On Flight 6011 from New York to Dallas for my second ever writing conference. The plane hasn’t even left the runway and I feel a, shall we say, “Fortunately… Unfortunately” blog coming on. Ahhh, why not. If you insist…
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| Hannah decorated my suitcase for me! So I wouldn’t lose it! |
Fortunately, two days ago, I thought to prepare the girls for mommy being away for four sleeps, so sat with them on the couch and told them, “Remember when Mommy went to her writing conference last year and we did FaceTime to keep in touch?”
Unfortunately, my third princess chimed in, “Yeah. I remember how Sarah wouldn’t stop crying the whole time you were gone.” Not exactly how I wanted to begin this conversation.
Fortunately, I found a way to give the comment a positive spin: “But she’s older now. And she’ll do great. Right bubs?” I tickle Sarah as I scoot her onto my lap.
Unfortunately, the idea of crying now teases her and she responds, “Mommy. I’m going to miss you.” And as I push her head toward my shoulder and squeeze tightly, I know that I’ll miss all my princesses too.
Fortunately, my second daughter lightens the mood. “You can always mail us your dessert since you’re not eating sweets these days.” Everyone laughs.
Unfortunately, everyone but Sarah. “Take me with you.”
“I wish I could,” I assure her. “But you know I can’t.”
“Why?”
“It’s a big people conference.”
“I won’t bother you.”
“Well do you want to be a writer?”
“Yes!”
“Okay. Tell me about your book. What’s it about?”
“A cat.”
“Tell me more. Are their other characters? Does the cat have any friends?”
“Oh forget it, Mom. Just take me with you!”
“Should I put you in my suitcase?”
“Yes!”
“I can’t do that! How will you breathe?”
“Mommy. That’s very bad. You should never do that again.”
“Mommy. That’s very bad. You should never do that again.”
“Do what?”
“Tell me you’ll bring me in your suitcase and then tell me you can’t.”
“Good point. Sorry.”
Fortunately, I digress from this conversation. “Who wants to help me pack?” My third raises her hand first. “I will.”
Unfortunately, I spend over two hours yesterday looking for my favorite red heels instead of packing.
Fortunately, my bedroom gets cleaned up as a result and when Hubs arrives home, he asks, “Woah! What happened in here?” and then answers his own question. “I’ll hide your red heels next time if that’s all it takes!”
“Ha ha.”
Unfortunately, I can’t pack now, because I have to get my nails done, and I have to sneak in the door before noon if I want my midweek discount: Free Mani with a Pedi, Mon-Thurs B4 Noon.
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| Ignore the messy chaos behind me! |
Fortunately, I make it on time and the salon isn’t busy so in a matter of minutes, I have my massage chair working out the kinks of my “still stressed because I can’t find my red heels!” back pain and the ladies give me a French on my hands and paint my toenails a pretty red.
Unfortunately, I can’t decide between Tiny Wine-ey Red and Head Turning Red when it’s time to apply the polish. The former is a tinge darker, but I like the name of the latter color. So like a writer—to be swayed by words.
Fortunately, a different shade of red that I immediately fall in love with is sitting at the station already.
Unfortunately, it’s called So Covenant or something like that, and I am seriously having trouble getting past the name.
Fortunately, my two youngest came with me and I ask Princess #3 for her opinion, holding all three up for her to choose one. She picks the prettiest shade with the odd name. I concede.
Unfortunately, the clouds outside look like a scene right out of the Wizard of Oz and I’m not sure if it’s worth getting my hair done if its just gonna rain on my head anyway.
Fortunately, hubby’s mom isn’t ready for me to take her to the nursing home, and the rain holds off, so I drive a mile down the street into downtown Glen Cove to Hair Above where they’re featuring a mid-week shampoo/blow-out special.
Unfortunately, because my $3.79 box of organic hair coloring didn’t work, I’m now paying a pretty penny to hide my greys. So much for mid-week special.
Fortunately, the girls don’t cause too much trouble in the salon and my hair turns out fabulous. I feel like a princess. Thank You Bianca at Hair Above!
Unfortunately, I still haven’t packed and my red shoes are no where in sight, and now I have to drive over to the nursing home, a one hour round-trip.
Fortunately, when we arrive, I think to go up and see Hubby’s dad, even though I’m stressed about time. I want to let him know I’m going to Dallas for a writing conference.
“A riding conference? What will you ride?” he asks.
“No Appa. A writing conference.” Which makes us all laugh. It’s good to laugh with him.
