2011-08-03, Wednesday, August 3rd

Here we are at Grandma’s House, in Cornelius N.C., where we have come on retreat with our new baby. Having arrived two days ago, I am just starting to feel adjusted.  Not just to the surroundings, which soak you up like butter in a pancake, but to my own ability to function. Here it is past noon already, and this is how long it has taken me today to awaken, nurse the baby, eat aforementioned pancakes (generously generated by my husband and toddler, per wonderful usual), nurse the baby, have coffee, nurse the baby, shower, nurse the baby, tidy up part of our guest room, nurse the baby, tidy up the rest of our room and get dressed, nurse the baby, work on the stains du jour in our kids’ clothes, scrounge more food (porque would I be hungry?) and make my way to this laptop.  And now voila, having passed a zen spell of time in daddy’s magical hands, here is the baby once again, as daddy has run off to retrieve our toddler from interviewing the neighbor’s workers by the neighbor’s pool.

So, life at Grandma’s is always aMAZing, with more hospitality, attractions, activities, amusements, diversions, relaxation, generosity and thoughtful loving-kindness than I can convey.  And “vacation” with the new baby is still one of the best ideas I’ve ever had, but… I mean AND… it still doesn’t change the fact that –currently- there is no one else to (even help) mind the Business Ship for me. Even my due-diligent husband seems helpless to help keep me accountable to the pile of neglected prospective clients piling up, from which at last count there are up to 161 emails and 14 voice messages unanswered, which with every passing hour, means prospective income (also our primary income) swirling right down the drain.

Meanwhile, the *most* important parts of my life –ie, actually LIVING it (in real time) and *documenting* it (with my super power video making passion) do NOT go unattended. So whenever I die, I die happy, presumeably without regrets over unspent office time. But while living… man! As my mom says, “Work; it really interferes with your personal life.” This seems true whether you’re professionally blowing it or not.

But you know what? In the time it took me to write this, I (surprise!) nursed the baby again (in a sling, *while* typing mama, while *typing*!).  And she even just had a spectacular burp; always a triumph.  But alas I am no less pushing the envelope of an infant’s willingness to tolerate her mother’s divided attention.  Even if, in my defense, I *did* happen to have a hanky handy right when and where I needed it when she spit up mere moments ago.  This is the type of thing what gives me my sense of scintillating self-satisfaction. As does the glorious sight of my husband and son hanging out by the water’s edge, the sounds of a poop-coaching session in the bathroom, or -by now- stories being read before naptime; all perfect examples of why we came here to Grandma’s in the first place.

Glory Glory Halleluia.

Now, as for the blessing of having prospective clients; What say we do *5* messages worth today, for starters?   Please, by all means, wish me luck.