Part 5 (2/2)

”Then I can have a couple?”

”Of course.” Hannah watched as Andrea grabbed three cookies. ”What were you saying about Tracey's costume?”

”I need to know what kind of shoes the Statue of Liberty wears.”

”Really big ones,” Hannah quipped, but Andrea didn't look amused. ”I think it's sandals, but I'm not positive.”

”How would I find out?”

”Run down to the library and look it up in the encyclopedia. There's bound to be a picture.”

”Good idea. I asked Janice c.o.x, but she wasn't sure either. I'm going to dress Tracey up as Lady Liberty. Won't that be cute?”

”Tracey would be cute in any costume.”

”I know, but she really wants something with a crown. Is she right-handed?”

”Probably,” Hannah said, a.s.suming that Andrea was asking about Lady Liberty and not her daughter. ”The torch goes in the right hand, if that's what you're asking. You're not going to put Tracey in green makeup, are you?”

”No. The green's just tarnish anyway. I wonder why they don't polish her up. She'd look a lot better.”

”That's easier said than done. Remember when that citizens group got the idea to clean the dome on the county courthouse? They dropped it in a hurry when they found out it would take three years and cost a fortune.”

”Time and money. They're always the deciding factors.

54.

I'd better run, Hannah. I'm short on time this morning, and I'll be short on money if I don't get out to CostMart in time for their white sale. I'm picking up new towels for the bathroom. Ours are practically in shreds. Is there anything you need while I'm there?”

”Thanks, but I can't think of anything I...” Hannah stopped speaking as her neck gave a twinge. She reached up to rub it and sighed. ”There is one thing. Remember when we went shopping last year and I bought that new pillow?”

”The goose-down?”

”That's the one. I need a second pillow just like it.”

Andrea's eyes narrowed. ”But you already have one. Does that mean you're contemplating ... uh ... sleepover company?”

”No, it just means that Moishe keeps stealing it. And every time he does, I wake up with a stiff neck. I'm going to give him mine and get a new one for myself.”

”You really ought to train him not to do that.”

”That's impossible. Cats train their owners, not the other way around. It took Moishe a whole year, but he's trained me to buy a new pillow.”

Andrea laughed. ”Okay. I'll pick one up for you, but it might be expensive. The last time I priced them, they were over fifty dollars.”

Hannah sighed. She'd forgotten that goose-down was that expensive. She didn't really want to sh.e.l.l out an extra fifty dollars, but it would be worth it for a pain-free neck. ”Just get it, whatever it costs. I can spend fifty dollars for a pillow, or I can spend fifty dollars for a chiropractor. At least with a pillow, I won't have to go back for another adjustment.”

Almond Kisses Preheat oven to 350 degrees R, with rack in middle position.

1 !/2 cups melted b.u.t.ter (3 sticks) 2 cups white sugar (granulated) 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon almond extract 1/8 cup mola.s.ses (2 tablespoons) 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt (if you use salted almonds, cut the salt to l/2 teaspoon) 1 1/2 cups finely ground almonds (grind them up in your food processor with the steel blade- they don't have to be blanched) 2 beaten eggs (just whip them up with a fork) 4 cups flour (no need to sift) 13 oz. bag Hershey's Kisses (or small squares of milk chocolate) Microwave the b.u.t.ter in your mixing bowl to melt it. Add the sugar, the vanilla, the almond flavoring,

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and the mola.s.ses. Stir until it's blended, then add the baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well.

Grind up the almonds in your food processor. Measure after grinding. Add them to the bowl and mix. Pour in the beaten eggs and stir. Then add the flour and mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended.

Let the dough firm up for a few minutes. Then form it into walnut-sized b.a.l.l.s and arrange them on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard sheet.

Cut the Hershey's Kisses in half (from the top down, so that each half has a point and a base). Press the halves into the middle of your cookie b.a.l.l.s, cut side down. They'll look pretty on top as a yummy decoration. If you want to splurge a little, press a whole Hershey's Kiss into the center of the dough ball, base down and point sticking up. (If you do splurge, you 'II need double the amount ofHershey 's Kisses. If your kids help you unwrap the Kisses, you should probably triple the amount!)

56.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. (Don't worry- the Hershey's Kisses won't melt.) Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Yield: 10 to 12 dozen cookies, depending on cookie size. (If that's too many, just cut the whole recipe in half. And if you have any Kisses left over, the baker deserves a treat!) (Norman says these cookies taste the way he always wished marzipan would taste.)

Chapter Five.

This is a nice location,” Hannah commented, stopping her truck as close to the front door as she could get.

”You can see the lake from here.”

”You'll be able to see it even better when I prune the bottom branches on those pines.” Norman hopped out of Hannah^ truck and opened the door for Delores.

”It's a nice little house,” Delores said, taking Norman's arm and heading for the front door. ”It's almost a pity to tear it down, but I suppose it's much too small for you with only two bedrooms. Once you make the smallest one into an office, there's no room at all for...”

”Houseguests,” Hannah interjected quickly, shooting her mother a warning glance. Now was not the time to fish around for a proposal.

”Yes, guests,” Delores looked slightly embarra.s.sed. ”Well, I'll go straight to work. I don't want to keep you two out here all afternoon.”

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