A Musing Mom

Friday, July 17, 2009

.....And We're Off!!!!!!!!

Heading to the airport in approximately 45 minutes - or as soon as Hannah Montana on Wizards is over as the crow flies in a crazy house of kids. :) Efficient this time - organized and packed well ahead of time, each with their own backpack. (It's a wee bit easier to manage summer wardrobes in luggage!!!!)
We head out at 11:45 tonight and arrive at 7:30 tomorrow morning. I am SO EXCITED to have my friend joining me for this crazy journey!!!!! She's planning the sights she wants to see - I'm mapping the food to eat along the way - Oh, to think - a REAL BAKERY, a NEW YORK BAGEL, a FISH MARKET and a trek to St. Moritz for one teeny tiny Sarah Bernhardt to savor! Oh, and REAL CHINESE food not Asian cuisine!!!!!! (AZ LACKS in the food department for sure and I've had to seek out savory delights that are not attached to chains that all serve the same, boring fare.) The good news is, I cook And I Cook AND I COOK - feed them and they will come - so they come and They Come and THEY COME!!!!!:)
Oh, and about that lousy, work your butt off Constitution class - I got an 'A' and ALL of my assignments for next week are completed for the SEI class so this is all about FUN!
- and ALL of the laundry is done
- and the entire house is spotless - well for me........It's CLEAN!
- and all of the bills are paid
- and I get a few days to recuperate when I return without pressure so I can organize the kids' rooms and drawers and get rid of stuff they never even look at when they are not here to argue.
- AND since this only happens once per year, I am going to savor EVERY SINGLE MOMENT missing them desperately, but I'll be renewed and refreshed for their happy and safe return.
AND I WILL GET TO SEE MANY OF YOU which is the best part of all!!!! :):):)

Look at the eyes......

So much is communicated not with words, but with body language. Actions speak SO much louder than words. My intuitions are strong - I can usually spot trouble a mile away if I am just close enough to read the silent signals. (sans my marriage - where I was too close to want to see!) It's usually they eyes that get me. Those subtle glances that those stealth people think go unnoticed at a dinner table or social gathering - the silent conversations that tell the true listener what is really being said. If you stop and listen, the words follow. Couched in kindness, you will hear tidbits dribble through about what those eyes were saying. It may take a LONG time, but you will hear it - good, bad or indifferent. Unlike high school where people just came out and said what was on their mind, adults hide behind masks of subtle comments, lies of omission and gossip - true or false - that gives justification to the "eyes" that started it all. It's an interesting exercise in sociology to simply sit back and watch - particularly in a school setting or a room filled with women. Think "Real Housewives......"

I have one daughter who has matured enough to develop this gift - if that's what you want to call it. (I've often wondered if it were just the opposite as one sometimes does not wish to know what others are thinking! :) She can spot inconsistencies in people and pick up on feelings of others a mile away. The difference between she and I is that if the feeling is good, she walks right in - if not, she walks away without even a second glance......she could care less the reason. (One such situation involved a neighborhood child who just wreaked of trouble - a boy who was unkind to others and, more importantly, her siblings.) I, on the other hand, try to "figure it out" much to my own chagrin. Watching this as a mother is awesome. Why? Because as I see her develop the relationships that will see her through high school, I am so pleased with the friends she chooses to call intimate. NICE kids so far! Adolescence can be tough and the need to feel accepted, HUGE. It pleases me to no end to hear her voice when she has the strength to say "no" and walk away from situations where she feels displaced or uncomfortable with the surroundings. Oh, that this should be her lasting strength!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Thinking out loud......

It's always funny to me that in relationships that are going well, people take all the credit, but when there's a rift to contend with, they give ALL the blame!!!!! One thing I have learned through experience is that 50% of any problem lies on my side - 50% on the other. There is meaning in the phrase, "It takes two to tango!"
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On another note......
I know I've mentioned this in the past, but if available, locate your locall high end beauty school! The down side is the time investment - instructors must approve all decisions and these students work slower than an experienced stylist. The PLUS side is that you get a professional "Now" haircut and professional color for a FRACTION of the cost. Today that equaled color, highlights and a great new cut for all of $45.00!!!!! the only way to beat that is to do it yourself!