It is a day of many good omens. In the month of November, when the whole Pacific Northwest is usually drizzly and miserable, the blue sky is clear and bright, and when I went on my usual daily walk around the boat docks (I own no boats, but I enjoy being near them) I saw three – three – sea otters in the water, not ten feet away. And I got an acceptance from the Iowa Review, which was very exciting and encouraging (and did a lot to dispel the sadness from two rejections on the same day.) I’ve written a poem about bad and good omens coming in threes – three sea otters, three responses from journals, three…million dollars? years of perfect health? I can’t help but feel optimistic.

Still looking at places to rent for next year. Haven’t found anything yet. Ah the renter’s transient lifestyle, moving every year, constantly having to worry about missed responses and rejections and lost mail. But hey, if I wanted to be a homeowner, I would have stayed in Cincinnati. Or Richmond, VA. Or, really, anywhere but in the Seattle area, home to many Microsoft millionaires who enjoy driving up the prices of homes and groceries.

I am reading Marge Piercy and Margaret Atwood today, trying to write an essay for school and a chef’s profile for Seattle Woman Magazine at the same time. If I am lucky, I won’t mix them up and suddenly start writing about pumpkin gnocci in the poetics piece.