“Later, then.” Roxie clicked her phone off and laid it back on her desk. Leave it to Loren. No sense planning supper for early. If only she would meet a good man in her heart errands. Her incredible shyness made meeting new people so difficult for her. But she seemed to be thriving at the library, being in charge of the displays.

Between the phone calls, the never-ending paperwork, and Sir Charles pleading for her to come throw the ball, the afternoon disappeared.

On my way, Loren texted at five.

“Oh, good grief, already,” Roxie muttered as she headed into the kitchen to refill her glass of water infused with cucumber slices and mint leaves from the refrigerator. Ever since she’d purchased the pitchers with an infusion tube, she’d drunk more water. Maybe she’d mention that in her weekly newspaper column. Back at her desk, she jotted down the idea on the list she kept right beside the desk calendar. The deadline was tomorrow. The afternoon had flown by, just like the week. Her weekly hints column kept her name and picture in front of the reading public better than any paid advertisement. They didn’t pay much but she didn’t pay at all, so she figured it well worth the time and effort.

The phone again. She glanced at the unfamiliar number. If this was another telemarketing call.…She’d had two already today from the same number. She picked up the whistle she kept handy and answered, whistle at the ready.

“Can I speak with the lady of the house, please?” A man’s voice.

Roxie blew the whistle sharp into the phone and clicked it off. “There, that should do it.” So far, it seemed so, since no one called back.

While the ideas were fresh, she started her column with, “We have a new organization in town. The first meeting was last night at Annie’s Fountain City Cafe, where SRO took on a new meaning. From standing room only, the meeting took over half the dining area also. UFO has taken on a new meaning too, from unidentified flying objects to unfinished objects, or rather, projects. Obviously there are many of us with this tendency to not finish all the things we start. We’re meeting again on Monday night, the first of May, and plan on meeting bimonthly at Maureen’s Yarn Shop. Everyone who needs help to cure this syndrome, come on by.

“My other hints for this week are also extremely practical.” She went on to write about drinking more water due to infused water always at the ready and finished up with: “For those of us who are mosquito magnets, I read of an antidote. Drink a glass of water mixed with one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Bragg’s is the best. I know I’ve mentioned other uses for the all-purpose vinegar but I tried this one, and voilà, I came home bite free. A first.

“And with that I am off to celebrate many things: good business, great friends, living in the best town anywhere, new ideas, and the best dog in the world. Sir Charles and I thank you for reading our column.”