When You Eat Everything...

...you've cooked and frozen, you have to cook more.  Cooking supper every day just isn't going to happen so I need to make things with six servings or more.  Today I made Loaded Up Chicken Bake which is saucy, cheesy, and has bacon.  What's not to love?  I had this serving for supper and the rest are in the freezer.  So now I have five Chicken Bake and five Curried Chickpeas and Rice on hand.  Next I need to brown some turkey sausage and some ground turkey to put with the eight servings of marinara sauce in the freezer.  That should feed me for a while, don't you think?




Last week I whipped up that Easy Egg Drop Soup from random ingredients I told you about; it makes a great lunch with a few crackers on the side.  Homemade soup is good food.



 
See what I did this afternoon?  I had to go to the taproom to drop off the cushions I slipcovered yesterday so I rustled up a couple more knitters and we had a little beer and knitting afternoon.  I even drank beer.  Really.  I admit that I asked for the smallest, 4 oz. portion available but I did drink it.  To assuage my guilt for not having to pay for my beer or soda (founder's club member, don't you know), I got soft pretzels with cheese spread and homemade beer mustard.  Yum.




I finished the next tiny preemie hat.  These are very cheerful colors.  I'd love to see a little dark-haired baby in this hat.





 
23 February--Barbara Malcolm, Three Cheers for Murder. 

Shortly after finishing her breakfast, trying to get her mind off the murders, Cecilia drove to The Alchemists to lose herself in a few hours of lotion crafting.  She parked in the narrow alley behind the building and let herself in the back way.  Walking through the front of the store checking that everything was arranged attractively for business the next day, Monday, Cecilia saw Marlene and Lt. Graybow in the doorway of the bookstore across the street.  She was amazed to witness a lingering kiss between them and then she saw Lt. Graybow reluctantly walk to his car while Marlene watched and slowly waved.  Their eyes seem locked until the car turns the corner.  Cecilia saw Marlene stare after the departed car, slowly reenter the darkened store and shut the door behind herself. 

Cecilia remained at the window for a few more seconds, shook herself, and went into the back to get started on her chores for the day.  As she was measuring and mixing, Cecilia considered whether she should mention to Alan the fact that Marlene and Lt. Graybow seem to have more than a professional relationship.   She decided not to say anything at this time since she was sure Lt. Graybow wouldn’t be involved with Marlene if she were a suspect in the murder of Tiffy Davis.  Cecilia smiled to think that the romance might be the reason Marlene was looking a little prettier the other day.  She finished her distractions in time to go back home, change, and be picked up by the ever-persistent Det. Archibald for a picnic.

When Archibald arrived, he found Cecilia putting the finishing touches on a large, tempting-looking picnic basket.  Gathering up the basket, he escorted Cecilia to his waiting car.  They drove into the country to a nature preserve.  There under some maple trees in a quiet area away from happy families and Frisbee games they spread the food on a blanket.  Archibald was amazed to see the bounty emerge from the wicker basket.  There was a plate of his favorite pickled vegetables, a large bowl of lobster salad, a loaf of crusty Italian bread, grapes, cheese, and a bottle of German wine they both enjoyed. 

Opening the wine and pouring them each a glass, Archibald asked, “When did you find the time to make such a feast?”

“Well, I got the bread from that little Italian bakery near the bridge on my way home from work yesterday and I made the lobster salad while I watched TV last night.  The grapes and cheese and veggies I had in the fridge and the wine comes from my secret stash in the basement.  I’m glad you like everything, Alan.”

Conversation waned while they both ate their fill.  After replacing the leftovers in the basket, Archibald invited Cecilia for a walk.  They put the basket into the car and set off, holding hands, down one of the trails in the preserve.  Walking awhile without speaking, Cecilia finally had to ask, “Did you and Len get the call on Kimmy last night?”

He sighed, “You know we did.  I’m sure you read it in the paper this morning.  Do we have to talk about this?  I’d much rather talk about something else.  You and me, for instance.”

“I want to talk about you and me too, but I can’t get past the thought that two young women have been brutally murdered, and no one seems to know who or why.  It makes me afraid.  I don’t like that.”

He released her hand and put his arm around her shoulders.  “I know you don’t like it, honey.  I don’t like it either.  I feel like I should be able to figure out who would kill them.  There just aren’t many clues to go on.  We haven’t found a weapon.  There doesn’t seem to be any motive.  And the coroner, Doc Lange, tells me this morning that both murders may have been committed with the same weapon.  But what that weapon is, he has no clue.  He found a tiny piece of gray stone in the wound on Mrs. Neal but has no idea how it got there.”

“What else did you find around the body?  Anything that didn’t belong there?”  Cecilia asked.

“Not really.  There was the usual accumulation of stuff in her locker.  Tennis shoes, racquets, balls, those little tennis outfits, and a bag of books on the floor next to her locker.  Normal stuff.”  He shrugged.  “I can’t believe that Kenneth Edwards had anything to do with these two murders.  He helped me learn the ropes when I was a beat cop just starting out.  At that time, he was still working for Dahlcom and introduced me to a lot of people.  Taught me a lot about internal security.  He was an excellent observer and a real company man.  So proud of the way he’d developed things over the years.  He really taught me a lot in general.  I hate him being at both of the murder scenes, not seeing anything.  It can’t be simply bad coincidence that he was at both places.”

“I’m sure it’s hard on you seeing a friend fall so far, but you have to look at the facts as you see them.  Not as you wish to see them.  I saw you last week over talking to Marlene.  Was she able to give you any help in your investigation?  Unless, that is, you can’t tell me.”

It was sunny again today and got up to 49 degrees. !!! It was so nice that when I got home I opened the front door and the kitchen window to let some "real" air into the house.  It was too late in the day to open the whole thing but even that little bit of fresh air was lovely.  It's supposed to be in the low 30 and maybe snow by late Tuesday.  *sigh*  C'est la vie.
--Barbara