bedtime rituals
foot rub magnesium cream
relaxing music
I’m a firm believer in sleep – not too much, and not too little. I wish I knew the sweet spot of food like I know the sweet spot of sleep. I head bedward at 9:00 so I can start getting sleepy. The goal is to be fully asleep between 9:30 and 10:00 and to wake at 5:00 without exercising the snooze option more than a couple of times (much more challenging on a Monday).
For years, I took melatonin, but the nightmares were real. That’s when my sister in law told me about magnesium foot cream, and my sleep has never been better. This is the first part of my sleepy time ritual.
Plus, there is music. Which leads me to Leigh Anne Eck’s Music Festival. I’m showing up in pajamas and slippers, hair up and face drenched with moisturizer because my music is focused on peaceful relaxation and not feeling like I want to get up and dance or bust a move my body can no longer handle.
Let’s start with Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World. No one on earth offers greater reassurance that things are still okay with the world than Louis himself. I need that at the end of a day when everything has reached the crescendo of doubt. Trees of green and red roses, skies of blue and clouds of white and babies…..it’s a feast of all-is-well, now go to sleep knowing it’s going to be okay. Tom T. Hall’s I Love is one that offers some reassurance, too, but not quite like old Lou.
B.J. Thomas may be in my top 5 artists with songs like Don’t Worry, Baby for relaxing. This one is on par with The Alan Parson Projects’ Eye in the Sky, which brings it waaaaay up on the list with its one greatest line in the whole song: the sun in your eyes made some of the lies worth believing.
But the best ever, the top top top line I love in a song is actually a question, and anytime we hear it playing, my husband and I look at each other and answer, “Yes.” The Eagles: Take it to the Limit – – if it all fell to pieces tomorrow, would you still be mine?
Now I could go far down the John Denver Country Roads and Calypso lyrics a long, long way…. they’re on my relaxation playlist, too, at this Goodnight Music Festival.
Let’s get this goodnight party started as we close out another year of The Slice of Life March Challenge and look forward to the Tuesday slicing all year long.
Good night, Moon! Good night, March! Good night, Slicing family! Thank you for the stories and for sharing your lives this month and inspiring everyone. See you on Tuesday!
Hey, wait……that’s tomorrow! In that case, see you around 5:00 a.m………
Special thanks to the TWT crew for making this month of slicing possible, to each of the writers for all of the inspiration, and to Glenda, Barb, and Denise for slicing in time increments throughout the day. Your writing kinship means the world to me, and I’ll end with a group hug and an invitation to write through April with another writing community starting tomorrow as we kick off VerseLove 2025 at http://www.ethicalela.com. If you wrote for 31 days, you can write for 61 – – believe it! Hope to see you there!
Common Threads 
Magnesium foot cream is a new one for me, and I might have to get some. Sleep’s important! And it’s been hard this month. See you tomorrow and on Tuesdays. It’s been a great month connecting with the early posters!
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Yes to the importance of sleep! I need to check out this foot rub. I really love this imagery and humor “I’m showing up in pajamas and slippers, hair up and face drenched with moisturizer because my music is focused on peaceful relaxation and not feeling like I want to get up and dance or bust a move my body can no longer handle.” Congrats on another year of slicing and making it to the “music festival” during your time slices.
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I’m “amazoning” that cream right now! Thanks, Kim! And thank you for your uplifting writing and your thoughtful comments! Much appreciated!
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My sleep time is about the same as yours. Sleep has become very important to me. I need to find some of that foot cream! Your playlist is full of so many familiar songs to me. Thanks for sharing this month of writing. Will you please help write the Kidlit Progressive Poem? Still a few days left. https://reflectionsontheteche.com/2025/03/06/kidlit-progressive-poem-2025-sign-up/
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Hmmm…I wonder if that cream will work on older folks with hormone changes preventing a good night’s sleep? We have a hippy store in town and I’m going to give this one a try. I always enjoy your stories and wonderful comments, too. Thank you. 🙂
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Kim,
Very genius way to close out the month. I love What a Wonderful Workday and pretty much all Eagles songs. I’ve never heard of magnesium cream as a sleep aide. I’ll give it a try. I need to sleep earlier and get better quality sleep, although it has been better since I started PT. You, my friend, have turned into my grandma w/ this early to bed routine. JK! I always thought that would be me, but it’s not. I’m up until midnight and generally awaken around 6:00 a.m. w/out an alarm. I have animals! I am glad I sliced through the day. As Denise said, it made writing intentional, but there were times I wrote about a recent day and not the exact day. Still, I kept everything in March this year. I will see you in two places tomorrow. I’ll be here early and on EELA later, probably after your bedtime!
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I love it that you show up in PJs and slippers and soothing music. And thank you for sharing the tip about magnesium foot rub.
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Another beautifully written post. I can hear the music, and I must get this foot cream. Wow! I’m excited. Sleep is important! Hugs! I’ll see you tomorrow at VerseLove!
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Melatonin foot cream???!!!!! Who knew! Now I do, thanks to you! And John Denver — my mom still has the albums and a working record player! “Good night slicing family!” Thanks so much for sharing, Kim! Not committing to 61 days but I’ll be cheering you all on!
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What a lovely way to end March – music and a foot rub!! Thanks for a month of glimpses into a 30-minute moment in your day. I am so glad you write and do it here where you nudge me to write more. Grateful! Congrats on another year of slicing . See you on Tuesdays now!
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Kim, perfect ending post! I considered doing my nighttime routine for my last post, but it is a bit sporadic! And yesterday’s bedtime had Keith pulling a muscle in his back, so it was really off kilter. (He’ll be fine, but moving slowly.) I loved singing along with the relaxation songs I know that you shared. Beautiful post. Thanks again for the idea.
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A lovely way to end the Challenge, Kim, a goodnight bedtime ritual post with music and magnesium foot cream -why have I not heard of this before?? And — B.J. Thomas’s Don’t Worry Baby was a favorite of mine when I was a young teen; I was so excited when it came on the radio (my pink transistor Panasonic Panapet, round, you know, looked like a face with silver eyes). I am ashamed to confess I didn’t know Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys wrote it until my youngest (my musician son, largely influenced by Wilson) told me. What a delight of a post and yes, tomorrow IS Tuesday! The beat goes on! (Couldn’t resist that one!).
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I’ll try anything for a good night sleep, so I too will be checking the cream out. Your passion for writing is inspiring. I’ve enjoyed reading your pieces and your thoughtful comments this month. See you next year!
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This!! “I wish I knew the sweet spot of food like I know the sweet spot of sleep.”
So, so relatable.
Thank you Kim! For this slice, for your company this month, for your great comments. I loved connecting with you this month and look forward to Tuesdays as well!
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