I may have mentioned that my mom (aka Grandma Sisi) is moving here. By here I mean locally, to California. To my area. Within driving distance from my house. What I’m trying to say is, she can babysit. And be here for holidays. And go out to lunch with me. And see her grandkids and all that.
We haven’t lived in the same town since I was 18. So this is amazing.
She is coming from Minnesota where it is cold in the winter. She hates cold. She hates winter.
So of course I’d gloat every year when we’d talk on the phone:
“Oh, it is 80 degrees here. And sunny. Course it is always sunny. The flowers are blooming and the birds are singing. Yeah, southern California weather is great. How is your weather? How many seconds can you stand outside without freezing to death* today?”
(*Literally. I grew up there and school got cancelled all the time because it was too cold out. Not because of snow. But because of temperature. If I stood outside waiting for the bus I could die. Or at least loose a few fingers or toes from frostbite. That was some seriously cold weather.)
The weather here? Always nice. Always sunny. Always warm. Just wait! When she steps off the airplane she will get a dose of what sunny December is like in Los Angeles and she will love it.
I picked her up at the airport this week.
Raining. Grey. Cold.
Um. Oops. I swear every time my mom has visited it has rained. She truly doesn’t believe me that the weather is nice here. She’ll find out soon enough. (Unless of course she is a rain goddess and doesn’t even know it like Rob McKenna.)
Anyway, she arrived!
We’ve been running around doing move related things like getting her a car and a cell phone and cleaning supplies and towels and food and cable and internet and a refrigerator. I’ve been rather distracted and busy.
So busy that when I was at the drugstore picking up a few things my phone rang.
It was my agent, Katherine.
She asks if I remembered about the conference call.
When?
The conference call that is happening right now?
Yes indeed. I completely blew off a conference call and everyone was already on the line. Waiting for me.
Who was was waiting? Oh, only my agent, my editor and the entire publicity department of my publisher. The publicity department is the one that makes sure you are reliable and then sets up interviews and signings and public appearances surrounding a book release.
I clearly made a great impression.
Um. Oops.
————
I did join the call late and they were all totally understanding actually.
And I have no idea about book tours or any such things that will happen in March 2013 when the book comes out. We’ve only just started talking about it. At least when I bother to join the call.
Forget anything important lately?
I totally understand! If I didn’t have a calendar beeping at me on my phone/computer, I would forget half the stuff I’m supposed to be doing. No worries, dearie. Just keep up the funnies and they won’t mind either!
Same here, but only mundane details like picking my children up from school. I am so glad my hubs insisted on the smartphone. It is my brain.
I hope your agent gets you an interview on the Daily Show. That would be awesome!
This!
That would be great. Jon Stewart and you would rock it!
Ooh, yes please!
YES!! And tell us all when you’re going to be on!
love it! Great idea!
That would be amazing, wouldn’t it?
Does a book tour mean you might actually come to a city near me? Boston is usually more like Minnesota in March, but I’ll bundle up to stand in the long line of people who will be eagerly waiting to see you, if you come!
Yes, come to Boston! It’s not nearly as bad as Illinois and I’m guessing Minnesota. It’s chilly, but there is no deathly wind that is always blowing in your face no matter what direction you are facing (can you tell I’m glad we moved?)
Yes! Come to Boston please!!!
I couldn’t agree more – come to Boston!! Please!
Boston, Boston, Boston… Succumb to the peer pressure.
Did anyone mention Boston? You totally should come here!
Yep, another vote for Boston and seems like people will be lining up around the block for you!
Clam chowder. I’m in.
Come to FL!!! I promise it’s better than Minnesota!
YES! Florida! We will brave the balmy breezes and risk sunburn to wait for you to remember your booksigning, and we won’t mind at all!
Come to Illinois! We have been having some freakishly good weather lately!
Come visit us here in Asheville. I just moved here from California and they have great beer. I will definitely take you out to 40 different breweries if you would like to come!
Oh, if you could get your ‘people’ to score a couple of gigs in Australia you could come to where it’s really really warm when the US is chilly – we’d love to see you in Melbourne! That would just be so fab.
