book sale finds and musings

Last week, being frigid and filled with snowy weather was also the annual book sale that I and other friends attend hoping to find good books to help us cope with cabin fever and lengthening book lists. I took some photos of some of the books I found, first with the kids and then later in the evening by myself. 

The books are given a wipe down to remove any griminess and then I usually try to safely remove sticker residue before the books are then scanned into my Library Thing account. Then the books are distributed throughout the house: some up to Laura's room, Seth's room and my room. Others come to the shelves in the living room, one of which seen below holds part of our Dr. Seuss (and friends) collection.  The rest are stored on the basement shelves awaiting their turn to be called into service upstairs. Yes, like just like Downton Abbey except without the period costumes and the enthralling drama.

I picked out most of the books, with Laura and Seth adding a few to our basket-box that I might not have picked if I was alone. But in the end, we come away with only a few books that I consider junk food for their brains and everyone is happy. And yes, I am willing to concede that the Porsche 911 book that I impulsively plucked from a shelf on my way to the book counter table may be junk food for me, but it's not like that's the only thing I'll read this month.  Honest. (It in some strange way replaces the childhood poster from my bedroom that disappeared from my possessions so long ago I cannot remember why or how it went. I earned that Porsche poster by selling a certain number of magazine subscriptions or some other glorious fundraising scheme I was required to participate in. It was a gorgeous red model on a glossy black background and hanging that on my formerly pink, then white, now non-existent bedroom wall made me feel that I knew something about cars. I knew what I liked if nothing else.)

And finally in the interest of full disclosure, I add in some of the other books that didn't get their picture taken, lest you think I skimped on my book purchases and also my rumpled, indigo-stained list from my back jean pocket to prove I had a purpose to my shopping. And then, at long last, the real end of this post with a few photos of some of the aforementioned book spaces in our house.

Seth also picked up most of the books in Lemony Snicket's  A Series of Unfortunate Events of which he has already listened to several in the series. I also found the same piano theory books Seth is using now, with no writing inside which will be good for future piano students in our house.
I bought us a like new French to English dictionary and found a copy of the grammar book my French-mentoring friend Kathleen told me to get. And I added to our C.S. Lewis nonfiction writings as well which are usually hard to find there.  Also we found a few more picture books to add to our collection from Robert McCloskey, Jan Brett and others.