A beautiful respite...

Sunday night of the "big" week. I'm starting to completely, totally freak out about starting chemotherapy this week. I've got my long list of natural supplements to buy prior to starting so I can enhance the positive effects and help negate the rest. It is really, really long. And not a little overwhelming. I want a rewind. A redo. I don't want this week to start. Strange feeling.

This weekend was perfect. Better than I could have imagined. Lissa and Kirsten treated me to a relaxing, fun, girly weekend. The drive out to the desert was easy and we rejoiced each time the temperature gauge in the car inched up another degree. We pulled up to the Viceroy and entered the modern doorway into our magical weekend kingdom.

Our room was beautiful, very retro-hip, with a South of France feel. Fashionista Kirsten taught me how to tie a sarong and although it was complicated for me, I think I got it right. Multi-talented Lissa played bartender, stirring up the requisite fruity drinks to enjoy by the pool. We sashayed out the sliding doors directly to the pool. My fantasy of reclining by the pool, with a fruity drink was enhanced by my companions.

Laughter, sunshine, warmth, good friends: recipe for complete relaxation. We didn't pretend that the cancer didn't exist but, for the weekend, it stayed in the background.

After a wonderful Red Carpet Facial (I am watching the Oscars on the couch with Todd and Jake after all), we enjoyed the late afternoon and got ready for what would be a very entertaining evening. Lissa, yes, the multitalented one also happens to be a make-up artist, hair stylist and photographer. Lucky Kirsten and me! We sat on the bathroom floor with our champagne and got beautiful. It felt like we were back in school: I forgot how much fun it can be to just spend hours with the girls, being girls. You know, back when you'd have so much fun getting ready, anticipating the night ahead and 9 times out of 10, it was the best part of the night.

The rest of the night lived up to the primping. We stayed within the walls of our magic Viceroy kingdom and headed to the lobby bar. We never had to leave our stools and were entertained for the rest of the evening. Yummy drinks, tasty food, colorful local characters and more good conversation. As evidenced by the photos! Simply fun.

We closed the evening back in the room and laid our pampered heads on the pillows, slumbering before the clock struck midnight. A perfect day.

We returned this morning after a tasty breakfast, poolside. I love this place!

From the bottom of my heart, thank you ladies for this escape. I haven't felt this relaxed in more than two months. I'll try to return to the feeling over and over as the future unfolds.