And our next contestant is a homeschooling mother of six and part-time church secretary....
Well, one can hope. I just returned from my mini-vacation in the city with all four of my girls. After a cake and presents with our own family Omen, we hopped a late train* and were picked up by Embot to spend the night Chez Cheng. Pizza and more presents - by eleven Bridget had pretty much decided that the world wouldn’t end on her birthday - almost like a slumber party. Big Ed was quite gracious and patient with the five giggling, gabbing von Huben girls.

No longer used to city noises - and not acclimated to a futon - I didn’t get to sleep until about 2:00am. Then we were up early. My entourage had one last discussion of my wardrobe. (I know it lacks....something. So I was hardly offended when Fran did a hilarious piece by piece commentary on my closet on Monday night. I was sitting in an old T-shirt with L’Oreal’s 6RB - Light Reddish Brown applied to my head, so what could I do? Storm out in protest? Just so nobody sends my name into What Not to Wear.) The pink dress I wore last time was given to charity last year. It was still quite servicable. But it had that taint of failure for me. Maybe it will work better for someone else.

Attempted to curl my eyelashes. Brushed on a little mascara and a tad of some magical mineral powder to make me look like me...only better. And then I was wisked into the ‘bot’s car for a quick ride over to Navy Pier for an audition for a well-known game show. Another accomplishment I can brag about - I have a daughter who is absolutely unintimidated by rush hour Chicago traffic. (That must be a latent gene from her father’s side. I still consider driving in Milwaukee to be ‘big city’ driving.)

I was amazed to be there at all. The notification, with attendant 48 hour to RSVP, arrived in my work e-mail the day after my hip surgery. When I returned to work some two weeks later, what could I do but email back with the details of how I had to take the online test at work because it was done at 8:00pm and it was done on a night that I worked until 8:00. And then I didn’t expect to hear back from them so soon. Etc. Well, they did work me into their schedule.

So away I went. And I think I did OK. This isn’t the first time I’ve auditioned. But the last time - about 8 years ago - I think I exuded no personality. So that’s what I’ve been working on. Charm. Personality. Letting the “real me” shine through, as my late mother would have admonished. Everything but Vaseline on the teeth. I think it worked. We’ll see. There’s just a certain amount of luck involved. Many pass the audtion. Relatively few are chosen.

The girls took me to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. for lunch. Bubba Gump was our fall back restaurant the last time I went to New Orleans. Just a block from where we were, if the weather was nasty or we were short on time, that is where we headed for food. (Yeah, drinks, too....) For a “chain type touristy theme restaurant” it is pretty decent. So that was my request today. We had a blast. Sometimes I forget how much fun my girls can be - just as ladies who lunch. Becoming friends with your grown children is a treat after years of being just “the mom.” I’ll always be Mom - but now we can relax and be friends, too.

What a week it has been. Martha’s done with school (more about that later. And maybe pictures, too, if Em can give me a new tutorial.) Bridget made it to 24 withouth the world ending. Time for some sleep. On a relatively regular mattress in a relatively quiet ‘burb.)

* I know it's been a long time since I took a train all the way into the city. The station has a different name. (Any Chicagoans remember when it was called Northwestern Station - not Ogilvy?) And it looks like it has been totally rebuilt. Very glam - very trendy. I would have been totally lost without the girls.