good words, flat coats, this and that

 ”Never listen to a phone call that isn’t meant for you. Never read a letter that isn’t meant for you. Never pay attention to a comment that isn’t meant for you. Never violate people’s privacy. You will save yourself a great deal of anguish. You might not understand this now, but you will later on.”

— True Compass, by Ted Kennedy

I've been looking at At Its Best and found that quote, which I like. Truth is, I've learned to do just this. I tend to not violate people's privacy and it has stood me in good stead.

As for flat coats...

I'd like to point out

that it is very difficult

to determine

what this outerwear looks like from this perspective. Not that I am shopping for outerwear at this juncture. Coats are something I peruse from time to time. These are from Toast.

This one, I think, looks like a butterfly that has been hit by a car.

K and I traveled out in our neighborhood today. We went to Orvis where he has a $50 gift card. this proved to be an unsuccessful trip. (May I say, as an aside, that though $50 gift cards are much appreciated, they are a pain in the ass to spend. Nothing is $50. $25 would be better spent. Truly. But thanks.)
Our next stop was the wine store and it was being renovated. This is unremarkable save for the fact that the wine store close to our home is also being renovated and the dust was considerable enough to send us (and our newly purchased wine) packing. Now this alternate store is also dusty and poorly stocked. I suppose it just goes to show that people are eagerly purchasing alcohol. No surprise there.
Finally we went for a browse at Anthropologie. I was hoping to see some of their lighting fixtures as I have a bee in my bonnet to replace the "glowing breast" above our dining room table. K is not keen.
I wanted to see these:

which were not there and which K vetoed in the photo anyway.
Or these:

which I have loved from the beginning of time and which would be nice on either side of the big board. (Perhaps sconces are the way to go? We could keep the breast!)
I am also fond of this:

which is none of the above. And, as my father would say: but where would you keep it?!
I've gone all black and industrial in my decor mood, I'll tell you. And I am wearing one of my very favorite made-from-crappe outfits: black leggings, black flats, a black sheer sarong-thing from JCrew from 10 years ago, a black turtle-neck, a long black cardi and a gray scarf. It feels like nothing else, and my husband is over there with his long wavy hair and a set of tongs in his hand making me Boeuf Bourguignon.
What could be better?