New Coat Weather

We've had cold weather in my neck of the woods, though not as cold as what Wayne is telling me they're getting in the Windy City.

I bought a new coat after Christmas. My serious coat, replacement for the car coat I've owned for years, no slave to fashion, I.

Generally I keep three coats. My old man loved jackets and I could wear his size, so I used to have lots of jackets. Christine, ever a fan of frugality and moderation, put an end to that.

So there's a light jacket, a leather jacket like I always wanted 'cause I used to see Neil Gaiman wear one at conventions (kidding) and a heavy jacket to wear when it's cold and rainy and thus not right for the leather jacket.

The new one is a nice, black wool from Nordstrom's. My navy-with-a-leather-collar coat's headed for Goodwill.

I'm not given to sentimentality over inanimate objects, but I think I'll miss it.

I bought it in a department store in San Antonio in the mid-nineties, no kidding. I wore it through winters while I was still a reporter then when I was a reference librarian/freelance writer and I've continued to wear it as it's been needed since I've been a gentleman ad man.

It got me through blustery nights in London and terrible weather in Dublin, cold days and nights in Chicago including deep dish pizza at one of Wayne's haunts.

Through chilly weather in Seattle and San Francisco.

I wore it on trips over to clean out my parents apartment after my dad died and my mom was no longer able to live alone.

It's just a thing, but seen me through a lot of cold.