I Need a Butt Kick Personal Assistant
There is nothing relevant about this photograph. It happens to be the only thing
new on my memory card. On second thought... maybe I am moth-like, doing nothing until something blows me away or a bright light stirs me to action. One does not want to take this metaphor too far. I am not flying in to flames.
Never mind.
So.
Remember October through February when Geoff was working ridiculous hours and I lived like a single mom, but with husband laundry? It's on again. I blame real estate agents. Realtors and terrorists.
I do not apologize for lumping them together. Geoff is working all nighters
again. Other than getting a big bed all to myself, it pretty much vacuums much of the joy out of life. And of course his hours coincide with hectic school days and a lot of unfinished Chickens Abroad business... on that point I would just like to say that I wish we had listened and heeded all advice about keeping our trip simple. My head is not happy trying to manage all of the details and what-ifs of traveling for 3 weeks with four children in seven different countries.
I know: We are so lucky, but even "good" stress takes a toll.Was that a paragraph? Am I rambling? Is today Friday?
Did anyone else see the
NBC two parter about the Obama White House? By the way I do watch television. In fact, I
love television. I am ready to take my brain
"all the way." Just saying. I like our President. I am not one of those blind fans that ever believed he is a flawless man that will lead us out of this wilderness. In fact I believe we are barely skirting the first ring of the "greater recession," but it was a joint effort of both parties and greed (and Realtors and terrorists... see? it all ties together) that brought us to this place. Anyway, I think Obama is a good man, a smart and capable man and he surrounds himself with some interesting and smart people. Hey, bottom line... they will do a better job than the last crew.
What really struck me is how much help people get. P E R S O N A L A S S I S T A N T S. Say it with me: Personal Assistants.
Help. Extra hands. Support. A network. Back-up.
Sweet. I have a problem with admitting I need help, asking for help, accepting help, yelling "Help!" I believe, and this only applies to myself, that as a stay at home mom, with no time clock or commute, that I am supposed to do all things domestic. I am supposed to do it all and do it well, and
like it. Oh, and look good doing it too. Needless to say, I am not doing so hot. I think this is the result of many things, including errors in my thinking, a pinch of laziness, lousy housing circumstances, disorientation, and a lack of personal assistants. I blame Facebook too, because I think it helps save my ego to blame the Internet for my failures.
Was that a paragraph? Am I rambling? Is today Friday?
The best thing to happen this week: My mom called me and asked me if I've registered Maria for kindergarten, and then she laced the rest of the conversation with this subliminal message: "Enroll Maria." She asked me about the boys. She told me about grandma, the weather, counting beads... and regularly, subtly, she would say
"Enroll Maria." It worked. I did it. Maria is enrolled, and very happy, I should add. Thanks to my mother's kind and repetitive assistance I actually accomplished a major thing that, frankly, I was blowing off big time.
I don't think it's really necessary to explain why I would want to postpone enrolling my youngest and last baby in "big girl school," away from home, where everyone will confirm that she is not an actual baby. Sigh.Mom, could you please remind me to clean the house and car, reserve two nights somewhere in Brussels, book an airport hotel, and a rental car for our return home? Also, Alex has a birthday coming soon and I need to plan a get together for that, so a push in this direction will be appreciated. Thank you. I love you. A lot.