I am pregnant and suffering from hyperemesis, so I can’t remember anything besides where the toilets in our house are located nowadays. In the past week, I forgot to pay for my son’s daycare, the vet appointment (our cats didn’t mind) and when I finally managed to drag myself to the store to get some Christmas shopping done, I realized I left my wallet at home. I have a nagging feeling I am forgetting something right now, but for the life of me can’t remember what…
i had hyperemesis too- I feel for you! princess kate has it too apparently…but i think she has people to remember her cats vet appts.
Find a good acupuncturist near you. Seriously they can help.
I’m sorry you are suffering! A few of my friends had HG, sounds like hell! Hope you feel better sooner rather than later!
I’m so glad someone else knows who Rob McKenna is 🙂
Me too! Also, living in Arizona, the same thing happens to me when people come to visit. It’s in the 80s, then the day that everyone comes for Thanksgiving, the temperature drops 20 degrees. Half the time it rains no matter what time of year it is.
Yep, love that reference 🙂
Yes, so am I! Your full name isn’t Fenchurch is it?
Me too!
Congrats on mom moving closer! How exciting! And yay for book stuff happening! Can’t wait!
Similar thing: I live in Seattle and it seems like everytime my mom visits it is sunny and beautiful and the traffic is light and she says, “I don’t know why yuo complain so much about the traffic and weather”
Ha! YES. I live near Seattle and this is seriously the truth!
So seriously the truth. The last time (January/Feb… it’s NEVER sunny late in January!) my mom almost decided to move back up here. Even the one day it lightly drizzled it just made Seattle scenic…
I’m from Seattle and every time my husband has been there while visiting my family it’s been sunny. We call him the Sunshine Man
From Minnesota too- I remember when it hit -40 degrees windshield and they finally cancelled school. It had been -10/-20 all week, but school was still on! God, the bus stop sucked on those days
Molly, yours may have been an auto-correct error, but I totally used to think “windchill” factor was “windshield” factor.
Me too!
I don’t know why anyone would ever want to move away from the wonderful frozen wasteland that is Minnesota. Oh, um, ME!!!!!
I lived in South Dakota for a while. They don’t cancel for snow either…. just frostbite. 🙂 CA is going to blow your Mom’s mind!
Grew up in Minnesota and currently living in South Dakota. They pretty much only cancel school for extreme cold (minus 30) or for horizontal snow with no visibility (can’t have a school bus stuck out on a gravel road in the middle of nowhere). I’m trying to remember why I live here when we don’t even have decent skiing anywhere near us, sigh!
I live in Tennessee and they call off school on a FORECAST of snow, I am not even kidding a little bit. Then, if it does actually snow they keep school out until every road in the county is cleared – EVERY ROAD! It is ludicrous!
I live north of NORTH Dakota…same crazy cold, just lasts crazy longer 🙂
I live in eastern Washington (yes the desert side we only get a couple inches of rain a year) and all my school teachers were from the midwest. So even though every other school in the county was canceled, ours wasnt.
My husband is from Minnesota and much prefers the weather here.
I forgot to pay my student loan. And cable bill. But I remembered to pay the rent!
We are lucky to have Mr. Sandwich’s parents in the area–it makes such a difference! And I can’t wait for your book.
I have the exact opposite situation – my mom is in Southern California and I live in Minnesota, so I get to hear about the awesome weather ALL of the time, especially on days when it’s freaking 32 degrees below zero. :p
That’s how it was for me when I lived in Minnesota for 6 years. Now I’m back in SoCal (had a baby and missed my family) but really miss the seasons in Minnesota! And the beautiful green trees all spring and summer instead of just brown where it isn’t cement. And bundling up, and wearing sweaters, and accessorizing with scarves/hats/gloves etc… It was fun!
Promise me you’ll schedule a book tour stop in Atlanta so I can teach you how to fashion shivs out of broken beer bottles. That’s a good skill to know to prevent unannounced visits from your mom.
I second the Atlanta idea…swing on over to Augusta, Ga and save me a trip!
