Why Not Broccoli?

By Kay Coop

Welcome to the second book in the BnB Biddies series.

In book one, Better Than Butter, our five main characters attended a high school reunion and found that even though many years had passed, their friendship was as strong as ever. All five were each BnB owners-one had become widowed, two had divorced, one was married, and the last remained single. Through their round-robin letters, we followed their lives. At a BnB convention, a newspaper leads to their discovery of the true identity and reason for strange acts of a guest three had encountered.

In book two, Why Not Broccoli?, we follow the ladies into courtship, adventures, and the discovery of why cucumbers and pickles are becoming difficult to obtain. One remains married, two now have beaus, and two remain single and unattached.

Our characters are Lil, Ditty (Gregory, her man friend), Milly, Izzy (Jack, her man friend), and Babs (Gerald, her husband).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9781637106082

Book preview

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Why Not Broccoli?

Kay Coop

Copyright © 2021 Nancy Lueder and Kay Coop

All rights reserved

First Edition

Fulton Books, Inc.

Meadville, PA

Published by Fulton Books 2021

ISBN 978-1-63710-607-5 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63710-608-2 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

A bed-and-breakfast (typically shortened to B&B or BnB) is a small lodging establishment regulated by state and local lodging laws that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast.

Prologue

At a corner table in the coffee shop sat five women and one husband, chatting about the wonderful time they had enjoyed at the awards ceremony (where they tied for third place in a BnB contest). They had decided to meet at this coffee shop and decompress (so to speak) before leaving to return to their respective homes. The conversation now centered on how they had enjoyed getting together for the awards ceremony as well as their stay at the dude ranch afterward. They decided to meet once a year at a different dude ranch as long as they were all able to enjoy the activities offered. After all, none were spring chickens. They would continue their round-robin letters to one another.

Delilah (Lil) Hunter left her hometown to become a doctor; however, she married an astronomer who helped her see stars after they married. Lil is now a single lady! Lil works as a receptionist for a medical clinic in a lovely Missouri community. Lil enjoys her work with the ten doctors at the clinic but has taken a medical retirement, having arthritis in her hands and unable to do the bookwork for the hours required in the job. She saved all her alimony and decided to purchase a small BnB. Being out of the workforce and not enjoying living alone (even with BnB guests coming and going), Lil invited her niece Marigold to come live with her. Marigold works for an online enterprise selling resoled cowboy boots and hopes to teach her auntie the ins and outs of the internet. Lil named the BnB The Marigold Inn.

Meredith (Ditty) Jones Chandler married her high school sweetheart, and they moved to an Oregon farming community. They happily raised animals and tree crops until his demise. Ditty converted her home into a bed and breakfast and runs it along with The Chandler Acres farm. Since becoming a widow, Ditty has evolved into a woman with strong opinions, and that has helped in the running of her two businesses, the farm and the BnB. Ditty’s two sons and their families have purchased property on either side of her original holding, and there are now three BnB homes as well as a truck farm and farmers market. The entire holdings are called Chandler Farms.

Mildred (Milly) Chamberlain is a resident of a small mountain community in North Carolina. Milly was a loner in school, raised to believe she was a bit better than others, very opinionated yet liked by others because of her honesty, sense of humor, and willingness to poke fun even at herself. Her friends said of her: when Milly comes to visit you, she will demand a monogrammed towel—even if it is not her monogram. An example of her better but willingness to make a bit of fun of herself too. When Milly converted the three-story house she inherited from her grandfather into a BnB, she named it The Upper Crust.

Isobel (Izzy) Behr Carmichael was briefly married right out of high school, but the travel bug bit her, and she divorced to become an airline stewardess. She loved to fly and entertained thoughts of becoming a pilot, only her dyslexia and inability to concentrate kept her from pursuing that career. After retiring from the airlines, Izzy decided to purchase a large home in Dallas, Texas, so she could rent rooms to the air hostesses assigned there. Eventually, she converted it to a BnB she named The Chartered Flight.

Barbara (Babs) Smythe Gilbraith relocated from Oregon to a beach community in Southern California, began a publishing company and operated it for many years, and retired when her husband retired from teaching. With Gerald’s teaching career and Babs publishing a school-based paper, both remained quite interested in education. They attended the athletic games of their six grandchildren, and Gerald substituted as often as called. Retired but with much energy and creativity and loving people, Babs and Gerald built a lovely BnB and named it The Shell House.

