Last week, I packed up all the kids’ shorts, sunglasses and sandals and hightailed it out of NYC to our summer house on Long Island. Not that I don’t love hot humid subway rides permeated by the stench of feet (aka the signature scent of summer in NYC), but we thought it would be nice to let the kids play in some actual grass for the next two months.

You know, the kind not enclosed in concrete.

I’ll be staying on Long Island with the girls while Mike commutes back and forth on the weekends. Presumably for work purposes, but let’s not pretend he’s missing out on vacation— he gets to go to bed at night and wake up in the morning several days a week without kids!

Last summer, Mazzy asked why I was able to work at the house while Daddy had to go back and forth to our apartment. I said, “Because I can work anywhere I have a laptop. That’s one of the perks of being a blogger!”

I have to throw “blogger career” references at Mazzy periodically so she doesn’t think Mommy is just playing on her phone all day like that’s a “job”.

(Even though, that’s not far from the truth.)

The big difference between this summer and last summer is this summer we are here without Ruth, our nanny for the past five years. She took off to have her baby(!), who is due at the end of July.

No. We hired a local sitter who’s home from college for the summer to watch Harlow during the day. As for Mazzy, she’s in camp from 9-4pm. I’m just flying solo in the mornings and at night.

No. Blogging is actually a pretty time consuming. Are you listening, Mazzy? Although it sounds wonderful to lounge by the pool all day, so far I haven’t been able to go anywhere without an outlet. Also, floor length beach cover-ups look ridiculous on me. Like I’m drowning in my grandmother’s curtains. I think you have to be ten feet tall and twenty pounds to pull them off.

Some of the time, which I’m beginning to remember, is not a viable option if you really want to get stuff done. Especially when I have Harlow’s cute face staring at me through the window while she plays outside. Or sitting across the dining room table eating lunch while I’m trying to pretend the dining room table is my desk. Or crying that she has to take a nap while I’m within earshot. I know people think working from home is some ideal combo of career and family, but I find it next to impossible. It’s like you have to reject your child multiple times a day instead of just once when you walk out the door in the morning. I’ve been alternating working from home and going to a friend’s house nearby to work from there. I get much more done on those days.

Oh man, I didn’t mean that. It’s awesome! The kids run around outside, we’ve got fresh pie from the farm stand in the fridge and Mike and I took the girls kayaking last weekend in the creek outside our house. Trust me, I know I have it pretty good.

Yes, that’s right. SHIT. I must get on that.

Yeah, you’re probably right.

Okay, okay fine.

Goodbye NYC! See you in September!