The shiv idea is good too. Sometimes close is too close!
That is VERY enticing. I could probably even write it off on my taxes. “Beer bottle breaking class.”
Isn’t mother nature a total bitch by making a liar out of you about the weather?
If I was allowed to leave my house occasionally, I’m sure I’d forget something.
My Mom and Dad are moving here (rainy cold Seattle) in May from sunny, warm California. They’ve had nice weather most of the times they’ve visited… I tried to warn them…
I’m so excited to have local grandparents for my girls though! Babysitting! Free babysitting!
Minnesota native here (still here actually) and my Mother in law lives in So Cal 3 months out of the year. I’ve tried at least 314 times to try and convince my husband to move to California. Apparently only being able to afford to live on a beach isn’t acceptable to him. hmph.
We call that the “paradise tax” and I think it’s acceptable. sometimes i get jealous of the affordability of other places in the world, but then i go there and think “how can you people LIVE here?” and go back home.
Poor you, dealing with a move can be quite overwhelming. And yes, I forgot someting important. I recently forgot to eat. I’ve spent my entire life mocking people who forgot to eat behind their backs because I could not wrap my mind around that until I had two kids and one day realized I forgot to eat. My apologies, innocents, karma and all that.
Hooray for local grandmas! We’re an 11 hour drive away from our closest, sadly.
As for your question, I forgot to bring clean underwear with me when I went to the gym last week. I had to commando it after getting out of the shower. Not my favorite moment.
I’ve done that once when I was at the pool with my toddler. I remembered all of HIS clothes, forgot almost all of mine, even my bra since I wore my swimsuit on the way to the pool 🙁
I can’t remember anything. I’m just going back to work after having a wee one and I’m praying I remember to bring the info packet to this marketing meeting. And that I remember to pump before I have to leave. And that wee one doesn’t puke on me as I’m leaving.
One thing – of the many things – I wish I knew: get a house dress, something to cover all the important bits of your outfit while you have baby with you. Then when you leave baby and before entering car or transport, remove house dress so all mess stays on it and not on your nice outfit.
I grew up in Minnesota, and am now stationed in Los Angeles. I am totally with you on getting school cancelled because it was too cold!! It was awful one winter when our pipes froze and we had no heat for two whole days!! Every time my mom visits here it rains, our moms must be coming together!!
I am lucky that I always get a text reminder from my boss about an hour before anything important…if not for that, some days I might forget to come to work at all!!!
I tell people a gave a piece of my brain to each of my three kids – that’s why mine doesn’t work anymore.
The great words of Bethany at Bad Parenting Moments:
At each pediatrician appointment, I take notice that my childrens’ head circumference is growing. Growing with knowledge, growing into new hat sizes. Growing with my stolen brain. As they covertly and adorably activate the brain sucking transfer sequence, I marvel at how willing I was to let my brain go. How willing I was to do it all again.
MUST READ POST!!
http://badparentingmoments.blogspot.com/2012/07/hello-is-it-keys-youre-looking-for.html
Yeah, I was leaving a PT appointment this morning and I couldn’t find my phone in my pockets or in my purse. I figured it must have been left in the exam room. So, I put my phone in my pocket to go take a look………yeah. One of *those* days, lol!
Oh, lol, I totally feel for you, been there, done that. But you write about it so well :-).
Did that the other day with my wallet at the coffee stand. After looking for it all over in my purse and jacket pockets and finally asking the friend I was there with to pay for me, I set my wallet down on the counter to pick up the coffee. *headdesk*
This is totally me too. I have to have a reminder to remind me to set a reminder! Almost forgot to pick up my kid at school the other day because it has been so hectic! I don’t think I could handle being freelance like you, I think things would fall apart much more quickly!
I got a letter from the NY State Sales Tax Dept reminding me that I forgot to pay my sales taxes for the last quarter.
I put food on the stove and walk away until the smoke alarm goes off.
I head out to run errands and come home having missed half the places I was supposed to go.
And I don’t have little kids, a moving mom, or business meetings to worry about.
Nope.
No excuses.
Just my old brain on paint fumes.
