Summertime Climb*

I like to think of this newsletter as at-will but the reality is I feel a fair amount of self-loathing when I miss a week without notice. I've been thinking about you is what I'm trying to say.

In My Year of Diagnoses, this month we are exploring sleep apnea with a brief pit stop at a summertime scenic overview of "is it strep or not." My PCP recommended a sleep test based on my blood oxygen levels during sleep (h/t Apple watch), my snoring and my recent moments of overwhelming drowsiness. I'm using BlueSleep because, frankly, it was the most convenient for me. I'm hopeful that a diagnosis could cause some welcome effects, up to and including breathing continuously and not depriving my brain and organs of oxygen. Fingers crossed!

Bette started camp last week and after days (and nights) of an anxiety-driven upset stomach in the lead up to the first day, she's having the time of her life. To be fair, it's an amazing set up. They take the kids to an activity every day and so far she's been to the beach twice, bowling and the Bronx Zoo. I'm excited for her to have an active NYC summer and to get to spend a bunch of time with her milk sister Laila.

Watching, Reading, Listening
No great watches over the last few weeks, unfortunately. I am looking forward to Lady Jane once I figure out when I can watch it, though.
I finished the Art Thief. Would recommend. I also listened to Long Island and I found it kind of soapy and stressful but also lovely? I get why he ended it the way he did but I admit I felt unfulfilled. These characters are filled with a restraint and bottled up emotion that he writes about eloquently but I find that it can be, at times, frustrating as hell in terms of plot pacing and storyline. All that said, Jessie Buckley did an exceptional job with the voices and accents.
I introduced Bette formally to Florence and the Machine this week and I'm looking forward to her witchy goth phase.

Lifting
Squatting and benching with the bar again and it feels soooooo good.

Ingesting
Two weeks of food to cover but here are the highlights in no particular order: Korean BBQ for Zainab's birthday, an exceptional egg and cheese from 5th Avenue Market, a lot of cottage cheese, liters of this herbal iced tea, edible cookie dough, and a delicious homemade dal makhani from Spence. Also, did you know taking Sudafed on top of 50 mg of Vyvanse, 87.5 mg of Sertraline, etc., creates a stimulant cocktail that will compel you to clean your home for over an hour? Obsessively? Almost against your will? Wild.

Struggling
With the heat. This is absolutely my least favorite part of the year, weather-wise. The temperatures plus dealing with another round of "is it strep or not" has been the worst.

Buying
Camp supplies for Bette. Several puzzles from Galison, see below. A few dresses from Gap in a last-ditch effort to build out my closet ahead of my work's two-week (!) global meeting this month.

Creating
An inhuman and jarring amount of sweat, if I'm being honest with you.

Fixating
On the fact that I can do puzzles again, in broad daylight and in the presence of my children who are now old enough to not swipe the pieces off the table or try to eat them. That said, I did find a missing piece of this one in Sylvie's trick or treat pumpkin this weekend after boxing it back up. Bette is starting to feel more interested in helping and I can usually get it done in a day if I keep it to 500 pieces. A blessed relief to have another hobby that keeps my hands away from my phone.

Avoiding
Thinking about flying solo to Michigan with the girls in August.

Reader, I Pinned It
Ikea has some very cute bedding right now; this stunning-ass signet ring; I am, and will always be, a fool for a tea-flavored dessert.

*Title courtesy of this Flashing Lights banger.