7 quick takes: throwing in the towel on my sinuses, summerer in Austin, unexpected mail and more!


Occasionally, my husband and I wake up to these sorts of gifts waiting for us.


I've been sick this week.  Brian made a passing comment this morning about me "suffering from this same issue for the past 20 years".  I got ready to argue with him until I recalled a vivid image of me holed up in the bedroom, surrounded by tissue and cough drops and vaporizer steam in the house we lived in when Andrew was 1.  Andrew is now 22.  

You'd think I would have thought about getting more serious help for chronic sinusitis before now.  Who can say why we put up with the things we do?  Maybe because a couple times a year I feel like I have a legitimate excuse to stay in my pajamas all day and binge-watch British murder mysteries?  Maybe because I have some sort of fantasy that I transform into a Meg Ryan/Kathleen Kelley sort of adorable when I'm sick in bed? Maybe it's because I'm hoping each time that I'll end up stranded in a snowstorm in my mother's house where she takes care of me with hot tea and soup for three days.  (that did happen once -- best way to be sick ever)

Maybe I'm trying to be like my grandmother -- the worst sufferer of sinus pain and least-willing to use medicinal remedies.  I've saved a voice mail from my Grandma calling to remind me her home-made solutions to sinus suffering. 

Maybe it's all the great blog content inspired by my sinus maladies over the years with riveting titles such as Sick, Sick and Tired, and Bad Medicine.

Yeah, no.  I finally made an appointment with an ENT specialist.  Please don't tell my grandmother.


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Speaking British murder mysteries, what's your favorite?  I was recently introduced to the long-running Inspector Morse which spun off to Inspector Lewis and, this summer, the four-episode prequel Endeavour

I wish (and hope) Endeavour gets another season because one was not enough.

While I've been laying around making my husband wait on me and my boss keep the office going single-handedly, I'm excited about some of the great, productive stuff so many of my friends have managed this week...

My friend Phaedra added a wonderful Etsy shop to her already-delightful offerings, Bonny & Blythe Vintage

My friend Jason Harrod released his latest album Highliner today!

My friend Micha of Mama:Monk went to Guatemala with World Vision and wrote about it


I'm trying so hard to not complain about the month of September in Austin.  I've decided it's pretty much the same as February or March in New York only -- rather than dirty snow and random blizzards -- dead grass and 100 degree temperatures.  Even if I hadn't been sick, I'd have probably stayed inside behind closed blinds and curtains all week because we are officially in the season of Summerer here. (see below)




More good things I saw online this week:

This Incredible Obituary May Be the Best Thing You Read All Week at Huffington Post

Homosexuality, Identity and the Grace of Chastity at The Catholic World Report 

Life Gives Sight To A Chaotic Universe at NPR

Remembering Robert Farrar Capon by Rachel Marie Stone at Christianity Today: plus my review of our Readers Guild experience reading Capon's The Supper of the Lamb


The best part of being home feeling horrible is that somehow -- perhaps, providentially and most certainly grace-fully -- I kept receiving unexpected gifts in the mail.  I don't think it was because I was sick, but just blessed with thoughtful friends and family.



By the way, that hot pink stationary is a letter from my mother the Dollar Store Diva and you can use her free printable to make your own thank you notes here:  So Many Thanks stationary with printables


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We finally watched the last two episodes of So You Think You Can Dance.  I continue to be so impressed with this program and wish all reality talent-type shows would take some notes on how to run a competition that adds -- rather than exploits or subtracts -- dignity from its participants.

Here's one of my favorite dances from season 10:


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A beauty and grace-filled weekend for us all, dear ones.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!