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 04.22.2008
Lately I’ve been on this chocolate kick. Normally, I’m not a huge chocoholic like Captain Caffeine. I enjoy chocolate, but if given a choice, I’ll usually choose a fruit or custard/creamy dessert over a triple decadence chocolate layer cake or a chocolate-lovers’ downfall brownie.
But lately, I’ve been eating dark chocolate squares. I think it started when I went into Joseph Schmidt gourmet chocolate shop in Santana Row.
We’d gotten Joseph Schmidt truffles for Christmas, and they’d been fabulous—I can honestly say that they were as good as DeBrand truffles (author Colleen Coble’s favorite).
So when I saw the brick and mortar shop in Santana Row, I went in immediately.
Inside, this man was buying up stacks—and I kid you not, stacks—of the Joseph Schmidt Belgian Dark Chocolate bars. He raved about them, said they were terrific.
A cashier was restocking the display case the man had cleaned out, and I snagged a bar. “I’ve got to try one, after watching him,” I told her.
She laughed. “The last time we didn’t have any, he got so upset. I’ve never seen a customer so upset that we didn’t have a chocolate bar.”
I have had Ghirardelli chocolate, and Trader Joe’s Belgian chocolate, and DeBrand, and Scharffen Berger, and Vosges Haute-Chocolat, and See’s, and Ethel M—basically, a lot of gourmet chocolate. So I was a bit skeptical about this particular chocolate bar.
OH. MY. GOSH.
This chocolate really is very good. It’s smoother than most chocolate, yet not as sweet as some other dark chocolate bars (which is an aspect of it that I like). It’s bitter, but not too bitter, without the harsh aftertaste you sometimes get with bittersweet or extra dark chocolate.
I even tasted it side by side with Scharffen Berger just to make sure I wasn’t kidding myself. I can truly tell the difference between them, and the Joseph Schmidt chocolate is better.
My second favorite is Vosges Haute-Chocolat, but that is just insanely expensive and I only indulge because my friend Patti Lacy gave me two bars that I’m savoring.
So lately I’ve been keeping some dark chocolate by my computer and eating small pieces while I work. I’m a good girl—I break off a small piece and let it melt in my mouth so it lasts longer and I ingest less fat and sugar. My thighs have been thanking me.
So how about you? What chocolate do you turn to to warm your heart, ease your aches, dry your tears, or just boost your spirits?
Lately I’ve been on this chocolate kick. Normally, I’m not a huge chocoholic like Captain Caffeine. I enjoy chocolate, but if given a choice, I’ll usually choose a fruit or custard/creamy dessert over a triple decadence chocolate layer cake or a chocolate-lovers’ downfall brownie.
But lately, I’ve been eating dark chocolate squares. I think it started when I went into Joseph Schmidt gourmet chocolate shop in Santana Row.
We’d gotten Joseph Schmidt truffles for Christmas, and they’d been fabulous—I can honestly say that they were as good as DeBrand truffles (author Colleen Coble’s favorite).
So when I saw the brick and mortar shop in Santana Row, I went in immediately.
Inside, this man was buying up stacks—and I kid you not, stacks—of the Joseph Schmidt Belgian Dark Chocolate bars. He raved about them, said they were terrific.
A cashier was restocking the display case the man had cleaned out, and I snagged a bar. “I’ve got to try one, after watching him,” I told her.
She laughed. “The last time we didn’t have any, he got so upset. I’ve never seen a customer so upset that we didn’t have a chocolate bar.”
I have had Ghirardelli chocolate, and Trader Joe’s Belgian chocolate, and DeBrand, and Scharffen Berger, and Vosges Haute-Chocolat, and See’s, and Ethel M—basically, a lot of gourmet chocolate. So I was a bit skeptical about this particular chocolate bar.
OH. MY. GOSH.
This chocolate really is very good. It’s smoother than most chocolate, yet not as sweet as some other dark chocolate bars (which is an aspect of it that I like). It’s bitter, but not too bitter, without the harsh aftertaste you sometimes get with bittersweet or extra dark chocolate.
I even tasted it side by side with Scharffen Berger just to make sure I wasn’t kidding myself. I can truly tell the difference between them, and the Joseph Schmidt chocolate is better.
My second favorite is Vosges Haute-Chocolat, but that is just insanely expensive and I only indulge because my friend Patti Lacy gave me two bars that I’m savoring.
So lately I’ve been keeping some dark chocolate by my computer and eating small pieces while I work. I’m a good girl—I break off a small piece and let it melt in my mouth so it lasts longer and I ingest less fat and sugar. My thighs have been thanking me.
So how about you? What chocolate do you turn to to warm your heart, ease your aches, dry your tears, or just boost your spirits?
Comments
Oh my gosh, German chocolate with a strawberry center???? I'm drooling. With envy.
Wow, Brenda, Brussels chocolate? You lucky girl!
Camy
However, I would love to try the chocolate bar you are talking about, yummy.....
Blessings!
Im currently trying to get off it.
its been about 40 hours since the last chocolate bar!
I cant stop at one square i tend to have to keep eating it.
White chocolate I can make last longer as its much richer.
Now I have to get through today without having any just reading this is making me want some bad.
camy
Cup o'joy
and a fresh taste of the bread of heaven...
Lynne