Chapter One

LIL

The Marigold Inn, Lil answered. Yes, I will definitely reserve the same room next year at this time. Congratulations again, Mr. and Mrs. Applegate!

Sounds like the Applegates were pleased with their stay, Bill, Lil’s handyman, said as Lil was hanging up the phone.

They are such a dear couple and what wonderful friends they have to come from all over the country to surprise them. Bill, thank you for all you did to make the week special.

I think I enjoyed it as much as they did. Bill laughed. What a reverse situation being included in everything as guests.

That was a first for me, too. Guests always seem to be polite, but to have them cook and treat us like guests was mind-boggling. It was so much fun. Now we need to get ready for the exact opposite.

Let me guess…the chess competition. Bill winked.

Exactly, I don’t think I have ever had such tense or speechless guests.

Bill said, I was a member of the chess club in high school and thought I was pretty good. However, I quickly learned I wasn’t so good. I recall the first time I touched a piece on the chessboard and changed my mind. I was reprimanded and told in no uncertain terms that I had to move that piece. Then the next player touched one of my pieces, and when I objected, he said he accidentally brushed the piece and the tournament director let it go.

So, after that, did you become a master chess player? asked Lil.

Are you out of your mind? I could only stick with it a couple weeks. When the instructor started throwing out terms like castling, queening, promoting, underpromotion, en passant, and fifth rank, I zoned out. Fortunately, it was an afterschool club elective, and I found running track more to my liking.

I can see how that was a good choice, and running has become a lifelong habit of yours, said Lil.

You’re right, and speaking of running, it’s early. And since you don’t have guests arriving today, why don’t you try out your new running shoes?

Great idea! Give me twenty minutes to put the laundry in and I’ll meet you at the gate. Remember these shoes didn’t come with batteries! I asked for shuffling shoes, and the clerk didn’t appreciate my humor. Lil laughed.

I’m right there with you. It isn’t a race. Let’s set our goal for one mile.

Just as they were jogging out the drive, the mailman waved, holding up a fat envelope. Bill, that must be my round-robin. I am so happy to know when I get home I can relax with my friends, so to speak, and see what they have been up to. I enjoyed the reunion so much, and reconnecting with my friends in person was the topping on the cake, which reminds me to ask Ditty for a cake recipe.

Bill said, You are always so happy when that big envelope arrives. Tell me again how that robin thing works.

You are so funny. It started with me writing a letter and mailing it to Ditty. She added her letter and mailed to Milly, who added her letter and sent it to Izzy, who added her letter and sent it to Babs, who mailed to me. When I get the fat envelope, it has five letters. I take mine out and add a new one, and the robin continues on to Ditty, Milly, etc.

It is such a good idea. I’m going to tell my brother about the robin for our family. He won’t write, but I bet his wife will.

Hi Friends,

Thank you all for such a wonderful reunion. It is hard to believe so much had happened since we renewed our friendships at the first reunion. I’m raising my teacup in a toast to the five of us for a healthy, fun year until we get together again.

I am still reeling from a delightfully busy week. We had the sweetest couple choose The Marigold Inn for their honeymoon. Unbeknownst to the couple, twenty of their friends also booked the week to surprise them, and what a surprise it turned out to be! The first night, the honeymooners were here alone. Their friends arrived bright and early for breakfast and insisted on doing the cooking. (I’m not sure the kitchen will ever be the same, but the food was delicious and abundant.) All the guests had gone to college together and shared the same love of outdoor activities. A couple of the guests are professional videographers, so after dinner, everyone gathered on the patio to watch videos of the day’s adventure complete with music. (Several years ago we installed a drop-down screen on the patio, and it was very much appreciated and put to good use by this lively group.) Of course, the last evening was celebrated with a confetti cannon. Thank goodness for biodegradable, earth-friendly confetti.

The confetti reminded me of back in the old days when throwing rice was replaced with birdseed. I remember at my wedding preparing tiny net bags with white satin ribbon for our guests to throw—ideally, untying the bags first. My elderly great-aunt was a pretty good shot, throwing the entire bags at our heads as we left the church! We had many good laughs over the years reflecting on her pitching ability.

