Simple Living Mysteries

For those who love a good cozy mystery, i.e., one that has laughs in it, there's an addition to the recipe collections (think Tamar Myers) and the dog collections (think Susan Connant) ... there's a couple that fit the Simplicity bill.
The Picker Who Perished by Kate Holmes is available through Albris.Com.

There is also Shop Till You Drop, a Dead-End Job Mystery, by Elaine Veits. A funny read, it was an Agatha Award nominee. In fact, it's part of a series of "Dead End Job Mysteries."

Can you think of any others?

Nat'l Ass'n of Retail & Thrift Stores

Wow, there really is a National Association of Retail and Thrift Stores, and they have a lot of free information for you at their site. Among other things, there's a Shopping Guide, an FAQ, and a listing of their member stores.

They also provide a quarterly newsletter, "Resale Details," with a free subscription. It's good. Archives are on the site, and Winter 2005 has great info, including:

"Be careful of pop-culture themes like cartoon characters. Instead of investing in SpongeBob bedding and curtains that the child will outgrow in a few short years, use easily removed wall appliqués and inexpensive accessories such as throw pillows or sheet sets to accentuate a theme."

It's a real find.