Four Seasons In One Day

"Four Seasons In One Day" is one of my favorite Crowded House songs.
Four Seasons In One Day
Lying in the depths of your imagination
Worlds above and worlds below
The sun shines on the black clouds hanging over the domain
Even when you're feeling warm
The temperature could drop away
Like four seasons in one day
...finding out wherever there is comfort there is pain
Only one step away
Like four seasons in one day

Of course lyrically it has nothing to do with a toddler battling and beating cancer. But the title sums up the range of emotions Sylvie runs through on any given day. Until this morning, Sylvie had been in an amazing mood but our punishment for going out last night and sleeping at home while Grannie Annie slept over was a day of absolute torture. (Note: Sylvie had a ball with her Grandma and even slept through the night).

I was thinking last night about an evening last summer when we were up in Vermont. We decided to go to Burlington for the evening. Or make that, Michael thought it was a bad idea to go because Sylvie has never been good when it comes to dining in public. But I insisted and so we went to my most favorite college town after Madison. Things were looking pretty good on Church Street. There was a street musician playing Sylvie's greatest hits and Sylvie was a dancing fiend. When he began to play "Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music, Michael and I thought we hit the jackpot. But all good things must come to an end and we attempted to have dinner at an Italian restaurant however Sylvie's great mood had turned rotten and we essentially took turns eating in the big red booth alone while one of us stood outside holding Sylvie. So as you an see, Sylvie's behavior hasn't changed that much since the bad news bear called cancer entered her life. And we're really homesick for Vermont and miss "mountain house" as Sylvie affectionately calls it.

Last night we witnessed greatness: Patty Griffin, Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller each performing their respective songs with each other lending backup, guitar and percussion support. It was AWESOME. We were seated in the front row of the Wellmont Theater 10 feet away from Shawn Colvin. For the first (Emmylou) song, Shawn never opened her eyes. To me she seemed a little sedate. But when it was her turn to sing and the first note of "You and the Mona Lisa" came out of her mouth, it was like hearing the voice of an angel. Truth be told, all those years at Sony Music, Shawn Colvin has not been known to say many angelic things but man, she is so talented. I thought about writing a note and sailing it across the stage to her. Patty Griffin was sensational. She performed one of my favorite songs, Making Pies which is about working the assembly line at the Tabletalk Pie Company in Worcester, Massachussetts. My friend Gail (who designed the awesome Strides For Sylvie logo) played it for me in her office at Sony and we commiserated that some days, our jobs really were like working the line and making pies. Life imitating art imitating life.

We spent all of today waiting for Sylvie to be discharged from the hospital. Jessica ordered up Sylvie's chemo first thing this morning but Sylvie also needed Zofran (anti-nausea drug) and Pentamidine (an antimicrobial medication primarily given for prevention and treatment of Pneumocystis pneumonia) so our morning departure turned into a 5:30 departure. Jessica was Sylvie's nurse for the past three days and Sylvie LOVES her. When we left, I said "see you in 3 weeks!" but we all know we'll be back sooner. We don't have to be in clinic until Wednesday next week. Yippee!!!

I dropped off checks to Kathy at Tomorrows Children's Fund and she was so incredibly gracious and appreciative for alll of our efforts and the fantastic media coverage for the race. So a big thanks to everyone involved and all who continue to support TCF. The economy is really crushing not-for-profit organizations so every nickel counts. It will take us the rest of the year to write thank you notes!

On the way home from the hospital, we stopped off at the "Hello Kitty Store" as a consolation prize. Michael and I then had our consolation prize and snuck off to yoga while Sibel and Sylvie played princess games.

Finally the Hughes family is at home. Double Yippee!!! Catching up on Tivo. OMG first the Real Housewives of New Jersey dine at Varka; then they go to Fratelli! Varka is a favorite of ours and Michael and I had dinner at Fratelli before the Ridgewood Race! I hope the show is good for business. Sorry. I am obsessed and Michael is a very good sport.

Tomorrow night we are going to see my friend's band The Slewfoot Project play at Cool Beans in Oradell. It's a homecoming show and record release party. In addition, they are generously dedicating a portion of the profits of CD sales to TCF for which we are incredibly appreciative.

OK more Housewives to watch as we drink tea on the couch with OJ sitting between on us. My parents are bringing Lucky back tomorrow. She goes from being aggro retriever with us to cuddly docile dog with them. I bet they had a going away party for her tonight and spoon fed her filet mignon, chicken livers and matzoh ball soup. But as Michael and I say, with Lucky, the proof is in the poop so we shall see.