This is part of a new cover for my book ‘Dragon’s Tale.’ Paul, my son, thinks his sister Anna is inventing tales about her dragon Iva Lou. As Anna, my daughter, tells her family about her shy dragon Paul won’t, at first, believe in anything he can’t see.

When my kids were small we celebrated two holidays a month.  A few were Girl’s Day, Boy’s day, Rock Day, which is part of the story, “Dragon’s Tale’, Treasure Day, Frog Day, and one of our favorites, Bad Manner Day.

On Bad Manner Day we experimented with eating etiquette from around the world. We’d hold our soup bowls at our bottom lips and shove the solid particles in with chop sticks then slurp as loud as we could. To celebrate old German table manners we’d lean back on the hind legs of our chairs and belch over and over to indicate we liked the meal. Then we’d chew with our mouths open and our elbows on the table. We’d fill our mouths as full as we could get them then attempt to talk but mostly we laughed, launching chewed up stuff onto the center piece, (it always reflected the holiday theme).

I’d say manners weren’t sacred. They’re tools, like “correct clothing” so we didn’t distract others in business dealing or scare people socially.  Manners reflected other cultures which we celebrated all month by listening to their music, looking at art from the areas we’d culinarily celebrated, and we read a little about their histories, and read their fiction stories and visited ethnic restaurants.

‘Dragon’s Tale’s’ new cover will be available soon and brings back great memories. nancymauerman.com

Dragons Tale 1