It Was a Red Shoe Day

I have a lot of pairs of red shoes and ankle boots.  I wear them when I'm in a down mood and also when I'm in an up mood.  I just realized how illogical that is.  How are the people who see my shoes supposed to know how to react?  Beat the heck outta me.  All I know is that when I'm in the depths I wear red shoes to cheer myself up and when I'm happy and upbeat I wear red shoes because they're cheerful.  Today it was because I was happy. (these are from a saddlery in Montana; they remind me of the fun I had at Yellowstone last summer) I had a great trainer session that made my arms feel like overcooked noodles and gave me a bit of an ache right below my shoulder blades (rotation sets) but I feel so good when I'm done and I'm used to having Tylenol as a Thursday night bedtime snack.

I did more rearranging of a manuscript and then sent it to the Kindle so I can read it again and make notes of places that need more words or scenes.  I know there are gaps in there.




After that I spent an hour or so counting out 24 pretzel sticks and 13 pretzel twists and 22 Cheez-its Reduced Fat crackers and one square of Ghirardelli into packages.  All but the last are 2 WW points per each, the chocolate is 4 points per square.  It's worth it and I love those crunchy salty things.




I allow myself a chocolate square when I have a supper like the Sloppy Joe in Spaghetti Squash Bowl like I had tonight.  I need to make more of the Sloppy Joe for the freezer.  It's so good and the squash is a zero points food so this whole plateful is a whopping 2 WW points.  See how chocolate is possible?  I'm working to be real careful what I eat so that when I get on the scale on Monday I'm smiling, not frowning.



I finished the first square of the pillow top last night but I'm stymied about how to join on and pick up stitches for the next one.  I think I'll take it to Friday Night Knitting to see if LB can give me some tips.  It's supposed to be garter stitch which is bumpy but I want it smoother so I'm trying it in stockinette.  It might be a total bust but if I can get over the pick up stitches hump I might be on to something.  Maybe.


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

Cecilia gasped at the brutality of Archibald’s questions.  She reached her hand as if to touch Dwayne when Archibald shook his head at her.  Dwayne’s chin was sunk on his chest.  He raised his head to show the tears in his eyes, “All right, Detective, all right.  Look, Kimmy and I weren’t what you’d call madly in love.  We haven’t had a real marriage for a long time.  I’m not the most faithful of husbands.  I have friends.  Girlfriends.  I always have.  Oh, in the beginning I guess we were in love.  We skied, dived, flew all over having a great time.  Lots of the times we spent with Tiffy and Dirk and Teddy and David.  After David died in that skiing accident, things kind of fell apart.  Kimmy spent a lot of time trying to comfort Teddy.  More and more time away from me.  I need someone to pay lots of attention to me.  We just kind of grew apart.  Neither of us knew what to do so we just stayed together.  And I suppose I still love Kimmy.  But not the way she needed.  She knew long ago that there were other women.  We never spoke of it but gradually we stopped traveling together and went our own ways.  She spent more and more time at the club, working out, taking lessons, playing tennis and golf.  I know she had a little fling with Lars, the tennis pro there.  I like to fly to places, new places, and gamble and have fun.  I’ve never had any trouble finding company.  I didn’t want Kimmy dead, Detective.  There was no reason to want her dead.  I can’t even tell you who’d want her dead.  I, we, haven’t been involved in each other’s lives for years.  I’m ashamed to say I can’t even tell you who her friends were.  Except for Tiffy and Teddy, they’ve been best friends forever.  Since high school.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Neal.  I’m sure you loved your wife in your own way, but I still need the name of the friend you were with last night.  After what you’ve said I assume it’s a woman.  Rest assured we’ll be discreet.  We won’t reveal her name unless we absolutely have to.”

Sorry for the man sitting across from her, Cecilia got up and sat on the ottoman at Dwayne’s feet.  She reached forward and took his unresponsive hand in hers.  “Dwayne,” she said softly, “we know you loved Kimmy.  She was a lovely person.  Right now, she needs your help.  You need your own help.  Det. Archibald knows you didn’t kill her.  But he needs you to help him.  If you’ll tell him the name of your friend, I’ll make sure he’s very careful with that information.  I’ll make sure he doesn’t hurt your friend.  Come on, you can tell me.”  She stroked his hand and felt a slight tightening of his fingers, as if he needed something to hold on to. 

He let out a long sigh.  “All right, Detective.  I was with Marcelle Durot.  I’ll call her and tell her you’ll be in touch with her.  She won’t be happy; I can assure you.  She won’t see me again I’m sure.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Neal.  I’ll be as diplomatic as I can.  Did Ms. Durot know your wife?  Perhaps I can interview her as an acquaintance of Kimmy’s?  Just to protect her reputation.”

“She’d met Kimmy a few times.  I guess that might work.  Her husband’s out of town a lot on business.  Maybe he won’t find out.”

“Mr. Neal, would you mind if we saw Mrs. Neal’s rooms?  Perhaps we can find some clue there to who might have been her killer.”

Dwayne stood up and turned away, gesturing for them to follow him.  He took them back toward the front door and up the stairs to the private areas of the home.  Walking down the hall to the right, he stopped at a door.  “This was Kimmy’s bedroom.” 

Tonight's sunset was beautiful and noteworthy because the colored clouds and sky are moving westward, which means that spring is creeping up on us.  It'll be a while before it's reliably nice, we are in Wisconsin and it is February after all, but the lengthening days are a real boon, a promise of things to come.  It's supposed to be a whopping 7 degrees tomorrow morning and windy.  I think I'll hang around indoors until time to go to knitting when it's supposed to be in the mid-20s.  I know that doesn't sound much better but, trust me, you take what you can get this time of year.
--Barbara