Mama's Musings

Ms. Potato Head

The week has whizzed by with a great deal of activity. On Friday, after a full week of caring for a sick, bored little boy, I hired a babysitter to keep my appointment at the hair salon. It may sound trite, but I was really looking forward to an oasis of beauty and relaxation. School was cancelled due to the hurricance, and I didn't think I could stand another day stranded at home.

When I got the hair salon, where I am planning to do a book signing on February 8, my beloved hair stylist Ramona, alerted me that I'd be having a business meeting while she worked my mousy locks back into a blonder state of being.

"Herr X is coming to discuss making your book into an audio book," she remarked. She proceeded to fill my head with tin foil and a paste that smelled luck rug cleaner. Herr X showed up just as she was putting on the final touches of foil. He gave me some material to peruse while Ramona rinsed my hair. Chatting all the while, Herr X and I realized we had similar goals. At the same time, I felt like celebrities must feel. Never a moment to oneself.

I am grateful for the opportunity to explore turning my book into an audio recording. Are you kidding? It's a dream come true. The fact he tracked me down, tin foil and all, tells me he likes my work. Okay, so he likes the idea of my work since he hasn't read it yet.  Nonetheless, I felt like what I do has meaning. As the round hair dryer whirled around my head like an oscillating halo, I chuckled to myself.

"So this is what it means to have arrived!"

PR Megasale with Susan Harrow and Author's Companion

I almost forgot to mention the amazing sale we have going on January 8-12. Susan Harrow asked if I'd include my book promotion course, AUTHOR'S COMPANION, in her public relations product package this week. For anyone looking to improve their PR & marketing strategy, these products are a must-have. All for a fraction of the original price!

More here

Hurry. The pri~ce goes up January 11th and the event ends January 12th!!

Snatching a Minute

It's been a while since I last posted. Once the dust settled from our two-week Christmas visitors, it was already January 6th. Andreas attended a conference for a few days starting the day our final set of guests left. It was good timing in the end as the kids were ready for some quiet time.

I went back to the gym for the first time yesterday. Feelings of gratitude for my simple, quiet life have returned. It was nice to get out of the house for a week in Switzerland, and it's always nice to come back again. The unusually warm temperatures in Germany have made this winter more than bearable. I haven't felt the heavy coat of frigidity that typically sets in this time of year. It has rarely been below freezing, and I even heard the birds twittering this morning!

This morning I went to the dentist, thinking the worst about some pain in my jaw. Root canal? Mega cavity? No no!The dentists says I have nocturnal bruxism -- you know -- grinding teeth at night. So she's prescribed six visits to the cranio-sacral therapist for some relaxation. It's moments like these where I kiss the German sky and its sometimes generous medical system. I had planned on paying a massage therapist 70€ an hour to massage my face in a process called rebirthing. This way the insurance company pays for it. I feel almost criminal!

Off to pick up the children. I have to admit I hated seeing them go today. In a brief call, my husband asked how I was enjoying my first day of 'freedom'?

"Freedom?" I blinked into my cell phone. "I miss you all!"

Little Andy Who's Who

The house dust fell silent yesterday at 8:05 am. One child was awake; the other was not. I nursed my morning coffee in a stunned trance. Four houseguests and my husband had left after two weeks of fun and frolicking. While I missed my mom and sister, it felt odd, and strangely comforting.

"What do you want to do today, Jackson?" I asked my five-year-old son who was playing quietly with one of his toys. After thirty seconds he looked up and said, 'Huh?' He didn't want to make plans. He just wanted to be in the NOW. My daughter awoke and we breakfasted together. They played in their rooms for hours, listening to cassettes, drawing and daydreaming. It was marvelous.

My brother-in-law put in a wireless relay station so I can actually work at the dining room table. I noticed how comforted the kids were with my presence. Just being there made all the difference, even though my nose was buried in my laptop.

We got several calls yesterday. The International Who's Who called to verify 'Dr. Hohlbaum's information.' They had elicited his application, making him one of the most sought after specialists in his field. I had to snicker. Little Andy Who's Who is not here, I wanted to say. He's off to a castle 90 minutes away for a *cough* conference.

On the phone later that evening, he seemed eager to get back to work, actually.

"Everyone here is itching to return to work," he remarked. His voice echoed in the tower of the castle where the symposium was being held.

I suppose that's what you get stealing away from a dusty house and your family for a few days of pre-work solace. The novelty had already worn off. To be honest, I'm glad I have a few days to finish the holiday puzzle, check my emails, and enjoy the solitude of the house that was in an uproar for two weeks.

I grinned at the dusty bunnies that had gathered in the corner of my stairs. Like the guinea pigs, they are a constant, undemanding presence in my house, one I have overlooked for way too long!