WRONG COAT ANTHOLOGY

Reading
“The Wrong Coat” anthology
Tues., July 12, at 7 p.m. at Brookfield Library

“Our coats are quiet, obedient servants, reliably there for us when we need them . . . until they're not. Learn what can happen when the wrong coat meets the wrong person. It could happen to you.”

Local authors will present a reading from a paperback collection of their fiction works, “The Wrong Coat: an anthology by the Brookfield and La Grange Writers Group,” Tues., July 12, at 7 p.m. at Brookfield Library, 3609 Grand Blvd, Brookfield, IL 60513. For more information, or to register to attend, contact the Brookfield Public Library at 708-485-6917 or visit www.brookfieldlibrary.info.

Copies of the anthology, based on the authors’ responses to a writing prompt based on one individual’s personal experience, will be available for sale at the event. Copies of the book are also available for check out at local libraries, and are available for sale on Amazon.com.


“The Wrong Coat” is now available on CreateSpace and Amazon, edited by contributor Marie Anderson*, with other contributors Barry Abrams, Sally Anderson*, Janet Barrett, Jim Chmura, Kevin M. Folliard*, Lorelei Glaser, Linda Lea Graziani, Judith Kessler, Bonny Kotapish*, Carlos McReynolds, Joan Nelson, Ruth Princess, John Quinn, Margo Rife, Judith Tullis, Cindy Wallach, and Laurie Whitman* with cover design/artwork by Rife and Jessica Myers. *Several members including Lauryn Kotapish further volunteered to serve as contributing editors.

Publication Date: Apr 10 2016; ISBN/EAN13: 1530652057 / 9781530652051

Join us - ! It is very interesting what happens when you get the wrong coat!

My Favorite Restaurant

My favorite restaurant is Nickson's. I love the food, I love the preparation. I always tell people it is just like what you would make at home, but a few steps up in both taste and interest. Owner/brothers Rick and Nick Baca are now in the 9th year of running this successful and homey restaurant.

Chef Nick changes the menu seasonally, and though interested in trying new combinations, manages to keep the standard selections the same. It is like going to your mom's for your favorite meal. Never disappointing, always appealing.

So, when I received an email a couple weeks ago saying that the television program starring Brittany Payton "Chicago's Best" was filming there, I thought I can't miss this.

My friend Maureen Hernandez emailed me and said "Wanna go? I'll make reservations."

The day before, I wasn't sure I would be able to make the lunch due to a previous appointment. When I got up last Wednesday, the day of filming, I went back to my original thought: I can't miss this.

So, Maureen, her son Keith and I went to lunch. The actual making of the meal takes place before everyone congregates in the establishment, so Brittany Payton was sitting at a table by herself with the lunch crowd approaching her, taking selfies and talking with everyone. Maureen mentioned that her son had ordered the Texas brisket grilled cheese sandwich, the dish they were featuring. Brittany is very sweet and takes time to talk to the patrons, kindly acknowledging that some of us witnessed her dad breaking records for the Chicago Bears.

We noticed that Brittany then went up to the camera crew and indicated that someone at our table ordered the featured sandwich. So, the camera crew was soon at our table.

They interviewed Keith, took a video of him chomping on his sandwich. I thought maybe they would pan Mo, as Keith did mention that the taste of grilled cheese brings back fond memories of his mom making buttery grilled cheese sandwiches coupling them with tomato soup. But, alas, we did not make the cut.

Nickson's is a comfortable place; to me, it represents our community: friendly, convivial atmosphere, local flavors and beverages, great prices and a spot where the owners care that you are there.

I heard the air date was supposed to be the end of April. When that is confirmed, I will pass it on.

Nickson's
30 South La Grange Rd
La Grange, IL 60525

Where is the Justice?

Recently I was involved in an accident in my hometown where a woman slammed into me trying to make an illegal left hand turn.

Passers-by stopped to ensure I was okay; I was fine, just stunned.

Debris was all over the street (La Grange Road just north of Ogden in La Grange, IL) and the washer fluid container was on the ground. The entire right headlight and all surrounding areas were crunched. The car had to be towed.
The driver stopped, fortunately. Unfortunately she had no insurance.

The police officer indicated that he could not force me to go to court, but if I didn’t go, she would get not even a ticket. He issued two tickets – one for failure to yield and the other for no insurance.

I went to court.

The judge informed the court room that if the party with whom you had an accident was not sitting in the room, plead ‘not guilty.’

The woman who hit me received a $214 court charge plus a $100 fine for not having insurance.
I, on the other hand, paid my $500 deductible plus additional car rental charges of $600 on the $9,000 repair bill on a 2015 automobile.

Justice?

P.S. As an aside to this story (which I submitted to the Tribune editorial page) I thought I recognized the officer who was writing up the accident report. I asked him if his birthday was February 17 (which is my birthday also).

He answered with a surprised lilt in his voice, "How did you know that?"

"Because it is my birthday also and you let me off of a ticket about 4 years ago for the sole reason we have the same birthday."

He laughed, did not remember that incident but he said it is unusual for him to work day shift - lucky for me, though.


Laurie Whitman
506 N Waiola Ave.
La Grange Park, IL 60525
(708) 829-8286

Competition is a Good Thing

My son, the perpetual fitness advocate and giver of Christmas presents I would never buy for myself, got me a Fitbit for Christmas 2014.

I had asked for it because I walk every day, had been clocking my steps with my Nano (a previous gift from him many Christmases ago). I saw Fitbit advertised, thought it looked good and he got me one – with a fuchsia band.


I set a goal of 10,000 steps a day and 8 hours of sleep a day. I never thought I would achieve the latter.


I reach the step goal a few times a week. I’ve doubled it twice in a year. I also have ‘friended’ two girlfriends, one is 10 years younger than I and walks every day with a fellow woman warrior and another friend just one year younger than I. And yes, I usually am beaten to a pulp by my younger friends.


An unforeseen benefit is that I am sleeping! Maybe not like a baby but clocking eight hours a night, sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. There is a sleep graph that shows you your restless times and your awake times. I do wake up a couple of times during the night, but the time between wake-ups is totally clear on the chart – meaning uninterrupted sleep. It’s a godsend.


Having raised two kids, I don’t think I have had uninterrupted sleep in – let’s see, one kid is 34 the other is 29. In about 34 years.


No longer am I complaining about how badly I slept. No longer am I nodding off during the day while reading the newspaper (even at 7:30 in the morning). No longer does my bed beckon to me at 8:30 p.m.
I am now well-rested….all because I want to beat my Fitbit!