キャミー・タング著「戌年」連載小説 プロのドッグトレーナーであるマリ・ムトウは、厄年を迎えている。 犬小屋と訓練所の改築をしながら、いつも不服そうにしている家族と同居することになった。母と姉に言わせれば、犬の毛とよだれかけにまみれる仕事は、家族にとって恥ずべきものだという。彼女は元カレを説得し、数ヶ月間犬を預かってもらうことにした。しかし、彼の兄は、数週間前に彼女が誤って車に追突した、怒り狂ったセキュリティ専門家であることが判明する。 アシュウィン・ケイトウは十分な問題を抱えている。叔母が玄関先に現れ、同居を希望している。彼は彼女にすべてを借りているので、断ることができません。母親が家を出て行った後、ネルおばさんはアシュウィンと弟を引き取り、愛のあるキリスト教の家庭で育てた。しかも、弟のダスティもアパートを追い出され、居場所を求めている。しかし、彼は犬を飼っている。そして、その犬の飼い主は誰だと思いますか？ しかし、旧友でオアフ島のノースショアでデイスパを経営する私立探偵のエディサ・ゲレロから依頼を受ける。マリの施設で奇妙な破壊行為があり、3年前に失踪したエディサの妹の財布を発見する。エディサはマリが危険な目に遭っているのではと心配する。警備の専門家であるアシュウィンがすでにマリを知っていることを知ったエディサは、忙しい若い女性を密かに監視することを彼に依頼する。 アシュウィンは、活発でのんびりとしたドッグトレーナーに不本意ながら惹かれていく。彼女は、幸せそうな母親を思い出させる。その母親の裏切りによって、彼は人と距離を置くようになったのだ。マリは、アシュウィンの冷たい外見を見抜き、彼が家族に忠実な男であることを認める。彼は、彼女のキャリア選択を批判するだけの母親や姉とは違う。 マリのバラバラな家庭とアシュウィンのバラバラな家庭の中で、過去を隠そうとする人たちから、彼らの周りに危険が迫ってくるようになる。彼らは、影で動く秘密に光を当てることができるのか？ 過去に発表されたパートへのリンクはこちら。 *** 第8章 - 恐ろしくも真っ白な不動産書類 『みんな仲良くできないのかな？』 マリは無用に力を込めて箱に本を投げ入れた。最近、なぜ彼女は人生の中で全員と言い争いをしているのだろう？もしかすると、これは本当に悪いアイデア
Captain’s Log, Stardate 02.26.2007
Blog book giveaway:
To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there.
She’s Out of Control by Kristin Billerbeck
Two books in the Black Or White series by John Aubrey Anderson
Aloha oi . . .
Arrived in Honolulu on Friday without mishap. I brought mochi for my mom, which made her absolutely ecstatic and which gives me “Good Daughter Status” for the remainder of my stay.
As soon as the plane touched down, I got slammed with a massive sinus headache. Lucky me, we were in for a heavy rainfall that evening and so my internal barometer went nuts.
My mom has the same thing—when the pressure changes just before it rains, she has a bad sinus headache. I didn’t have these symptoms when I was younger, but as soon as I hit 25 I started getting sinus headaches, too. Captain Caffeine scoffed at me until I started having a 100% success rate of rain prediction. Ha!
Anyway, I had to take sinus medication and a nap.
On Saturday, my friend Malia Spencer picked me up and we went to the North Shore to eat pizza at Pizza Bob’s, then shave ice at Aoki’s (which is better than Matsumoto’s, although not as famous).
Yesterday, I went to the Aloha Flea Market at the express request of Captain Caffeine.
The Aloha Flea Market isn’t really a flea market. Vendors sell brand-new or handmade stuff rather than used stuff, and typically rather touristy things.
You can get Hawaii T-shirts really cheap and they’re nice designs as well as decent quality. That is the reason Captain Caffeine wanted me to go. So, I picked up a bunch of T-shirts for him.
But being the shopper I am at heart, I couldn’t just walk in, buy the T-shirts, and walk out. I had to look at all the neat vendors since it’s been over 2 years since I was last at the Flea Market.