If you figure out how to get a handle on your run away brain, let the rest of us in on it. I know I could use some tips.
all I can think of is that old song:
Seems it never rains in southern California
Seems I’ve often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl don’t they warn ya
It pours, man it pours
DC is GORGEOUS in the Spring. Just sayin’…..
I can’t think of any of my own (there are many I’m sure, I just can’t think of any) but my husband forgot to go to work the other day. He’s a musician and plays irregular nights. One night about 2 weeks ago we had friends visiting, so our boys were sleeping in our room so the guests could have theirs. We laid down with the boys to get them to go to sleep, but after a long day in the sun we both fell asleep and he totally missed it! Oops!
I had to deposit some cash at the bank in order to pay my rent last week… Got to the bank and sure enough, the money was in my other handbag, at home. Luckily I had time to fix it as in an ideal world, I would prefer not to be homeless at Christmas.
I forgot a kid recently. I have feared it for years, and luckily it was my oldest – who is 11 and can fend for himself when forgotten – instead of my 2-year-old twins (who are kind of hard to miss, actually).
Unfortunately, I thought I had him with me when I attended my daughter’s soccer game. I made the mistake of asking his best friend where my son was off playing. His friend, who is the son of the perfectly organized mom of two and who never messes up, said he’s not here. At that moment I realized I left him home in the basement wathcing TV. His little buddy’s dad glanced over his should and said…”you have too many kids”. Yup.
My mother did this, but with the baby (my sister) who was 18 months at the time and strapped into the high chair while my mother got the other four of us into the car. I gather she drove about ten minutes down the road before she realised!
She did the same thing to me years later – I was ten and she was coming to pick me up at school. I saw the car, she couldn’t get a park, and turned around… and drove off again. She collected my brothers from their school nearby and this time, made it all the way home (a good half hour journey) before my constant phone calls from the school office finally raised her about 45 minutes later.
My Dad is a pastor and my Mom was a Sunday school teacher when I was a teenager. At that time, the sanctuary and pastor’s offices were in one building, while children’s ministry was in another. At least once a month, Mom would forget to grab something on the way to Dad’s office where we were all supposed to meet. She’d send me to go get it for her.
Usually at this point everyone else would show up. She would look around counting heads, then say, “Well, Brenna knows to be here after second service, and she knows the consequences of not being here.” And they would leave. Then I’d get back with her Sunday school things, and have to figure out a ride home since she almost never heard her cell phone.
As for me, I can’t even remember to eat even when I’m making my kids food all day. And the experts tell me that mommy brain is a myth. LOL
I am a Grammie who promptly picked up and moved 1500 miles when my daughter and son-in-law announced my first grandchild would bounce into our lives. That was 6 years ago and now I have 2 of them! Amber, believe me – this is a win-win arrangement. I will never regret living 10 minutes away from the fam, and being an integral part of of the boys’ (same ages as yours!) lives. We are all so lucky!
*like*!
I once forgot to renew my driver’s license. For two whole months.
I had an expired tag on my car – for a YEAR! Who does that? That was before kids too! ?? :/
LOL. At least you probably saved a bit of money 🙂
My mom keeps threatening to move to wherever we live – especially after Lita was born. But for some reason it’s contingent on my dad dying first. Mind you, he’s healthy and not going to die any time soon. So either my mom really doesn’t want to move to where we are living… Or she’s fantasizing my dad’s demise.
Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever *wanted* her to move closer until I felt the pangs of jealousy creep through me as I read the part about holidays, lunch, and babysitting. ::sigh::
I’m an ex-SoCal girl (born on east coast but lived in CA from adolescence through forties.) I moved to pacific NW when my nest became empty. My daughter moved to the east coast for law school and then built an amazing life there. I’m so proud of her. I miss her. Chats and pics are a poor substitute for touch.
We are 3000 miles apart as she starts her family. I want to be there for her. I don’t want to intrude. I want to be included, and to be helpful. I don’t want to be a burden or make complications. I want to be with my soon-to-be-born grandson every day! I don’t want to be the subject of any whispers or the cause of any stress. I want to be fully there and/or invisible on a moment’s notice.
