What my nap told me to do today

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brothers

Don’t worry. I’m not going to write a blog post on the subject of not making prize lists every time my book doesn’t make a prize list. (Whew, that was a close one, says the good reader.) Nope. Today my nap told me to blog about all the really good things going on in this crammed old life. So here are some of the things I’m glad for right now.

* Killing two birds with one stone: Oldest son is supposed to read out loud for 15 minutes a day. Youngest son adores books featuring Star Wars characters which mother refuses, on principle, and for the sake of her sanity, to read. Ergo, oldest son reads Star Wars books out loud to youngest son.

* Freelance gigs arriving at exactly the right moment. Exciting freelance gigs — even better.

* Surprise messages in my inbox from readers who have loved The Juliet Stories. Still working out the best response to these, since they tend to make me feel a) self-conscious, b) teary-eyed, and c) weirdly unqualified to reply. (Like: did I actually write the book this person is referring to?) Funny thing: when I say thanks for telling me you liked it, people often say, no, thank you for writing it, at which point I get stuck because saying you’re welcome seems weird. Or maybe it doesn’t? Let me try this out: “Thank you for writing a book.” “You’re welcome.” Now I’m not sure. Maybe that’s exactly all I should be saying. Though it’s tempting, also, to add: That’s awesome, now, please tell all your friends to go buy copies too!

* This message in my inbox from a friend: “I have to tell you, half an hour ago I saw a great picture unfolding as I drove by [your daughter’s school] … Up on the level ground, I saw a girl with long red hair dribbling a soccer ball through a large pack of boys.”

* Festival season. Wow! Is it ever festival season! I’m reading at Word on the Street at Kitchener City Hall (inside) at 4:30 on Sunday afternoon. And then I’m up and flying to Winnipeg for the Thin Air Writers’ Festival where I’m reading on the Mainstage with a crowd of other writers, starting at 7:30pm on Monday. On Tuesday at 2:30pm I’ll be back, along with Cordelia Strube, for an on-stage chat with Charlene Diehl. Charlene is the director of Thin Air, and she just happens to have been one of my favourite professors way back when. I’m really really looking forward to this.

* Happy, improbable fantasies: such as, why not train to do an Ironman this year? A friend posted on my Facebook wall that she thought I could do it — her husband just completed his second, and managed the feat despite training only over his lunch hour (!!). So now I’m thinking, yeah, I’ll bet I could do it! Except I have no spare time for Ironman-level training just now. Maybe come winter??

* Texting. Seriously, I love the medium. Has anyone else noticed that there is something poetical about the form? Sometimes it’s nothing but pure comic poetry.

* And, finally, a shout out of congratulations to everyone on the Writers’ Trust short list, especially to Tamas Dobozy, whose kid was on my kid’s soccer team a few years back, so we swapped stories on the sidelines about agents, editors, and trying to get published. I love the smallness of the CanLit world.

(Now, in traditional blog call-and-response style: want to tell me what you’re glad for right now?)

Wearing my writer hat/hair: Eden Mills, part two
Eight kids, two dogs, one woman in charge

20 Comments

  1. Jennifer Thiessen

    Delurking to say I also loved Charlene…she was one of my favourite profs and also a neighbour while I was doing my undergrad. Also: loved the Juliet Stories. Loved. So much that I ran out and bought a hard copy after reading the ebook version.

    Reply
    • Carrie Snyder

      Oh, I love when people delurk! Hi Jennifer! I know right where you lived in undergrad. 🙂
      And thank you for buying a hard copy of Juliet.

      Reply
  2. Margo

    haha, I refuse to read crap to my kids too! Can’t wait until they can take over the job. We’ve been on a Shirley Hughes spate right now and I LOVE HER BOOKS.

    I love that we canceled our weekend trip to the beach. I’m not feeling beach: I’m feeling home-cozy and pumpkins.

    Love chocolate cake with homemade caramel sauce poured over.

    Love the hotpads I’m making – and they’re requested for a fall festival, so it’s good to feel needed.

    Love my red gingham shirt today.

    Love that I get to bike today – it’s a perfect blue sky fall day.

    Reply
    • Carrie Snyder

      I love your list, Margo! And love those homebody weekends too.

      Reply
  3. NathKnits

    I’m glad for coffee; being inside as the rain is starting; my choir and the concerts we’re singing this weekend; that my kids are walking themselves to school this year; that my big kid is a whole decade old as of yesterday; that I will have about 30 minutes later today in which to eat a birthday cupcake and knit, which will restore me enough for tonight’s rehearsal.

