I don't have cancer...

I have chemo...and I am ignoring it. If I wasn't going through treatment, I would never know I had cancer. But the side effects after Taxol were tough, really tough and when they hit, 2 days after the infusion last week, I was on that damn rollercoaster. Coming down off the rollercoaster was equally as difficult. So when I started feeling better, I, of course wanted to be productive.
So...Monday I went for my bra fitting - fairly amusing for someone who has never bought a bra in her entire life! The Breast Cancer Resource Center does a calendar and fashion show each year featuring women/survivors wearing some amazing art bras created by local and national luminaries. The runway show is April 18th - I'll post more info soon.
Tuesday...I was knocked on my ass again and slept, but also worked a bit.
Wednesday...they sent Creed home from Ecole with a 101 fever...he didn't seem to mind at all and wanted to play outside. Evan and I started to clean up the guest house for Karen, Mike and Zoe who arrive from PA today!
Thursday...arrived at UT's fashion dept at 9h30 and was there until 1pm. Each year for the past 8 or 9, I have helped critique the seniors' apparel design portfolios. It's interesting to see their progress as well as the growth in the program over the years. Their technical skills have definitely improved but there still seems to be a lack of understanding in deriving inspiration, building a collection as well as being able to verbalize and fix upon an idea. They are missing the point of the process...I go back with other judges in 3 weeks to decide on final awards before their runway show.
Whoops - I almost forgot: yesterday was my birthday:) Evan and I snuck out for dinner at Olivia, the wonderful restaurant owned by our friends James & Christina. We were treated to an amazing meal and Gracias Cynthia! for taking care of the twins.
Friday...our friends from PA arrive today - woo-hoo! We miss them and haven't seen them in a year and we'll meet 1 1/2 yr old Zoe for the first time.
Saturday...Oh my...I am sitting on a panel at the Blanton Museum for their new exhibit "Birth of Cool"...there will be 6 of us responding to questions about the birth of cool, its manifestations here in Austin, how is it's defined...hhmmmm.
Also, there's a kids' birthday party, an open house for our guests and I am sure something else.
Sunday...Evan and I hope to go out to Warrenton/Round Top - the big antique show/flea market that happens twice a year. Rows and rows, miles and miles of vendors and dealers and friends selling their treasures. We rarely miss it and have taken the twins with us several times. I like it better than the Rose Bowl Flea Market as it is in a little Texas town in dusty fields and tents...

All of this has/is happening before I go in next Tuesday for more chemo, I mean cancer, I mean chemo...it will be #6...

Happy Dinosaur-day...

Creed has this habit of attaching "day" to many words, things and experiences...it all started with "water pool-day" this summer. It has also given us: California-day, dog poop-day, dancing-day, cookie-day, big bed-day, and the latest, among others...Happy Dinosaur-day.

This past Saturday with no plans on the horizon, I opened our local weekly Chronicle and chose a visit to the Dinosaur Park as a morning outing. Well, it's my new favorite kitsch place to take kids between the ages of 2 and 8 - a perfect place for an out-of-the-way birthday party or field trip. It's about 20 miles outside of town, down a dirt road past an RV park. Basically it boils down to a "nature trail" sprinkled with varying sizes of fiberglass dinosaur models and perhaps a small sign/description. There's a play scape at the end of the trail, a pseudo-dinosaur dig AKA sandbox and a super-duper gift shop that has every dinosaur inspired souvenir imaginable. Aside from Creed's sheer glee in Dinosaur-day, Zelda had an absolute blast following the trail. Z-bomb is very much in a phase of wanting to walk by herself - absolutely no holding hands! She perfectly navigated the dirt trail with all of its twists and turns, roots and rocks. Whenever she strayed into the brush, she quickly re-negotiated her path and continued on, giggling and at times running with delight.

On Sunday, Evan and I had decided on a family "Road Trip-day". We set out west with San Angelo as our destination...the twins were amazing. We sang, chatted, and stopped at antique stores, junk depots, and flea markets along the way - not to forget my personal favorite place to shop: Venison World in Eden, Texas. Whoopee! What an adventure! We left at 9am and were home by 9pm - with 500 miles under our belts! Creed and Zelda have now been officially baptized into our Junk Run Religion...


Oh, and one more thing, Ecole is going really well - more on that later, I promise.