I found this great set of vintage leather suitcases.  They immediately got me to thinking as to whether I should sell or keep.  I'm into repurposing some things, but items like this make me want to use them as they were intended.  My dad had a fantastic old leather Samsonite suitcase that I always loved.  It was understated, classy and durable.  These are equally so.  I don't want to make them into a side table or a doggie bed.  I want to go on a long trip to someplace I've never been, and have strangers admire my beautiful luggage.  Strangers that I hope can appreciate the craftsmanship and homage to the mid-century era in which they were created and used.  What should I pack?

There are still luggage tags attached, from Calumet City Travel.  The tags are definitely from the 60's and a quick Google check reveals that the travel agency hasn't been in business recently enough to show up on a search.  History...I love it.  Is it just me, or does everyone get goosebumps when they find something that has existed longer than they've lived?

Coming up again this weekend is the Vintage Garage Chicago.  If you're in the area, you should check it out.  I'm going to try it again, selling things that I hate to part with.  I'll bet there's a name for my condition.  Why do I torture myself?  Actually, it's great to keep things for awhile and to be ABLE to let them go. Holding onto everything? I know there's a name for that and I think there's a t.v. show that I might be a candidate for.  But I love passing them on to new owners and a new home.  I'm sure these suitcases will find someone who loves them as much as I do.  

I've been listening to the hi-fi more this summer than I think I ever have.  I inherited about 400 pieces of vinyl recently, maybe more.  The cover art alone is mind-boggling and so much fun to look at.  The music however, is mind-blowing.  You already know how much I love that fuzzy, fizzy, muted sound.  On tap for this week: 

 Roy Ayers (My life, my life, my life, my life, in the sunshine!  Everybody loves the sunshine!)  You could really get away with 10 or 12 words as the sum total of all your lyrics, as long as the feeling was 

Bill Withers (who still looks MAH-velous, by the way),

It's gonna be a lovely DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!  

And what I want to hear, but can't find...Sly and the Family Stone.

I'm working on it!

I decided that for someone who loves music as much as I do, I don't listen to it nearly enough.  The driving music is limited by my not very comprehensive CD collection and a crappy sound system.  I'm committed to listening to what I love, in the format that I love.  So Roy, Bill (and hopefully Sly) it is this week.  Drive by my place and you just may hear the hi-fi cranked up and thumping.  And if you look up, you just may see me cutting an osteoarthritic rug.  Dance to the music, dance to the music!  My knees hurt just thinking about it.  At Bettie's 14th Street Dance Club, the special of the day is Joint Juice Cocktails.  Wow, who knew there were so many creaky joint jokes to be made?  And my son says I'm not funny...