Unfortunately, he probably won’t remember what I told him. But then again, he might. Sometimes his memory seems sharper these days, and at other times, I’m shocked at what he forgets. Sigh.
Fortunately, I have to run only one small errand to the drug store to pick up a hairbrush and some Dentemp [don’t ask…] and Sarah printed the two items on pink sticky notes for me to remember. Lydia is back home with the other two now.
[Okay, I’ll tell you.] Unfortunately, two days ago, while I flossed my back molar, I found a small crack in the rear tooth. I freaked out. What if this is dangerous? This is what I get for avoiding the dentist for too long. What if I’m in Dallas and I have a dental emergency? I can just see it now: right in the middle of an Editor appointment, I bite down too hard and my molar pops out and lands on my sample pages. Yuck! Must take care of this pronto.
Fortunately, the Dentist squeezed me in at 4:00PM, which is right in between two SAT tutoring sessions I have with students and what’s the worst case scenario? I drool a little while working on Geometry formulas.
Unfortunately, the tooth situation is in a nutshell, a cracked filling, and it will take over an hour to fix. The dentist does not have an hour today. Today is Monday. My flight leaves Wednesday morning. The office is closed on Tuesday. Darn it!
Fortunately, it’s gonna be okay. Hopefully.
“Does it hurt?” he asked.
“No. Not at all.”
“That’s good. Then it will probably be fine. We can take care of it when you get back from Dallas.”
“But is it dangerous if it breaks or pops out while I’m at my conference?”
“Not at all. It might be a little sensitive if there’s a cavity under it. But if it doesn’t hurt now, it shouldn’t hurt then”
“But there will be a hole in my tooth, is that correct?”
“Yes. That is true. So what you do is get this stuff called ‘Dentemp.’ It’s easy. Works like a temporary filling. And no one will suspect a thing.”
“Unless I tell them in my blog…”
Unfortunately, now I am starving because it’s 4:30 and I need to drive another twenty minutes to my last student of the day.
Fortunately, the dental office is right next to Roosevelt Field Mall, which is right next to the Grand Lux Cafe, one of my favorite eateries.
Unfortunately, I am having a breakdown moment when I stare blankly at the dessert display as I wait for someone to take my “to-go” order.
Fortunately, I pick my choices really fast and the staff person doesn’t ask if I’d liked some dessert with that. So I resist. Barely!
Unfortunately, by the time I get the food, I have five minutes to scarf it down and hit the road.
Fortunately, the three mini Kimchi steak tacos hit the spot. I decide right there and then that I need to put in a request for a room near a Korean BBQ in heaven. Yum to the Yum!
Unfortunately, when I arrive to tutor, my student is just not that motivated. Which makes my job a little challenging. Not only do I have to teach academic skills. I have to think of witty remarks to spark some energy out of this kid who says barely two words to me. Nicest kid ever, don’t get me wrong. Even looks a tad like Ashton Kutcher. But it’s not easy to get a teen guy to smile when you’re always pushing fractions and exponents. He even dropped his pen, not once, not twice…but five times. Hmmmm.
Fortunately, he sticks it out for two plus hours and we make some progress. Now it’s time to rush home and begin packing.
Unfortunately, everyone is exhausted from a weekend of activities and Hubby has to stay up late to finish a lecture for the residents. I clonk out before ten. This might very well the one and only time in fourteen years that I fell asleep before the Hubs. Packing will have to wait till the morning.
Fortunately, it’s now 5:00PM Tuesday and I already told you what happened [lost red heels, nails done, hair done, no rain yet, saw Appa…] so we can skip ahead.
Unfortunately, when I leave the nursing home and take Sarah with me to the shoe store, they only have one pair of red heels that I like. But they’re slightly tight around the toes, and they cost over $40.
Fortunately, nature calls, and by the time I take Sarah to the potty, I come to my senses. I can just save the money and find the shoes. There’s still some time. A little.
Unfortunately, when I run to the drug store to pick up the hairbrush and Dentemp, I forget to buy the most critical item that should be in my suitcase: ear plugs! So if you’re at ACFW and you have a mega-pack, I will be hitting you up for some. Two actually. All I need is two.
Fortunately, miracle of miracles! When I arrive home, I recheck one corner of my room that I only skimmed earlier and Voila! My grown-up red Dorothy shoes are hanging off my dresser knob in a grocery bag. Just where I left them after the wedding we attended a month ago. Yeah to the Yippee-Kay-Yeah!!
Unfortunately, Hubby calls and says, “Be ready in 15 minutes. We’re going to the movies.”
“But I haven’t packed yet. And I haven’t even printed out my chapters. Or my One Page. Are you sure?”
