Monday, Monday

It was a good day.  It was sunny and got up to 43 degrees and I got lots of things accomplished today.  I went to lunch with a few of the St. Agnes School Class of 1965.  We tried a new (to us) restaurant that was pretty good.


On my way home I stopped and picked up some chicken breasts so that I could pop them into the slow-cooker for a few hours and make Herbed Chicken Breasts.  Yum.  I'm thinking they'll be good with a little WW marinara sauce on them too, just for variety.  Tonight I had this piece with some fresh asparagus.


I spent a couple hours getting the tax info all organized and delivered to the accountant's office.  And I found out how to transfer the Packer tickets to DS so that he'll get the emails and mail.  See when AJ wanted to sell them, DS wanted to buy them but they had to go to a closer relative than uncle and nephew so AJ transferred them to me.  Now I'll transfer them to DS and get out of the middle.  They have a form to do it and it needs to be notarized.  Sheesh.  Good thing I know that there's a notary at the bank.



Then I buckled down to finish skimming the manuscript, putting in paragraphs so it's easier to read, and trying to get all the parts in chronological order.  I emailed the pdf of it to myself and have an app on the Ipad that I can read and scribble on.  If that doesn't work for me, I'll email it to the Kindle and work it that way.  All these electronic ways to tackle the issue.



Just now I finished March Preemie Hat #1.  It's pretty subdued compared to the yarn I usually use for these but I figure that it'll look good on a brown-eyed little darling.






03 March--Barbara Malcolm, Three Cheers for Murder. 

Nine o’clock Monday, June 14 found Cecilia in The Alchemists going over a petition she’d written the night before.  Picking up the phone she called Marlene Brownloe and asked if she can run over for a few minutes before they both opened their shops.  Marlene told her she was just going down the stairs and would meet her at the front door of Kitty’s Korner.

“Good morning, Marlene, I wanted to show you this petition I made up last night.  I think it’s just what we need to get the city council going to help beef up business for all of us in this area.  See, I’m asking for them to remove the parking meters and put up enhanced lighting to encourage customers.  I figure if I can get most of the businessmen and women in this area to sign it, they’ll have to listen to us.  They just can’t keep pouring money into the mall, that white elephant just a block away, and not do anything to keep the smaller specialty stores in business.  We’re what gives the city it’s character, not that cookie cutter mall.  Honestly, I don’t know what they were thinking of to tear down all those lovely historic buildings and build that place.  Every city you go into has the same stores in the same mall selling the same merchandise!  At least we’re different and give people a choice.”  Cecilia stopped talking, drew a breath, and laughed at herself.  “Sorry, I guess I was practicing my plea to the council.  But I get so angry at the lack of support we get.  The mayor spends all his time courting big money men who want to build apartments along the river and put up hotels and big business complexes and none of his time finding out what the people want.  Oh, man, I’m doing it again.” 

Marlene laughed at her friend’s enthusiasm for the project.  “Cecilia, you’ve got enough guts to move a mountain.  I’m sure the city council will be no match for you.  I like your petition.  Is it ready?  Can I sign it right now?”

 “Sure, it’s as ready as I can make it.  If you see any of the other owners in the neighborhood will you ask them to stop over and see me, please?  I’m going to try to get around to everyone before Thursday.  That’s when the council meets next.  Oh, and I called the Chamber of Commerce.  They’re sending a Sheila Winters around within the next couple of days to talk to all the business owners. They’ve agreed to put together a booklet about our specialty stores, all the unique things we sell, and a bit about us too.  They’ll include that in the packet they give to companies relocating here and to people new to the area.  That should impress the city council too, don’t you think?” 

Marlene nodded her agreement, feeling a little steamrollered by Cecilia’s drive. 

Cecilia kept talking, “I don’t want to waste any more time.  And speaking of wasting time, I’d better get over and get ready to open.  Don’t want to do all this work to get the city to give us a hand and then have no business to run.  Thanks for your signature.  And have a busy day.”

“Cecilia, I know your petition will sway the council in our favor.  And you have a busy day, too.  See you.”  Marlene waved and smiled at her friend’s enthusiasm.

Cecilia waved back, closed the door behind her, and walked across to The Alchemists thinking about what was different about Marlene this morning.  She realized that Marlene was wearing new stylish clothes.  Clothes that actually flattered her.  Clothes that fit and in colors that didn’t wash her out.  She could swear Marlene was wearing more makeup too.  “Wonder what brought that on?” she thought.  “Maybe Lt. Graybow.  Hmm.”  She smiled at the thought that perhaps Marlene had finally found a boyfriend, then the thought occurred to her that Marlene was at Blossoms the night Tiffy was killed and there was a pink Kitty’s Korner bag near Kimmy’s locker and one in Kimmy’s dressing room.  Dwayne Neal even said how Kimmy hated Marlene and hated having to order books from her.  She recalled the times Marlene spoke of her teen years and how “the Y’s” as she calls them made her life hell with their teasing and taunting.  But that can’t be.  She’d even mentioned it to Alan, and he’d discounted her thoughts.  Probably making a mountain out of a molehill.  Cecilia shook her head.  How silly to think Marlene, quiet, reserved Marlene, would kill anyone.  Pushing thoughts of the murders aside, Cecilia unlocked her door and prepared for the day’s business.

I think I'm done investment cooking for the time being.  I've got about 20 meals' worth of food which seems like plenty for now.  Oh, I probably won't blog tomorrow evening; I need to spend time with my assistants and won't get home until late.
--Barbara