And it's finished

My boy is gone. Cadaver "Caddy" C. Aug. 1996 (approx.) to Nov. 30, 2009.

It's over. He went peacefully and quickly. I think he was ready to go. I don't really have much to say about this other than to offer thanks to everyone who has been so kind since I first started posting about his illness. You guys are just the best.

Here is a lifetime of Caddy pics for anyone who wants to know how I saw him

I told him he was going on a wonderful journey. I didn't tell him my heart was breaking.

Sometimes perspective can give you the pip

With all the worry about Caddy, it barely even registered with me last night that Torquere Press wants to buy my novella "Pomegranate Seeds."  I sent back a note saying "Yes, of course, thank you" or something (I actually had to check as I had no memory of doing so.)

I never thought I'd find myself thinking "So what?" over selling a story.  Weird.  But now I'm starting to be pleased, if not particularly excited.

Review: The Little Guide to Vintage Shopping, by Melody Fortier

I grew up in an antique/resale family, but vintage clothing and accessories were not really a part of my family's stock-in-trade. So while I know antiques, and vintage furniture and household items to a degree, vintage clothing is something that hasn't really registered on my radar. That's one reason why I wanted to have a little guide to buying vintage.

Melody Fortier does a very good job of conveying the basics of vintage clothing. She defines it, she discusses the advantages of vintage over contemporary (generally better made being one of the major pluses,) gives information about fabrics and styles, pricing, terminology, and even the labels you might find in some of your vintage purchases. But more than that, she discusses care of vintage items, from cleaning to storage -- some of these items can be very delicate after all, and you may well need to treat them more gently than the old tee you sleep in! There are also chapters on accessories (and I for one would have loved to see an entire book devoted to this particular subject, but you get what you get) and on reinventing your new old clothing.

It's not comprehensive by any means but it's not intended to be. Tuck this in your purse when you're out on the prowl for vintage items, and you'll probably do well.