Remodeling, Mealoaf, and Mysteries, Always Mysteries

You can't tell much from this picture, but it's the best I could do for a closet that's no longer a closet. Andit gives you a picture of the rather wild color scheme in my garage appt.We've gotten serious about rennovating the apt. It hasn't been updated in 15 years, and during that time it had two boys--one a neat freak and the other a mess--and then a single girl addicted to candles (it's a wonder she didn't burn it down)--hard use. The plan is to put down hardwoods, paint, upgrade the plumbing a bit, check the electrical system, replace the gas wall furnace which sometimes makes me wake late sleepers to be sure they're alive, and get rid of furniture, adding instead a full-over-full bunk bed and a futon. That will make space for eight to sleep. Last night Jordan and I let Jacob play in the driveway (protected by a gate) while we stripped beds, packed up throw pillows, took down pictures and small shelves, and generally cleared out the place. It is now a mess. Lewis, the contractor, has already broken out the section of closet we want removed because it made the bathroom too small.

The kids have all had input into this remodeling, because they're the ones I'm doing it for. Jamie was most alramed when I said I might keep the current color scheme and also concerned that the bathroom was too small for more than one person and couldn't we take out that bit of closet that extended into the room (it was basically an L-shaped closet, and the extension was an add-on). I had to bite my tongue--he has always been THE most private person in the bathroom, and now he wants a crowd in there? Jordan wanted sleeping lofts but we nixed that--too expensive and not possible structurally unless they were shallow enough to give even children claustrophobia. I polled them all to be sure before I spent all this money that they would stay there and they all said they would, except Jamie who said he would "If it's cute enough"! I looked around the room tonight, stripped as it is, and saw how really shabby it looks. I'm glad to be doing this.

Tonight I made a big "Italian-style" meatloaf--new recipe. It smells--well, different--but I just nibbled on a bite and it's pretty good. Topped with mozarella which turned crusty and brown--I put it in for the last 15 minutes. I had a salad last week with lots and lots of mozarella on it and decided I don't like mozarella--but this brown version was good--and crisp. Tomorrow I'll make cheese grits and saute some summer squash and zucchini with a bit of fresh basil and take half of all of it to Jeannie and Jim. Jordan will probably come eat the other half with me.

I've been thinking a lot about mysteries (while not reading one). The agent has not replied about my manuscript, but I am not encouraged since he said it sounded familiar and hadn't I queried him before? I think I should start yet another new story--this will be my third mystery with none published. Only my determination to publish a mystery keeps me going--but I am determined. I've joined a chat group or whatever about senior sleuths, which are increasingly popular--the AARP Bulletin recently had an article about the popularity of mysteries with senior sleuths (think "Murder, She Wrote" or some such). I'd had one in mind, but I decided my senior citizen was a stereotype of the dithery old maiden aunt. Strike that. There are too many cooking-related mysteries, but I still think that's what I should do--it seems a natural for me. Of course, there's the matter of plotting . . . . haven't come up with that (Jamie once said the reason I wrote historical fiction was that I was so poor at coming up with my own plots--and that's a polite way of putting what he really said!). Think I could do a mystery that involves cooking and grandchildren? Some ideas rattle around in my brain but they sure haven't settled down yet.