Beijing Bound

Got to pack, but first off - The Natalie News. Apparently the orange jumpsuit brigade of the CDC Silverado Trail clean up detail was a success, the highway looks great. Nat said that they found some interesting discards, including a half-smoked cigar (Cuban!), some rental car keys and a woman’s sunhat. I’ve lost one of those myself – a drawback of wine touring in a convertible on a gusty day. Asked if the experience of community service had an effect on her outlook, Natalie said that it had. Picking up trash wasn’t fun, especially the disdainful looks from passersby. She did, however, learn from a fellow crewmember of the best place to get a tattoo in San Francisco. So it’s come to this. Well, she came west with the piercings and it was only a matter of time until she started thinking ink. Meanwhile (and to Kerin’s dismay) she’s back in the office helping out as we can stand it (!) She’s researching thread colors for me and making coffee. So far, so good.

I’m off to China to source some silk. You might think I’m really looking forward to it: Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, cruise down the Yangtze River. Actually, no. It’s a long trip, a short meeting and then a long trip back. And then it’ll take me a week to recover enough to be an effective wife, mother and clothing executive. That’s assuming I don’t get sick. Others in the business (who are not as hands-on as this Red House exec) are avoiding Beijing right now as the city is going full-bore on construction for the Olympics. It’s a loud city anyway, and the traffic horrendous, so I can only imagine what it will be like in hyperdrive. Besides that, I just want to stay home – especially now that home is Napa. When I was younger, I always approached these trips with excitement. Maybe it was relief getting out of NY. Or maybe I was just younger and less encumbered. Now I’ve got to worry that Michael will be burdened with any Red House client issues that might come up, plus running a household with two small children and one errant niece. I shouldn’t complain, but I DON’T WANT TO GO!