A break from the norm

Has anyone else noticed that the "best laid plans" somehow seem more susceptible to interruption or alteration than their vaguely constructed counterparts?! This second posting had every intention of following closely on the heels of the 1st, but we all see how that turned out. Well, as usual, what lacks in frequency, you can count on your Bel to make up for in quantity;-)... I have long craved a break from the "Go!-Go!-Go!" routine of my life (espec. during travel season)- which was facilitated in "unexpected blessing" fashion this week when my body became the temporary (but not temp enough) home of a nasty sinus infection accompanied by laryngitis. This has meant several things for yours truly:

• The welcomed opportunity to catch up with 2 of my most cherished long lost friends: sleep and Oprah.
  
• A special indignation when fellow patrons of public restrooms march unapologetically past me at the sink without paying a visit to one themselves. I mean, honestly- isn't it at least public courtesy to systematically erase the bacterial trace of where your hands have been after emerging from the toilet stall?! When did this become an expendible, negotiable, and/or optional step?! Having witnessed this 2x in one day this week alone has left me not the least surprised that even my iron-clad immune system was rendered insufficient...
• Living the dream... a.k.a.- losing weight in my sleep! Indifference to food for the week = more acceptable when it comes accompanied by loss of about 7lbs. What else is a girl to conclude but that God's "got her back" (and as far as I'm concerned- he can keep it!) when miraculously, the same week that her only pair of jeans [that fit] bailed outta commission & tore irreparably, she loses the weight needed to bump her down comfortably to the next lower size- and all while spending the majority of each day in bed?!
  
• Several reoccurring moments of such misery & desperation that found this 26 yr old with supposedly high pain tolerance in rare form. Sadly this went beyond the occasional, yet publicly acceptable "I'm so miserable" cry, and revisited a premature state with the added sentiment of "I want my mom" (insert assumption that her presence contains the magic to make it better).
• Several opportunities to be very whelmed by the blessings of family & friends in a time of more need. To name a few: Mindy who brought me soup before meals were even contemplated, Megan- the dishfairy- who saw to it that dishes miraculously found their ways back to a clean state sans the touch of my hands, selfless co-workers who covered my phone calls, visitors, & training commitments in my absence- including Brad who dropped everything on his plate to do a presentation for me when my voice went AWOL, Mom who offered clutch medical advice (who knew that while taking antibiotics, over the counter meds are still needed for symptom relief?!), Colleen who served as surrogate mom, and everyone who served as comic relief, kept me company, sent emails that delivered a smile when I got the opportunity to check my email or called at a time when the voice of a loved one was a needed commodity- as well as all who put up with the squeaking, whispering & raspy phases my voice went through.
  

Bonus points for anyone who picked up on the subtleties of this entry, including the alternating pattern of "Best of times" and "Worst of times" examples above, and the fact that the former outnumber the latter;-). C'est l'histoire de nos vies (the story of our lives;-)! Wishing good health & peace till the next episode...