So my thoughts bounce from should I move to should I stay where I have now happily built my own middle-years life…
And my working conclusion is that we have to get rid of all those middle-of-the-continent states, so we can push Rhode Island and Oregon next to each other like when people make one kingsize bed out of twinsize beds. Is that okay with everyone else? I r eally don’t want to cause any trouble…..
I totally feel like you can sell this to the Midwesterners but only in the winter months. I’m in California so you’ll get no complaints out me.
My oppinion? If you have the option, you should move there. Jobs, homes, schools….they are everywhere, your kids and grandkids are only in one place and this life is short. That baby will never be a baby again….just my oppinion. 🙂
You make me want to call my mom and say “I’m sorry for moving across the country.”
My mom has lived in VT her entire life (except for a few years in CT). She’ll be uprooting everything and leaving behind an army of amazing friends to move to Montana in a year and a half. She’s doing so because I, her only daughter, live here with MY family and we are making a great life together. My mom was understanding when it was just my husband and I. Now, with two grand-daughters, she wants to be here and be a part of their lives all the time.
Hugs to you. 🙂
You sound like an amazing mother and grandmother-to-be. In fact, you sound like my wonderful mother (and grandmother to my two kids), right down to the “I want to be fully there and/or invisible on a moment’s notice.” My mother recently moved to my town from 1500 miles away and I am so thankful and happy every single day that my family and I get to have her near us. She had built a nice life for herself where she was living, had friends and a good community, but our good weather and possession of her beloved grandchildren, and the fact that we live in a really nice town with lots for retired people to do, all persuaded her to move. And she’s having a really good time!
come to AUS for your book tour…would line up to see you…please pretty please..
My mom comes to visit us in Seattle from California a few times a year. If it’s summer, when she comes it’s hotter than it’s ever been before, like in the 90s. If it’s winter, it snows. I swear to god the weather in Seattle isn’t as awful as everyone thinks. Although we’re fine with people thinking that. Keeps them from moving here…
So I happen to hate all things zombie related which is inconvenient in this current zombie-crazed nation. That’s why, moments ago, my husband was very confused when he walked past my laptop (which had this post on it). He asked, “Why are you reading a crappy zombie blog?!” I was in the next room and replied, “I would never read a zombie blog! What are you talking about?” He studied my computer for a time and finally said, “Oh, they’re talking on the phone. Those ARE crappy pictures!”
I can’t see the zombies! I want to see it how he saw it!
I’m with you! For reference, he was looking at the picture of you and your mom on the phone. Could just be a result of him watching “Walking Dead” lately. 😉
My 11 yr. old and I showed up just in time for the Jr. High school tour and orientation/registration. Alas, it was yes.ter.day.
I showed up to a party a day early, gift in hand and family in tow… on 2 separate occasions. :^\. Seriously yo, I need to be medicated.
Maybe it’s just conference calls… Twice I forgot to sign into webinars for ThirtyOne and then forgot a call I scheduled with a new consultant.
Opps!
Just moved to northern Ontario (just south of timmins) from southern Ontario (Hamilton)! We’ve had -27 Celsius weather the first week of December. Not looking forward to winter!
Congrats on having your mom nearby. My mom lives about 15 minutes away, and I love it!
So glad to hear things are moving forward with your book. Can’t friggin’ wait to get my grubby hands on a copy. The idea of possibly meeting you in person makes me want to do the butt wiggle toddler dance. You know the one.
MEEE TOO!!!!
