First posted in October 2004:

SMARTMOM IS GOING TO CALIFORNIA to attend the wedding of Hepcat’s
cousin Sarah. Hepcat is already there, grabbing a few day’s with his
mom on the family’s walnut farm in the San Joaquin Valley just 80 miles
east of San Francisco. Smartmom travels Thursday morning on Jet Blue
and will be out of The Slope for five days. She is flying alone.

Five days.

That’s the longest Smartmom has ever been away from Teen Spirit and
OSFO. Sure, on their anniversary in July, Hepcat and Smartmom annually
hole up at the Paramount Hotel for a night of amour. But that’s just
one night, barely a 24-hour leave from their obstinate offspring.

The last time Smartmom actually went anwhere alone was when she
went to Tortola, British Virgin Islands on a business trip back in
1994. And there have been other quick trips: a wedding in upstate New
York, a memorial service in California, a weekend in Washington D.C. But that’s about it. When Smartmom and family travel, they travel
together. Together.

So sprinkle some separation anxiety into the mix. On all sides. 

OSFO is pretty strung out by the whole thing. She’s been dreading
Sarah’s wedding ever since the invitation arrived last summer. When she
found out that no kids were invited — she was completely mystified. I
mean, who loves weddings more than OSFO? Really. OSFO longed to be
Cousin Sarah’s flower girl and a talented and experienced flower girl
she is. But nope, flower girl at Sarah’s wedding was not in the stars.
And OSFO was PISSED. Plus she doesn’t like to be too far away from her
loving mama. I mean, they are practically conjoined twins so close and
loving are they.

Teen Spirit was a little harder to read. Although he seemed mostly
cool and collect about Smartmom’s leave taking, he was awfully tender
last evening saying that he wished Smartmom wasn’t going away. When she
asked him if he was going to miss her he said, "I don’t know. Maybe."

Smartmom leaves her cherished brood in the loving care of Beautiful
Smile (their beloved babysitter), Groovy Aunt and Groovy Grandma. The
refrigerator is packed full. Smartmom thinks she’s thought of
everything.

Smartmom spent most of yesterday in a Manhattan beauty salon
getting dolled up and glamorized for Saturday night’s wedding. But she
found herself feeling sad, even tearing up during the hair coloring,
highlights and killer haircut. She looks like a million bucks, but
feels like a dime as she gets ready to leave the Slope. It’s hard to
cut the umbilical cord and go three thousand miles away.

Her children will survive, but tell me, dear reader, will she?