“See you in 15.”
“Okay.” Click.
Fortunately, I have everything I need to put in my suitcase set into three piles on the couch: Dress clothes, casual clothes, shoes and toiletries. I just have to triage the piles and decide what stays. I’m guessing my carry-on will have something to say about that third and fourth pair of shoes I want to bring. These don’t include the ones I’ll wear on the flight. What is it with girls and their shoes?
Unfortunately, when hubby picks us up, it begins to drizzle. Must. Save. The. Hair!
Fortunately, hubs rethinks the evening’s plans to help me get organized and opts for a short walk on the docks by Pribel’s Beach, where we had our Kayaking adventure.
Unfortunately, it’s raining! Can’t. Mess. With. The. Hair!
Fortunately, I’m one of those people that don’t get embarrassed easily. So I wrap my head up with a black jacket sweater. And put my daughter’s purple, waterproof jacket over it and tie it like a bonnet. Hubs and the girls laugh at my obsession over my hair, but it works. My hair stays dry. Completely.
And I’m so glad I ventured out. The wind is whipping and the waves are kicking up and for the first time ever, I see little wisps of twirling mist moving across the Long Island Sound.
“What is that? It reminds me of a whale spouting out air in the ocean!” We’re all looking at the phenomenon that hovers over the water about a hundred feet from us.
“That’s a water spout. It’s like a mini-hurricane.” Hubs knows his hurricane stuff. He’s been through Hurricane Andrew. I will have to share that story some day. Anyone who knows it knows it’s a miracle that hubby and his family are alive today.
“That is so cool!” We all take turns saying.
So cool!
Unfortunately, when we arrive home, I have not packed a thing, printed one page, and we’re all starving. It’s well past dinner time.
Fortunately, Hubby cooks while I print and he whips up a spiced up steak he bought two days ago and I’m in carnivore heaven! So put me in the middle of a Korean restaurant and a Curry House. That’ll work God! And yes Mom, we had salad too.
Unfortunately, when I finish printing my chapters, I realize that I don’t have any resume paper for my One Page sheet. It’s a professional conference. I should try my best to look, act, and be professional, right? But it’s past 9:00PM and Kinkos and Staples are both closed.
Fortunately, Hubby decides to venture out in the storm and drive through branch-strewn streets until he finds the one store still open: Walmart. And they have it! Walmart Delivers! He calls me close to 11:00PM to tell me the good news!
Unfortunately, Hubs rarely shops, so he gets swallowed up in the aisles of good deals and doesn’t return until well past 11! I still need to print.
Fortunately, I finished packing while he was buying apples, bananas and paper, oh my!
Unfortunately, even though I finished everything a little past midnight, I didn’t sleep well. Wahh!
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| A bracelet or two, a mirror, a dolphin charm and an “N” for Nitha! |
Fortunately, I woke up before my alarm, made coffee, boiled eggs, double checked my flight status and had plenty of time for lots of morning snuggles with my princesses. Each of them gave me a little token to remind me of them! And Hannah even wrote me a note for the flight with sweet words and three “Advice Cupcakes of Joy.” ♡
Unfortunately, the first words out of the mouth of my littlest this morning are: “Take me with you.” She knows I can’t.
Fortunately, no glitches to the airport. Or through security. Although when I boarded the plane, I had a new seat. Just like last year. But this time, I opted to ask the Flight Attendant if I could move to the open row so I could make myself a little bed. Thank God I brought a pillow! And sleep I did. And then work up, ate some left over spicy steak. And wrote this. 🙂
Ready or not… here we go again! I’ll be sure to share all about the conference highs, lows and other when I return. In the meanwhile, if you haven’t had a chance to check out my First Ever Comment Contest, what are you waiting for!?! No pressure… But I’d love the feedback when you get a chance.
Thank you for all your well wishes for this year’s conference ALL. Like the hugs I gathered from my princesses this week, I have all this good stuff stored in my other suitcase.
“Which one Mommy?” Sarah asked.
I made a heart with my two thumbs and pointer fingers and placed my hands under my chin. “This one.”
Sarah smiled. And hugged me again. Stored that one too.
Now it’s up to FaceTime, Skype and Oovoo to get us through. And when those fail. As they do. I’ll go back to what I know will never fail: God’s Grace. See you back in New York after four sunrises and five sunsets.
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Thanks Bubs!! Kiss Kiss. Muah!!! -yours. Mom
Hi mommy!
Don’t worry I’m holding up the fort!
Really good blog Masala Mama!
C u soon 😀