Will you do the butt wiggle toddler dance when we meet in person? Because that would be the best ice breaker ever.
so funny – I was reading this post when my husband (who is watching the Broncos/Raiders game right now) began complaining about the condition of the field. He turned to me and said, “Oh, wait a minute, hasn’t California been getting a lot of rain?” (which would explain why the field was not in very good condition) I said, “I don’t know.” Then – a light bulb went off in my head. I scrolled up and showed him the “crappy picture” above, of the California rain, and said, “Well, according to Crappy Pictures, it has!”
hahahaha 🙂
Raiders broncos ally? Bah!! No taste ;p I thought he was an AFL man?? K
I live in sunny Florida and work logistics for short line railroads. Some of the crews I talk to are in Vermont and Canada so I love telling them how warm it is while I work inside and they’re outside freezing in the cold and snow. It’s wonderful knowing its 60 (or more) degrees warmer where you’re at!! Back when Sandy was coming through though, they got to rub it in my face – Sandy left Florida 10 degrees colder then Vermont! Fortunately there was 50 degree swing and we ended up 40 degrees warmer a few days later.
As far as forgetting stuff goes – between working 3rd shift and having a 9 month old – all the freaking time!!
I will never let my parents forget that they forgot me at a border crossing…and when they finally got home didn’t believe me when I called asking them to pick me up. I had to put a guard on the phone to convince them I wasn’t pulling a prank.
I forget to renew my vehicle registration every year. Thankfully when I get pulled over by the police they see car seats and a frazzled mom and just give me a warning 🙂
To avoid forgetting stuff when we travel, I just bring ALL OF THE STUFF.
My hubbys parents forgot him sleeping on a church pew when he was like 6. Got home before they realized. Had to call the pastor to come back to the church to unlock it. He was still sleeping.
Seriously, moms NEED to read:
http://badparentingmoments.blogspot.com/2012/07/hello-is-it-keys-youre-looking-for.html
Lol! You are a total rock star, that’s awesome! At least that is how I try to make it look when I forget everything: like a diva. 😉
But seriously, having Mom’s Mom around is the best. We totally see eye to eye on everything about babies and kids and it feels so good! (especially since I do not have a sister) Cheers to you doubling up on free babysitters!
Totally jealous of your Mom living close. My mom only lives 3 hours away but still not close enough to do lunch or babysit 🙁 sads..
My in-laws just moved here this summer also. It is AWESOME. The girls are going there tonight so we can finish up our Christmas shopping and they are spending the night. OVERNIGHT without children. Woo.
My husband and I live 8 hours from our nearest relatives – his family. My family is all from New England. In 2014, my mom is retiring and moving to our town in Montana. We actually get LESS snow here than Vermont, so she’ll be happy.
It’s been 19 years since we lived within 30 minutes of each other. The place she wants to live is 4 miles from us.
My very first, overly excited, thought when she said she was moving here? “FREE BABYSITTING!!!”
Well, when you do have book signings, your mom can help with watching the kids! Unless you take the kids with you… I’m not sure if I’d want to meet them or just continue to believe that they are always wearing a blue top and shorts and a diaper. I left my work laptop at home yesterday morning, and I didn’t realize it until I got to work and got out of the car. I live 40 minutes from the office. Luckily, I have an awesome husband who hadn’t left home yet and brought it to me!
A teacher friend of mine commented last weekend that she’s been busy grading papers. I asked her, “Why are you grading papers when it’s summertime?” And I was serious. And then when she told me it wasn’t summertime I even had to stop and figure out what day it was and that she’s right, it’s December. And by-the-way, I have a 2nd grader, who goes to school. In December, like everybody else.
Such a funny post! Also, wanted to stop by and tell all parents about an awesome contest to win a $1,500 online shopping spree at Oscar De La Renta Childrenswear! Here is the link: http://www.elizabethstreetcontests.com/oscardelarenta/
My mom lived with us when my son was little. It was AWESOME. Like having a live-in maid, cook, nanny you could trust, and she did all my laundry and took me shopping all the time. She died when my son was 7, too bad we didn’t have more time with her. Irreplaceable. Lucky you! (I’m not often serious but this time I am)
The forgetting things? We call that Fetal Suckout Syndrome. It strikes when you are pregnant (or adopting, or a teacher, or a nanny, or anyone else exposed to children on a regular, consistent basis). There is no cure, and it gets worse with age.
At least, that’s what I tell people. Sounds more legit than “Oops. Sorry. I forgot.”
ROTFL!! Fetal Suckout Syndrome 😀
I got up for a moment, came back, and can’t remember what I was going to write………..