I got a small canvas bag in a very pink Hawaiian print for my knitting. I got two satin Asiany blouses for the ACFW conference, or perhaps the Sales Conference at Zondervan in mid-March.
I considered a Gucci knock-off purse in pale pink which was screaming my name, but the price, while much less than the real thing, wasn’t low enough to tempt me to take it home (it would probably end up in the back of my closet anyway).
We got Hawaiian honey for our allergies. And last but not least, I got a new canvas suitcase in grey with a pink and lime-green flower and turtle design. :) :) :) :) :) I will definitely be able to spot my suitcase in baggage claim from now on.
I don’t know what I ate for breakfast—maybe it was just that I had a larger amount of fatty foods than normal and my stomach was still sensitive from the plane ride—but I was really nauseated Sunday afternoon and couldn’t go to church with Malia. :(
But I’ll see her Saturday for the Girls’ Day party at my house. Dad’s making huli-huli chicken and picking up a chocolate cream pie from Sunnyside bakery!
What’s that you ask? What’s Girls’ Day and huli-huli chicken? You’ll just have to wait until Saturday to find out.
Either that or Google it.
Blog book giveaway:
To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there.
She’s Out of Control by Kristin Billerbeck
Two books in the Black Or White series by John Aubrey Anderson
Aloha oi . . .
Arrived in Honolulu on Friday without mishap. I brought mochi for my mom, which made her absolutely ecstatic and which gives me “Good Daughter Status” for the remainder of my stay.
As soon as the plane touched down, I got slammed with a massive sinus headache. Lucky me, we were in for a heavy rainfall that evening and so my internal barometer went nuts.
My mom has the same thing—when the pressure changes just before it rains, she has a bad sinus headache. I didn’t have these symptoms when I was younger, but as soon as I hit 25 I started getting sinus headaches, too. Captain Caffeine scoffed at me until I started having a 100% success rate of rain prediction. Ha!
Anyway, I had to take sinus medication and a nap.
On Saturday, my friend Malia Spencer picked me up and we went to the North Shore to eat pizza at Pizza Bob’s, then shave ice at Aoki’s (which is better than Matsumoto’s, although not as famous).
Yesterday, I went to the Aloha Flea Market at the express request of Captain Caffeine.
The Aloha Flea Market isn’t really a flea market. Vendors sell brand-new or handmade stuff rather than used stuff, and typically rather touristy things.
You can get Hawaii T-shirts really cheap and they’re nice designs as well as decent quality. That is the reason Captain Caffeine wanted me to go. So, I picked up a bunch of T-shirts for him.
But being the shopper I am at heart, I couldn’t just walk in, buy the T-shirts, and walk out. I had to look at all the neat vendors since it’s been over 2 years since I was last at the Flea Market.
I got a small canvas bag in a very pink Hawaiian print for my knitting. I got two satin Asiany blouses for the ACFW conference, or perhaps the Sales Conference at Zondervan in mid-March.
I considered a Gucci knock-off purse in pale pink which was screaming my name, but the price, while much less than the real thing, wasn’t low enough to tempt me to take it home (it would probably end up in the back of my closet anyway).
We got Hawaiian honey for our allergies. And last but not least, I got a new canvas suitcase in grey with a pink and lime-green flower and turtle design. :) :) :) :) :) I will definitely be able to spot my suitcase in baggage claim from now on.
I don’t know what I ate for breakfast—maybe it was just that I had a larger amount of fatty foods than normal and my stomach was still sensitive from the plane ride—but I was really nauseated Sunday afternoon and couldn’t go to church with Malia. :(
But I’ll see her Saturday for the Girls’ Day party at my house. Dad’s making huli-huli chicken and picking up a chocolate cream pie from Sunnyside bakery!
What’s that you ask? What’s Girls’ Day and huli-huli chicken? You’ll just have to wait until Saturday to find out.
Either that or Google it.
Comments
Do they have any yarn at that flea market?
I've got some friends who send their kids there, if you have a name, I'll try to get them to tell Mrs. Whoever your message. LOL