Have I mentioned I have a newIrene in Chicago Culinary Mystery coming out at the end of the month? Justjoking, because I know I have. It’s easy to think by now it’s all done, and Iam idle, but that is not the case. Today I fired off two guest blogs to tellthe cozy world about Irene in a Ghost Kitchen and tonight I’ll try topost on some cozy mystery groups web sites. I still have to proof the finalversion, when the formatter sends it, and get it up and available on Amazon,decide who gets comp copies, etc. A lot of details to wrap up, and so that’swhere much of my day went today.

Jean and Jeannie Chaffee camefor happy hour tonight, bringing with them a bountiful feast of dips andquesadillas and all sorts of good things. Despite our best efforts, they wouldn’ttake any of it home with them, so I have a loaded refrigerator. Jeannie alsobrought Benji a bag of new toys, and he took an instant shine to her, ploppinghis slobbery tennis balls in her lap, crawling over others to get to her. Ihaven’t seen as much of Jeannie in recent times, so it was fun to reminisceabout the days we shared office space—well, the administration didn’t know it, butthat was what it amounted to. We had glorious funny lunches and all kinds ofadventures. It was a good life, and we will always treasure those memories.

Those two ladies are gettingready to set off on an adventure—they leave this week for London for a coupleof days and then a ferry across the Channel to France. June 6, D Day, will findthem on the beaches at Normandy, with a crowd of at least thousands, markingthe 80th anniversary of that event. It gives me goosebumps to thinkof them crossing in a ferry, replicating that journey taken by all those men,many of whom never returned. I know the trip will be fun, and I suppose they’llhave lots of rich experiences—they will, for instance, spend a half day withthe Bayonne Tapestry. They will probably also eat some really good, countryFrench food, the food of the villages and not Paris—I offered Irene’s menuadvice, but so far they have not taken me up on it. But it will also be asomber trip, commemorating a day when many lives were lost. It seemssignificant that we mark today the men and women who died for democracy whendemocracy itself is so challenged. A part of me will be with my friends as theymake this journey.

Tomorrow, the world gets backto business, and I have a list of phone calls to make, questions to ask. We aresupposed to have a cold front (lower eighties, which is just fine, thank you)coming in, with possible storms tonight. I will be glad if the world is a bitcooler, although the heat hadn’t struck me until late this afternoon when I openedthe patio door for Benji and a blast of hot, wet air hit me.

I haven’t seen much of “InFlanders Field” by John McCrae this year, so here’s the final verse. It amountsto a challenge to Americans to fly the flag high and remembers those who gaveall on June 6, 1944.

Take upour quarrel with the foe:

To youfrom failing hands we throw

Thetorch; be yours to hold it high.

If yebreak faith with us who die

We shallnot sleep, though poppies grow

InFlanders fields.