See last post for book tour hopping details.
The tour for The Great Unexpected was mostly awesome: amazing students and librarians and teachers and independent bookstores. I mean: a-maz-ing! I'm so full of all that book love and wish that those who want to cut school library budgets would step into these schools and see the beauty of what can happen with a great librarian, a 'real' library, and 'real' books.
The hardest part of the tour is always the travel - the airport and airplane slog - the sneezing, coughing crowds; the long lines; the delays; the wait, wait, waiting. My body revolts. It takes weeks to recover.
But now I'm home and here is what is happening:
We are packing, packing, packing! It's crazyville here. We've sold our house in western New York state and are moving to Maine.
Maine!
We are following the grandchildren, who have recently moved there. (With their parents, yes.)
Here are three things we have discovered:
1. We have way too many books.
2. Boxes of books are very heavy.
3. We have a hard time getting rid of any books.
You, too? Too many books? Hard time letting them go?
xx
Yes, I have the same problem with books every time I move (which is a lot). But I can never give them up!
ReplyDeleteAnd yet some people think people like us are strange having all these books around!
DeleteI feel as if most of what we own is books, though I'm not sorry about that. But yes, you have to be careful packing books. (I recommend boxes from a liquor store, which are smallish and sturdy and usually free).)
ReplyDeleteIt's hard for me to get rid of books. Sure, there are books I read and don't enjoy and can willingly part with at the library's book sale, but I have a strong attachment not only to the content of books, but the book itself -- the way it looks, the way it feels in my hand, the memories, sometimes signatures inside. (It's why I could never love a Kindle.)
But moving is always an exciting adventure, books or no, and then there's the joy of finding JUST THE RIGHT SPOT in your new place for your old, familiar treasures. Good luck!
I agree with you completely about the attachment to the physical book itself. Yep.
DeleteAha! Following the grandchildren to Maine. They are so worth all of that packing and toting.
ReplyDeleteRe books: Yes, way too many but I can justify each and every one. Besides, it's too difficult to part with them.
(It was nice to meet you in Downers Grove. A treat for me.)
It was a treat for me as well.
DeleteBooks are an occupational treat (not hazard) for writers, illustrators, librarians, teachers and readers. We take them place to place and talk to ourselves sternly about the how the holdings just keep growing. But we can't help ourselves. Perhaps we need to look at it as better than Pilates and weights for keeping us in amazing upper body strength-ville! Good luck on the move and enjoy that amazing state!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Marge - you're an outdoor lover, so you would appreciate, I know . . . xx
DeleteHey Funny Lady...you, should have too many books? Ha ha! I can't believe how many boxes you have accumulated already! On one of your breaks, please email me about your new home. Will miss you at the lake, but I sure understand that you are going to love being in Maine. All the best!
ReplyDeleteWill do . . . at least I can still 'visit' you daily at Skoog Farm. xx
DeleteNow that we have been Mainers a whole entire week, I can say that I highly recommend the experience!
ReplyDeleteOur old house (in SC) was only a week ago just like your photo and now our new one here looks just the same. It's remarkable how little needs to come out of the boxes to make life work!
We gave away more than half our books (and other belongings) and it was a wonderful feeling. Though now we need things to sit on. And to read.
I wish you a safe and wonderful adventure!
(that packing part is no fun, especially the breakables, blech!)
Florence
Florence: Where in Maine are you? (did you say already and I forgot?!)
DeleteFreeport! We followed family as well and are hoping to attract more along the way.
DeleteHave loved reading what I gather is your kids' Some Elegant Adventures up this way. Though we were terribly jealous for a bit while we were waiting for our house to sell!
Yes, that's our daughter/son-in-law's blog. Happeee new adventure to all of us.
DeleteI'm glad you had such a great tour! I enjoyed seeing your pictures on facebook. :)
ReplyDeleteBoxes of books are sooo heavy! I have such a tough time parting with books. I'm better at it now, though. Since I'm super meticulous with my books and treat them as if they're breakable, they're always in great shape and I donate ones I know I won't read again to my local library and Goodwill. They love getting books! It makes me feel a little better to part ways with books when I know they're going somewhere appreciated and wanted!
Good luck with your move to Maine! My family and I used to vacation there for a couple weeks in the summer, near Bar Harbor. It's a beautiful state, especially at this time of year!
Laura - Thank you. I, too, feel better about releasing some treasured books to places I know they will be appreciated. Our local library uses the children's ones as prizes for their reading programs. I love that1
DeleteI have the same book situation! I've trained myself slowly but surely to donate them to both my local (New Jersey!) and childhood (Vermont!) library when I finish a book. That way if I want to read it again, I know just where it is. :) Happy packing and moving....here's to new beginnings!
ReplyDeletewe are learning to let go of our massive personal library, keeping only the gemiest of the gems (that includes all of your books). it feels great to cull two-thirds of the volumes from our shelves. and the public library...bless public libraries...we're making far more use of them these days than we have in years.
ReplyDeleteaside from family and pets, books are at the top of my "things that are very important to me" list. i love books- the way they look in a shelf, the way they feel in my hand, the way they smell over time. for me, books are well worth the inconvenience of some heavy lifting.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm pretty careful about what books enter my walls, but still WILL have quite a chore someday. We've been here since '77. Good books are powerful; they have 'staying power'. Good luck on the move.
ReplyDeleteThere is no such thing as too many books - unless they are not good books that you love. I don't blame you for following the granchildren because grandchildren are the best.
ReplyDeleteWe all seem to be hoarders of book, and since I am a promiscuous reader, I have too many!
ReplyDeleteI'm already in Maine, but still have Too Many Books...If you do decide to let some go & want to trade some, as I have, I recommend Hello Books at Rock City Cafe in Rockland...
ReplyDeleteI can relate, Sharon! :D We have a lot of books at home. Our family loves reading paperbacks, so when we moved to a new house, it was also hard for us to decide what books we’ll carry and get rid of. In the end, we brought almost all of our books. Haha. We just can’t let them go, I guess. We have four boxes full of them. :p
ReplyDelete