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, Supplemental
It was my dad’s birthday on Friday last week (I was really bad and forgot to call him because I’d just talked to them on Thursday, so I didn’t think to call again).
Both Mom and Dad called earlier to command me (I kid you not, it was in that “obey or be grounded” voice that I haven’t heard since I was fifteen) not to send them anything for Dad’s birthday or Mother’s Day this year.
Well, being Japanese, I can’t not give them something. It just isn’t done! There are serious guilt issues in play here that have been passed down for thousands of years to little Japanese girls.
So I decided to make them something for the dog.
It’s not technically for them, and it’s inexpensive so they can’t complain about my spending too much money. But I wanted to send them something kind of frivolous.
Now, it’s getting massively hot in Hawaii right now, so my wool yarns were out, but I had some nice cotton DK weight and some extra eyelash yarn in my stash (Yeah! I love stash-busters!). I used the Lion Brand Fancy Fur dog sweater pattern.
Here is the finished product.
Um … it didn’t turn out exactly the way I wanted it to. I didn’t realize how long Kuro’s body is, so the sweater is horrendously short. It’s more like a shrug than a sweater.
You can’t see it, but he also started trying to get the darn thing off as soon as they snapped the picture. Well, it is May in Hawaii, can you really blame the poor guy?
Anyway, Mom and Dad called on Thursday last week laughing because the sweater was so “cute” but “a little girly” (Kuro is a he). It’s also a bit big in the neck.
Well, at least the dog has something sort of green in color to wear to the University of Hawaii football games.
It was my dad’s birthday on Friday last week (I was really bad and forgot to call him because I’d just talked to them on Thursday, so I didn’t think to call again).
Both Mom and Dad called earlier to command me (I kid you not, it was in that “obey or be grounded” voice that I haven’t heard since I was fifteen) not to send them anything for Dad’s birthday or Mother’s Day this year.
Well, being Japanese, I can’t not give them something. It just isn’t done! There are serious guilt issues in play here that have been passed down for thousands of years to little Japanese girls.
So I decided to make them something for the dog.
It’s not technically for them, and it’s inexpensive so they can’t complain about my spending too much money. But I wanted to send them something kind of frivolous.
Now, it’s getting massively hot in Hawaii right now, so my wool yarns were out, but I had some nice cotton DK weight and some extra eyelash yarn in my stash (Yeah! I love stash-busters!). I used the Lion Brand Fancy Fur dog sweater pattern.
Here is the finished product.
Um … it didn’t turn out exactly the way I wanted it to. I didn’t realize how long Kuro’s body is, so the sweater is horrendously short. It’s more like a shrug than a sweater.
You can’t see it, but he also started trying to get the darn thing off as soon as they snapped the picture. Well, it is May in Hawaii, can you really blame the poor guy?
Anyway, Mom and Dad called on Thursday last week laughing because the sweater was so “cute” but “a little girly” (Kuro is a he). It’s also a bit big in the neck.
Well, at least the dog has something sort of green in color to wear to the University of Hawaii football games.
Comments
I actually think it's adorable and love the contrast between the green and the black. That dog doesn't know how good he has it.