Hey there,

I can’t believe it’s already time for another of these weekly letters… time has been flying during this month of quiet for me! I admit I’m not 100% ready yet to put back on my podcast headphones, but I am enjoying more time spent on my novel writing.

I miss swimming. It’s such a major part of a Texas childhood summer, and my kiddos have barely gotten their swimsuits wet... We have a tacky blow-up pool for the backyard specifically for this Summer of Weirdness, but our beloved neighborhood Blue Hole is closed, as well as city pools and many natural water hangouts. I know it’s a small thing, and we’re more than willing to do our part for the greater good, but it doesn’t mean we don’t still miss it. It is what it is.

Grateful for our backyard tackiness! *cracks open LaCroix, adds gin*

Tourists take photos on the Greek island of Zakynthos. #

5 Quick Things ☕️

1. Using your imagination can actually help your body during wild times like this.

2. "I no longer take up valuable space with things we simply don’t eat — sounds obvious, but how many of us have random cans of black olives stuffed in the back of our pantries for years?" Good ideas here.

3. Simple-but-true tips for getting out of a reading rut — I’ve been doing 9 and 10 a lot this summer.

4. I’d love to see this sort of thinking spread — caring for our common home is a way of decoupling “quality of life” from “life of consumption.”

5. I first saw this commercial ages ago when we lived in Turkey, and as a second-language learner I laughed so hard for days. It still makes me laugh.

Quotable 💬

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”

― John Lubbock

Time Machine ⏰

2 years ago, Leonie wrote about her experience celebrating her “sleeve.”

Elsewhere 📍

Tsh Oxenreider @tsh

I eat either no bowls of cereal or five bowls of cereal. This is why I stay away from cereal.

7:30 PM ∙ Jul 17, 2020

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Have a good weekend,

xo, Tsh

p.s. Black-owned shops, chicken coop plans, and removable citrus wallpaper — all things I’m browsing these days. If you’ve got a favorite chicken coop design I’d love to see it!