It is with much love that I put this in the hands of the postal service with the anticipation of this robin’s fast return.

Lil

DITTY

It is so great to be home, boys, Ditty said as she hugged her sons. Thanks for picking me up at the airport. Now tell me everything I missed while away.

Her sons both laughed, sat down at the table, and Jim said, Mom, pour yourself a cup of coffee. Alex smiled and said, Mom, I agree. You will need a strong cup of coffee for our tale. Ditty poured her coffee, sat down, and braced to hear what horrible things had transpired in her absence. Both sons took a deep breath, looked at one another, and said as one: Mom, nothing happened. Everything is fine. Then they began laughing at the expression on her face.

Well, Ditty said, of all the things I imagined, that was the easiest to hear. She joined in the laughter. I may just have to leave again if you got along that well.

In actuality, Ditty had not expected anything amiss when she returned. While she was still very involved in the general operation of Chandler Farms, most notably at her original BnB, her two sons and their families ran the operations at their properties pretty much by themselves and were easily able to fill in where needed at hers. It was not that long ago each son had purchased adjoining properties to her and converted their homes to BnBs also. In addition, Jim and his family operated a farmers market and truck farm, as well as ran sheep and goats to make fresh cheeses. They had added Jersey cows to increase their cheese production. Alex and his wife both maintained their law and accountant careers in addition to the BnB on their property, and Jim and Ditty’s farm managers operated the acreage surrounding it. A nice family operation, and one Ditty enjoyed as it gave her some welcome free time after years of dealing with the loss of her husband and expansion into the BnB world herself.

The round-robin just hit my mailbox this morning, girls, and I was so happy to see it! The time away at the dude ranch particularly was such fun. The awards ceremony will forever be locked away as the time we solved the Whitaker mystery. I hope you all arrived home safely as well as Lil and I did.

My fondest hopes were realized as I discovered The Chandler Farms operations did very well without me being here. I now feel free to delve into some traveling. We will see how much I can actually do that, being a homebody as I am. At the very least, I won’t feel bad making short visits here and there and spending time with my friends. I have always felt so responsible for this place that I hardly left it. Now we have grown into what seems a huge holding and I am freer than ever. Odd, isn’t it?

More baby lambs last night. It takes me back to my younger days when my husband and I ran a large herd of sheep. I would seldom get a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner on the table without at least four trips to the barn to deliver, round up, or get a lamb into a pen with its mom. The payoff was always watching the little ones gambol, dance, and play.

Well, I do actually have my own BnB laundry to get caught up, as well as see where we stand in the kitchen.

Girls and Gerald, it was fun, and I am so looking forward to a repeat next year.

Ditty

MILLY

Since returning from the reunion, Milly had been busy trying to catch up and hadn’t had a minute to relax. She was in seventh heaven this morning with her friend Sarah at a garage sale. After her fiancé jilted her, Milly returned the wedding gifts, except, of course, the monogrammed towels. Ever since then, Milly has been obsessed with collecting towels. As a BnB owner, she has delighted her guests with monogrammed towels in their rooms. This morning was a bonanza adding four sets of white towels with TUC. Should she not have the correct initials for a guest, these will be perfect for The Upper Crust. As she paid for the towels, she said, Honestly, Sarah, I can’t help but wonder who in the world would have these initials!

"I was thinking the same thing! There can’t be that many middle names beginning with the letter U."

Milly said, Perhaps it is just an initial. Some people don’t have a middle name. Remember KC in school? His name was Kelly, and the C stood for his great-grandfather’s name that he never knew. He always went by KC

Sarah agreed, I never knew his name was Kelly. Did you see him at the reunion?

No, I have to admit I was so thrilled with the five of us being together that I didn’t socialize much. Milly got sidetracked at the sight of another box labeled towels/linens. Flipping the top off, she yelled, "Will you look at this? What a disappointment—towels/linens must be code for chipped dishes."

It’s just as well. You have your find for the day, and I have to get home.

Thanks for coming with me, Milly said.

Hi Robins,

I have to say we looked forward to the reunion so long that when I got home, it was such a letdown knowing it was over. Thanks, all of you, for such a great time, and thank goodness for this round-robin.

Ditty, I agree with Lil’s request for another