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 05.17.2010
Yesterday we had worship leader’s meeting at church right after the 10 a.m. service, and the meeting went a bit long. We didn’t go off on any tangents or anything like that, we just happened to have a lot to discuss.
I had been a good girl and eaten a big bowl of oatmeal before service, and I ate one of my mom’s energy bars in meeting, but when we got out of the meeting, I was cranky and hungry. Or rather, the order should be hungry and cranky. When I am hungry, I turn into the pissy snipe monster.
Captain Caffeine took his life into his hands when he casually admitted he wasn’t very hungry because he’d drunk some high-tech protein shake with time-release protein something or other. However, being the loving wife that I am, I forgave him his lapse of sensitivity while his wife’s stomach acid was burning a hole through her stomach lining.
Captain Caffeine, wanting to tame the rabid dog he had married, suggested I eat another energy bar. Now don’t get me wrong, Mom’s energy bars are DA BOMB. Rice krispies, peanut butter, nuts, cranberries, pumpkin seeds. They are AWESOME.
But when I’m hungry, I’m really not that into “snacky” foods. I want REAL FOOD. (This is my one beef with a diet book I’m reading that emphasizes 3 meals and 3 snacks each day. While I completely see the logic of it, it relies on (healthy) snacky stuff as opposed to REAL FOOD, and I don’t really care that much for snacky stuff in general, with the exception of potato chips, but that kind of defeats the purpose of the 3 healthy snacks to keep you from stuffing your face like a pig at mealtimes.)
Back to my empty stomach and fraying temper. After bemoaning my lack of interest in snack food and my desire for a French dip sandwich instead, I saw that Captain Caffeine was reaching for the crucifix, holy water and wooden stake in case I turned on him.
We went to Trader Joe’s to pick up milk and I found a bag of cheddar cheese pita chips appealing despite my ranting about how I dislike snack foods only fifteen minutes earlier. The Captain wisely refrained from commenting on my illogic and bought the bag faster than you can say “Eat.”
Pissy snipe monster miraculously turned back into the Captain’s lovely Japanese wife. And we went home to eat leftover steak and some awesomely sweet sautéed young snow peas with garlic and olive oil.
The End.
Yesterday we had worship leader’s meeting at church right after the 10 a.m. service, and the meeting went a bit long. We didn’t go off on any tangents or anything like that, we just happened to have a lot to discuss.
I had been a good girl and eaten a big bowl of oatmeal before service, and I ate one of my mom’s energy bars in meeting, but when we got out of the meeting, I was cranky and hungry. Or rather, the order should be hungry and cranky. When I am hungry, I turn into the pissy snipe monster.
Captain Caffeine took his life into his hands when he casually admitted he wasn’t very hungry because he’d drunk some high-tech protein shake with time-release protein something or other. However, being the loving wife that I am, I forgave him his lapse of sensitivity while his wife’s stomach acid was burning a hole through her stomach lining.
Captain Caffeine, wanting to tame the rabid dog he had married, suggested I eat another energy bar. Now don’t get me wrong, Mom’s energy bars are DA BOMB. Rice krispies, peanut butter, nuts, cranberries, pumpkin seeds. They are AWESOME.
But when I’m hungry, I’m really not that into “snacky” foods. I want REAL FOOD. (This is my one beef with a diet book I’m reading that emphasizes 3 meals and 3 snacks each day. While I completely see the logic of it, it relies on (healthy) snacky stuff as opposed to REAL FOOD, and I don’t really care that much for snacky stuff in general, with the exception of potato chips, but that kind of defeats the purpose of the 3 healthy snacks to keep you from stuffing your face like a pig at mealtimes.)
Back to my empty stomach and fraying temper. After bemoaning my lack of interest in snack food and my desire for a French dip sandwich instead, I saw that Captain Caffeine was reaching for the crucifix, holy water and wooden stake in case I turned on him.
We went to Trader Joe’s to pick up milk and I found a bag of cheddar cheese pita chips appealing despite my ranting about how I dislike snack foods only fifteen minutes earlier. The Captain wisely refrained from commenting on my illogic and bought the bag faster than you can say “Eat.”
Pissy snipe monster miraculously turned back into the Captain’s lovely Japanese wife. And we went home to eat leftover steak and some awesomely sweet sautéed young snow peas with garlic and olive oil.
The End.
Comments
I've done the same thing with getting a snacky food to tide me over. What's helped me is having a bag of almonds in my purse. Very yummy, convenient, and makes me feel less guilty than other snacks.
Carrie - there's a 90 day blood sugar test? I just had my blood sugar tested and it was fine.
Danica - I tried almonds before, but just don't care for them very much when I'm ravenous. Or at least they don't make me less hungry. :(
Camy
My husband has to EAT NOW when he says, "a rat is eating a hole in my belly."
Anyway, have you tried the Fat Smash by Ian Smith, M.D. ? It works for my husband who has NEVER had to be on a diet before ("Musthaverealfood Miller") and I also can do that one. I prefer his original book, but he does have several out there. He did the diets/nutrition for Celebrity Fitness (or some such title.)
I wish we had a Trader Joe's. Sigh.
Camy
Thanks for sharing!
but yes breakfast would be good!