Yes! I had an interview a couple of weeks ago. And I thought it was scheduled on a Friday and I asked off from work for an appointment. I just got it into my head the day was Friday. It didn’t matter that I had an email confirming the date and time of the interview.
The interview was on Thursday am. I arrived at my current job on Thursday am to see an email from the HR person asking where I was and why I didn’t make it. I was so embarrassed. I apologized to the HR person and by email to the others who were supposed to interview. They were very nice about and the interview was rescheduled. I didn’t get offered the job, though.
We somehow forgot parent teacher conferences this year, first time ever! I felt like a really irresponsible parent.
Ha. I live in Northern BC (Canada) and here school does not get canceled for anything. When it gets below about 0F you don’t have to outside for recess and lunch anymore. That’s about the only concession. Even at -20F I will bundle the kids in the stroller and walk into town for errands.
That said, I would quite happily trade for no snow and ice. I do not care for it.
I forget everything. I’m probably going to forget I wrote this in about five minutes.
ah yes, living in S TX is the same. I love to torture my NE Oh family with pics of my kids and me in shorts and tank tops going to the zoo or Sea World or whatever throughout the “cold” months. They get a ton of lake effect snow and to be honest even their summers aren’t that, well, summery. My parents live in the Dayton, OH where it’s not as dreary/cold/wintery as NE OH but still snows and is cold. However, my mom recently took a teaching job here and is living here during the school year. I’m totally pumped to have a free sitter and a lunch/shopping dates with mom, too, since we haven’t lived in the same state since I was 18, either.
I actually forgot to go to work the other day. Work. I forgot. On a Wednesday. I go to work every week day. I have kids, my brain is gone.
Hey, I live in MN! And guess what?! It is snowing right now, lol. Still above zero by a lot though, so we are just getting going on the whole winter thing. I love it in December, I think I would really miss December. But Jan/Feb I could totally move to S. California.
Yes, I actually MISS the snow! Fortunately we can drive 80 minutes to the mountains and see snow each year. It isn’t exactly the same but it helps satisfy my snow cravings.
1. There are a lot of folks from Seattle in this comment section, but I’ll just say the obvious: You bait-and-switched your mom for Seattle weather.
2. Despite that, please come to Seattle on you book tour. It would be so rad to meet you & get your book!
3. I’m so jealous that your mom is in close proximity. My mom is in Portland about 3 hours away which is too far for a casual babysit but close enough to always make her a tempting option if we’d just make the drive.
4. I can’t remember s**t since having babies. If it’s not on the Google calendar, it’s not happening.
You’re a celebrity now! You’re supposed to have people waiting for you. You’re the star!
Ha, that will be my excuse from now on. Much more glamorous than just forgetting.
Also from MN… Excited for the snow falling outside my window right now! As a kid, school was canceled for cold once on my birthday and another year for snow! As a teacher, I still hope for snow days!
And I’ve given up hope of ever getting my pre-baby brain back.
im suffering in north eastern minnesota myself. what part of the state are you from? its much more miserable up here, although we are devoid of the psycho drivers that the cities has i suppose…
we once had school cancelled the year we hit -60 degrees F. THAT was the best.
As in EGF? I’m in Moorhead and it is pretty miserably cold! I can’t say I’d ever move very far though 😛
Extra points for getting a Hitchhiker’s Guide reference in there 🙂
Hitchhikers reference for the win! You just got even more awesome, which I didn’t even think was possible. Well done.
Oh man I so have pregnancy brain right now (4 days till my due date)! It’s so bad that I forgot to put my parking break on and my car ended up in the middle of a blvd! I’ve also been searching for weeks for a bowl that was on my kitchen table the whole time. Using it to hold decorative pine cones. ooops.
*brake! Can’t spell anymore either!
Hey Amber! I’m so happy for you that your mom moved closer! I am a brazilian who lives in Israel… My mom still lives in Brazil so I only see her every 2-3 years, which is really hard. I would love to have her nearby (instead of/in addition to) my MIL who lives 5 min away and helps us a lot but is a seriously depressed person who makes a problem out of everything. 🙁
Anyway, I am completely forgetting stuff all the time too, so just like someone said – my smartphone is my brain.