    Reply
    • Carrie Snyder

      And I’m glad people seem to like telling me everything they’re glad for. I second your gladness over “kids walking themselves to school”: hurray for increasing independence!

      Reply
  4. m

    I’m glad my middle child wants to go to preschool all day twice a week, which means more time for me, which is thrilling.

    I’m glad that this summer keeps extending itself in Victoria. I know we’re on our last legs, but it’s been amazing.

    I’m glad that I get to walk to Munro’s as soon as I finish my tea and pick up books for H’s first birthday on Saturday.

    I’m glad you write your blog almost every day.

    (Also, when they return your thanks with another thanks to you for writing your book, I’d say just smile and bask in the beauty of a reader and a writer thanking each other over a book. It’s wonderful!)

    Reply
    • Carrie Snyder

      Wow, more gladness! I’m glad for this steady stream of responses.
      Thank you for the little picture you’ve created in my mind: I’m seeing two smiling (shy) people basking in the steady glow of light shining out of an open book.

      Reply
  5. Tricia Orchard

    Glad for my coffee and trash magazines and short episodes of Backyardigans. Just enough time to relax for a bit! 🙂

    Glad that I exercised this morning and that I will again tonight. I ate a chocolate croissant with my coffee.

    Reply
    • Carrie Snyder

      I’m glad you ate a chocolate croissant, Tricia. And now I want one too. Sabletine?

      Also glad I exercised this morning! Because I’ve now done nothing but sit for several hours.

      Reply
  6. isohedral

    Thank you for writing this blog post. I really enjoyed it.

    Reply
    • Carrie Snyder

      Thank you for reading it. I really appreciate it.

      Reply
  7. Fiona

    I’m glad my toddler hugged me and gave me a big kiss as I said goodbye at nursery school…heart melting mama moment!
    I’m glad my newborn let us have a nap this afternoon.
    I’m glad my toddler will be having his first official sleepover tonight with his friend (I just made up her bed next to his…another heart melting moment- I will try to remember this moment as sleeptime approaches!)
    I’m glad that said sleepover gives us an excuse to try out the new pizza joint in the area.
    I’m glad that it smells like fall today and that the sun is shining.
    I’m glad my sister-in-law is an amazing writer and writes this blog!

    Reply
    • Carrie Snyder

      I’m glad it’s sunny where you are, Fiona. And I’m glad you got a nap this afternoon. And I’m quite amazed at your bravery to take on a toddler sleepover with an infant to look after too!

      Hope the pizza is good.

      Reply
  8. doradueck

    I’m thankful you love your kids and being a mom so much, as well as writing (and for sure, moms are feminists too) because it reminds me how true this was for me as well. (I’ve done a draft post about this I’ll get up on my blog one of these days.)
    I’m thankful to be in another stage of mothering, more or less past tense, with 3 (+2) great adult kids and 6 grandkids and all the lovely relationship perks of adult kids and grandkids, and way more time to write (and won’t mention, not now at least, while grateful, that one has less energy though).

    Reply
    • Carrie Snyder

      Dora, you’re making me grateful for the energy I do seem to have, even if it’s sustained by the occasional nap!

      Reply
  9. Susan Carpenter

    I’m thankful for sons. My twelve-year-old had a scratchy throat and raw nose this morning as he suited himself in jeans and backpacked up, made his lunch and put on his hoodie(armour for the bus to junior high). He was rushing around, but waited while I drove down the street to 7-11 to get him lozenges to tuck away just in case, right next to the Kleenex he is too cool to use. Then at 2:24pm precisely, my ten-year-old called from his school upon his return from outdoor school (four days at camp away from phones). I missed him, this big boy of mine, so independent now, but as he spoke his voice hitched a bit because he’s tired and he had missed me too and I realize that both my sons are still small enough to fit inside my heart.

    Reply
    • Carrie Snyder

      Wonderful, Susan! I hope my kids are always small enough for that — or that they don’t object to being squeezed in no matter how big.

      Reply
  10. Heather

    I too, am glad that you write your blog almost every day and that you are so honest about the joys AND the challenges of parenting.

    I’m glad to have had a peaceful morning with my two boys – baking and crafting before I leave for a weekend away with girlfriends.

    I’m glad for a weekend away with girlfriends and an empty house in which to pack for the weekend.

    I’m glad for a Friday that feels like a Saturday.

    I’m glad to have rediscovered the joy of writing (if only for myself).

    Reply
    • Carrie Snyder

      I’m glad to hear of anyone rediscovering the joy of writing — and it’s always for ourselves, first, I think, no matter who else may read it. For me, writing is a necessity. Can’t imagine life without it.

      Enjoy your weekend away!

      Reply

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