Nightmares and sleep walking

There must have been too many covers on the bed. It's 4:30 a.m. and I have been awake for an hour. First, Bill woke up talking in his sleep and even sleep-walked. He never does either, and he rarely remembers his dreams. He is in for some teasing when he wakes up. When I finally got back to sleep I had a horrible nightmare, so I am ready to write.

Chicken Soup has a call out for Mothers and Daughters stories. I think I'll tackle that one, and if I get it finished, I will read it later this evening.

Tonight is open mic at Wired Coffee. I hope to see some friends and have an enjoyable evening. Guess I might have to take a nap first though.

Confounded overeating, and contests galore

Oh darn! The scale is reflecting yesterday's food fest. I'm up two pounds. I'm going to really have to move my body today! My brother and his buddy from Reno, came in town yesterday, so we had pizza and then toured the riverfront and Arch. In the evening we went to a Halloween party. Sitting outdoors in the cool night air around a fire watching everyone else munching chili dogs, nachos and brownies makes one lose her willpower.

I'll get back on track, just like I have with my writing. This warm weather and sunshine has been like a kick in the pants. I've been so inspired, I have written and submitted eight essays or poems in eight days.

Here's a writer's contest website to check out, National League of American Pen Women. www.soulmakingcontest.us

New Launch, Thin Threads

Look for Thin Threads: Real Life Stories of Life Changing Moments. Meet Stacey Battat (Kiwi Publishing) owner and publisher of a new anthology series, Thin Threads, to be released in 2010. My stories have been selected for publication. You may also have something to submit, but be sure to find the 'thin thread' - that life changing moment that defines your story.

http://www.webcastr.com/videos/health-living/thin-threads--life-changing-moments.html

http://www.eartthimes.org/articles/show/kiwi-publishing-launches-thin-threadsr,1023553-shtml

Kids make me smile

It's almost 7:00 p.m. and I am not even tired, so I must be adjusting to this time change. I've been waking at 3:30 a.m., not good!

I am inspired to write again and have submitted four pieces in five days, so I feel like I'm back on track after being derailed by this viral repiratory thing that has lasted nearly a month. Just about everyone I talk to or know has been barking or barfing.

Saw my grandchildren this evening and am as happy as a bee in a flower. I told 2 yr old Nicole that I had to go and she said, "NO." So I said, "Then I'll stay the night." She took me by the hand and led me to her bed and placed a pillow under my head, then she plopped herself beside me on her princess bed and said, "Night-night," and she fake-snored.

I saw one of my students this evening. He looked at me with awe and disbelief and said, "Are you from my school?" They think I live there, you know. I love little kids.

Publishing Opportunity

Good Old Days Magazine is seeking stories for their column, Around the Kitchen Table. I'm sure we can all remember a special meal or guest that made a holiday meaningful. I knew when my grandma had been to our house for a visit while I was at school. She always left a bakery treat on the table for when I got home. Gosh, my mouth waters for those chocolate frosted whipped cream puffs, crunchy coconut toast slices, or slabs of peanut coffee cake drizzled with white icing ... ah, the comfort foods of my childhood.

The weather has been gorgeous, sunny and warm, and I have been enjoying extra long outdoor recesses with my students. One of my favorite delights is to look up at the blue sky and watch the trees rain leaves down upon us. This week alone has made up for all of those miserable rainy days in October.

Lavanderia, A Mixed Load of Women, Wash and Word

Laundry, a mundane, monotonous chore, commonly referred to as woman's work has offered women opportunities to REBEL, (who hasn't slammed clothes into the scalding water when angry?); REVEAL (surely you've sorted truths and lies into piles); and REMEMBER (lost in reverie, our secrets unfurl like a sheet whipping in the breeze).

This morning my laundry hamper is stuffed with memories clinging to garments: the scent of Saturday casino cigarette smoke embedded in my favorite blouse. The fifteen dollar gambling loss was worth the delicious buffet! The sight of chili stains on hubby's shirt takes me back to the Halloween night bonfire. While that smudge of white frosting on my good black slacks makes me tingle with joy remembering how excited two year old Nicole was opening her birthday presents. It also makes me so appreciative that my ex-husband, whom I saw at the baby's party, is just that. I remember wringing his heavy fatigues by hand when he was stationed in Alaska. Twenty-five years of dunking, sloshing in gray water, hand wringing ... ah, yes, laundry, you can lose yourself in it.

I received my copy of Lavanderia, A Mixed Load of Women, Wash and Word. It is a beautiful 334 page book of women's voices. The cover, with subtle images, is the same gorgeous shade of purple as my flowering mums. The poems and personal essays
are beautiful, real, metaphoric, raw and wrenching. It is a multi-cultural glimpse of generations of women revealing their secrets, their tales of love, loss and life through the mundane task of laundry.

My story, From Old King Cole to Nat King Cole is on page 53, way up front in this high quality book, published by San Diego City Works Press
(www.cityworkspress.org) It is edited by Donna J. Watson, Michelle Sierra and Lucia Gbaya Kanga. It is available at Amazon.com.

Partied Out!

On Halloween, we went to Nicole's second birthday party. I ate not one, but two pieces of cake. (I try to plump my hips evenly so I don't walk lopsided.) Then we headed over to Crestwood to Bill's daughter's for a bonfire party where we pigged out on Butterfingers which will go right to my butter-butt.

They had only twenty trick-or-treaters, but we had a lot of fun. My world keeps shrinking. Sixteen year old grandson, Kyle is madly in love with Amanda. Her parents attended the party. As we sat outside getting acquainted, roasting our fronts and freezing our backsides, we discovered that I knew Amanda's mom and grandparents very well from forty years ago (my ex husband worked with her grandpa for decades). Bill always says that I can't go anywhere without having some connection to someone, usually from teaching for 32 years, but now it's happening to him. He discovered that Amanda's dad worked with him for a few months back in the 90's. Boy did we do some story-swapping. It is amazing what a small world it is!

We had planned to stop by Ashley L's party, but by 10:00 p.m. Bill's idea of a costume, a pig hat with flapping wings (swine flu) just didn't seem so funny. I was shivering cold and coughing in the night air, so we headed home. Next weekend, one more bonfire party. I am partied out.