I want to add that I love your blog and I read it all the time, and I also love the long discussions people have in the comments. They’re so fun to read!! There are so many that most times I just have to stop myself when I realize I spent several minutes reading them and I’m only on the 1st 1/4!…
Any chance of a book signing in Israel?….. 🙂
Oh I forget things all the time. Words, the names of my children, where I put that thing that does the — oh for goodness sake, there it is — what day it is … I often (ahem, daily) tell my husband he fell in love with a smart woman but now he’s married to an idiot. The only time in the last 4 months that I remembered a well-baby visit to the doctor was when I rescheduled the one in the middle of Hurricane Sandy. No wait, I forgot about the time I called all apologies for missing our appt (same doc, mind you) only to be told it was the next day. :/
i do okay taking care of two kids, running a household, staying (pretty) connected to husband, working full-time and having some interrupted nights up w/ a 20-mo old until i need to REMEMBER SOMETHING…
I just love the fact that you referenced a Douglas Adams character.
My mom moved in about 5 minutes from my house 18 months ago. Prior to that I hadn’t lived in the same state as any of my family for 9 years. Let me tell you that is the BEST THING EVAR!!!! Enjoy the grandma-ness of it all.
I’m sitting here in Minneapolis where my walk to work this morning was still slippery after the 16 inches of snow we got on Sunday. California looks pretty good right now.
I think we may have grown up in the same town (grand Rapids! for the win!~). I do the same thing to my mom, who still lives there, all the time. Well, I did anyway when I lived near Seattle. Now I am stuck in this wasteland they call Detroit and would rather brave the frigid temps!
First, I’m so excited about the book and tour, I can hardly stand it. Second, my mother moved here to SoCal last year from a cold icy wintry/hot humid sticky buggy place (seriously, those were the two seasons. No, I lie, there was also windy humid muddy temperature swings 25 degrees in two hours season) and loves it, and we love having her here, so I hope that you and your mom have equally as good an experience. I’m sure you will!
I live in MN. It sucks. It is soooo cold right now! I would definately take rain over cold!
Yes I keep forgetting important things lately. I forgot my purse last Thursday. Went home to fetch it. then got to the coffee shop (with my two boys) and realised it was still in the car… 10 mins walk away. Arrrggggh. Did it again this morning, only I was just about to buy a train ticket for work… but no purse. This was after two successful day care/preschool drop offs with nothing forgotten except my purse. Rahhhhhh! EArly dementia onset?
I didn’t realize you were originally from Minnesota!! That makes me like you even MORE (if that were even possible!). Minnesotans represent! Enjoy your San Diego sunshine.. it’s like six degrees here.
bawhahaha! wait…a publicist…marketing team? editor..agent??
apparently I’m in the wrong business.
No, really. Thank you for the laughs!
Just when I thought I couldn’t like this blog more you go and make a Hitchhiker’s reference
Yes, my family ALL moved to Australia for a few years without me. (okay my decision) And kept going on about having Christmas on the beach with bbq prawns and such. So I went, cause Canada is mucky sometimes at Christmas, and we spent Christmas indoors due to cold and rain. awesome.
I live in Northern Ireland, and my parents are in the Deep South (USA). I’m positive I was never meant to live there because I cannot stand the heat. I’m warm enough on a day like today where it’s threatening 70F/20C. The good news is that it’s usually cold and rainy and grey . . . except when my mother visits. I always tell her to prepare to be freezing (she’s cold-natured anyway), and it’s always gorgeous when she’s here.
Just a few hours ago, we got back from the vet with our wee dog, and she wanted to go with him to work — I’m the evil one because I must FORCE him to take her to the vet. He leans down and says, “When I get home, we’ll go for a walk to the coffee shop, and you’ll get your own cup of water.” He looks up at me, “Sound good?” I smile, and then realise, “Oh, no we won’t! We have concert tickets we paid way too much for!” We would have totally had a relaxing evening in the sunshine with coffee and the dog.