Vintagey Night Out With Friends

A few weekends ago, some friends & I went out for cocktails & dinner at a new restaurant. And we dressed up, as you do. This dress is an old fave, & I went all out with old-fashioned glam accessories, as you do.

What I'm wearing:
Red dress with black corsage, Stop Staring | Black minky-fur shrug, second-hand from a friend | Black fascinator with net & maribou, made by a friend | Black leather gloves, vintage | Black spiderweb tights, unknown brand | Black ribbon-tie pumps, Clarks | Black, silver, & rhinestone necklace, random accessory store | Black dangly earrings, random accessory store | Faux diamond ring, random accessory store

with my pal Sarah

Done, Done, DONE!

Yesterday was my last day of radiation -- 33 treatments, all finished, after the 4 rounds of chemotherapy. You know what that means? I'm DONE with active treatment for cancer! Finished! I may need to take some medication for the next umpteen years, plus have regular check-ups & tests, but NO MORE poisoning or torturing my body on a regular basis to kill those nasty cancer cells. C'EST FINI!!!

I'm thrilled at this milestone. It feels like I've been in treatment for-freakin'-ever. Since last June when I first went to my doctor about that lump, I've been on a constant treadmill of doctor's appointments, all of which lead to increasingly unpleasant things to rid my body of the invader. Yes, my doctors & nurses have been excellent, & yes, their recommendations have been wise & necessary. But I'm incredibly happy to see the end of it.

Chemo sucked ass, & radiation has been fairly easy but not exactly fun. I'm guessing the future bits will be much milder. I may have said it before, but it bears repeating: I could not have made it through any of this without the constant support of all of YOU, my friends & community. My IRL friends & family have been awesome, but I was also buoyed by the stream of comments, emails, posts, cards, gifts, donations, & well-wishes from every one of you out there in the interwebs. Your support has helped keep me going when I've felt down, which has been a lot!

Cancer is mind-numbingly hard, & nobody can manage it alone. I am extremely grateful to have *not* been alone during this, thanks to you. I'm sorry if I didn't respond to everyone, but please know that your words, no matter how small, touched me & comforted me.

THANK YOU!!!

right after my final radiation

What I'm wearing:
Black & white stripe knit dress, Nordstrom
Black velvet jacket, White House Black Market
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Black flats, Aerosoles
Silver sugar skull earrings, random accessory store
Chanel "Vamp" lipstick
(Note: I'm still wearing wigs & hats on a regular basis, but I went 'topless' to celebrate last night!)
For treatment:
"Keep Calm & Fuck Cancer" T-shirt, CafePress
Black & white fleece hat, gift from Mom

With my mom, who has been awesome through all this.

With my husband, who's been a rock!

Obligatory selfie - hair is finally growing back.

Last Hurrah

These pictures are from a party on Saturday -- one of my best friends had a housewarming party, & this was the perfect excuse to dress up & go a bit wild before going under the knife.

See, I'm auto-posting this on Monday, when I'll be coming home from surgery, a lumpectomy for breast cancer. Yeah, I definitely needed that party!

What I'm wearing:
Black & red flocked floral halter dress, bought in Camden Market, London | Black corset, custom-made by Sarah | Red peep-toe slingback pumps, Bandolino, bought at Marshall's | Black fishnets, unknown brand | Rhinestone dangly earrings, random accessory store | Black rose cocktail ring, random accessory store | Red flower hair pin, random accessory store | Red lipstick, Sephora

Coffee or Tea?

A friend mentioned this on Facebook this morning, & it got me thinking ... while I feel like I *should* enjoy tea, I really like & practically need coffee. I can easily take or leave tea as a drink, but coffee is my personal savior in the mornings. There are times when I joke that I need a lake of coffee in order to wake up & feel human before noon.

I'm a little bit of a coffee snob, in that I can't stand instant or diner coffee or any of that K-cup nonsense. I enjoy Starbucks & Peets on an everyday basis, & I absolutely adore Jamaican Blue Mountain (one of the most expensive coffee beans in the world, so it's a rare treat, but sooooo tasty!). I'm not super picky about coffee bean origins or roasts, but I have definitely gotten over my juvenile affection for flavored coffees & vast amounts of sugar. A nonfat latte with & 2 sugars is plenty, anything else is dessert.

Tea just doesn't cut it in comparison. I do collect fancy varieties, & friends often send me samples of exotic teas because I seem like someone who would drink tea (what, is it because I have cats? or is it my love of history & costumes?). Invariably, when I make a cup of Earl Grey or Darjeeling (my favorite varieties) by itself, I'm a bit disappointed.

Now, tea as a meal, that I adore. Add little crust-less sandwiches, scones, cakes, serve it all on fine bone china & sterling silver -- I'm in heaven! I'll drink gallons of tea then. In fact, I *have* a ton of those tea accoutrements. The china set for 12, the silver tea strainers, the damask tea cozies, the tiered trays. But in that setting, the drink is secondary.

Which do you prefer -- coffee or tea? Why?

What I'm wearing:
Purple & black stripe sweater, Old Navy
Black knit top, Old Navy
Black twill skirt, MetroStyle
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Black heeled ankle boots, Aerosoles
Pewter nail-cross pendant, bought at Mont St. Michele, France
Silver teardrop earrings, random accessory store