Lady Julia also has a wicked sense of humor and a very sharp tongue. I am not sure what the publisher was thinking when they did the cover of the darn book. It looks like the front of a trashy romance novel rather than the lovely fronts on the first two. Had I been looking at this in the bookstore not knowing her as a writer I would have never picked it up. Perhaps the publisher was going for readers in the bodice ripper genre that might pick it up based on the cover.

At the Cape Fear Crime Festival we attended some years back, Sue Henry was talking about the lack of control authors have over their book covers. I guess publishers think they know best!

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Wednesday, 17 March 2010

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Thursday, 18 March 2010

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Friday 19 March 2010

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Saturday, 20 March 2010

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I have been here just not posting. It was another beastly week at work. Later in the week one of our observing friends offered us a chance to drive up to  their condo at Smith Mountain Lake Friday afternoon. The forecast for Friday night was looking great for clear skies and good observing conditions. I planned to leave work at 3pm Friday afternoon to give me time to get home, help Bob pack up the white truck and get things ready. They were not going to be able to get away before 6:30.

By late Thursday afternoon I moved it up to leaving at 2pm from just pure exhaustion and needing to get away. My dad had not been feeling well Thursday night when I called to let the folks know we were going out of town Friday night and be back Saturday afternoon. He was better but now feeling well enough Friday morning to go to the hospital to volunteer. I left work at 2pm to go by the house to see how he was feeling. Had he been very ill we would not have gone. It turns out he was feeling better by that afternoon.

We packed up then drove over to our friends house to follow them up. It is about 100 miles, a two hour drive because some of the roads are two lane. The great thing about going to their place is we can take Malcolm. We gave him one of his calming pills about an hour before he left so he would sleep on the way up rather than barking at everything thing he sees.

It was roughly 8:30 when we pulled into their place which is on the lake. After getting a few things in from the car and leaving Malcolm at the condo with their dog and Steve's wife we drove about a block to a very dark area of the community. The skies were awesome, some of the best conditions I think Bob and I seen in two years. We observed for about three hours bagging 12 objects off our Hershel list and I bagged one for my Caldwell. We got back to the condo around 1am. Conditions were perfect. Not too cold, no wind, no dew.

This morning we got up around 7:45, at breakfast and sat around visiting and admiring the view of the lake. They had some indoor projects they wanted to work on before leaving later on today. We headed off back home around 12:30. Like yesterday here and up there today, it is about 70 degrees, sunny, and mostly clear skies.

After we unloaded the stuff I cranked up the mower. The front was pretty high in spots, the back not as much.

It was really good to get away after a couple of really busy weeks as work and home. Although it was a quick trip it was great to get out under the stars again.


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Sunday, 21 March 2010

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We slept in a little later then usual this morning after not getting all that much sleep Friday night. I gave Malcolm a good brushing and trimmed up some of his paw and side fur. While Bob started the laundry I dove into the house cleaning chores. We had not gotten a newspaper by the time we got up. Sometimes when there is a substitute we get missed. I have wondered on more than one occasion when we are missed if it got stolen in the early morning hours after it is delivered.

It took awhile to get things picked up, put away, and otherwise neatened up before I started on the vacuuming after bathroom cleaning. By the time I finished the house the paper had come. I took a break to read the major sections before heading off to the shower. After a quick bite to eat, Malcolm and I went out back to play. It is warm but the rain clouds had started to move in.

I've cleared my desk, which took awhile with all the junk I had dumped there this past week. I paid some bills and updated my checkbook spreadsheet. By that time my special load had been washed and dried. I ironed those plus what was in the basket from last week.

Other than cooking dinner, I am about done for today. Wake Forest lost last night in their second round NCAA game but Duke is still playing. They play late this afternoon. There are a couple of other ACC teams still in the hunt that are playing this afternoon. I shall watch some golf, basketball, and do some reading to fill in the rest of my afternoon.

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