View From the Kitchen Sink

Don’t expect a whole lot here today – just rambles about this and that. It’s dark and rainy and the view from the kitchen sink (it's glare -- don't get too excited) would make you want to crawl back into bed and forget the whole thing. But this IS Memorial Day weekend so we’re partying over here even though it’s unlikely that my very fun idea is going to take place. (More on that later). The important thing is that even though I’m serving dinner and breakfast to eight people and another dinner to ten people, need desperately to grocery shop, and my house looks like a gale force wind blew in, I’m listing books and talking to you. Not to worry though – I’m a whirlwind under pressure.

But here’s the thing – this party is bittersweet and the rain is not helping matters. My youngest daughter Caitie and her boyfriend are moving to Maryland in less than a week. He works for the government and landed the Big Job in D.C., the one you can’t turn down if you want to climb the aluminum ladder to – whatever. I know it’s selfish, petty, and unbecoming, but I don’t want them to go. These two are  like a portable party. Usher them in and let the games begin. I know, I know -- we can go there to visit and we will, though I am not a traveler of the first order, or the second or third order either for that matter. But let’s not get into THAT. Things are bad enough.

Actually, I’m trying to be hopeful and upbeat over here, so I’m going to stop at Target when I’m out getting groceries on the quarter-chance that the precipitation ends and the sun comes out and I can spring my great fun idea after all. I saw an ad on TV for sidewalk chalk that glows in the dark. So I thought I’d get a bunch of it and take it out of the package so our seven year old grandson who could out-read Marian the Librarian doesn’t know this secret feature. Then we will ALL – big kids, little kids, and old kids – divide up the driveway and make a huge mural. Then when it gets dark we’ll take the kids outside and – voila! I know you think the adults won’t like this, but they will. If something pleases those two little boys every single one of us would have a blast doing it. Really.

In the meantime I’m busy listing books because for some crazy reason sales are popping like kernels of corn on ABE. I mentioned it to a bookseller friend who only sells on amazon (better known here as the Evil Empire) and she says the same thing is happening there. What’s quirky about it is that Auctionbytes just reported that amazon sold more e-books in April than hard cover and soft cover combined. But as the old saying goes, you’re better off not trying to figure it out and just make hay while the sun shines, or sell books in the rain – whichever works best. So here’s a sampling of what I added. The reason I’m showing you a page of Ohio Lands and Their Subdivisions from 1918 instead of the cover is because it’s a plain Jane and I want you to be a little dazzled.

Anyway, I told you this wasn’t going to be much, but I didn’t want to take another four-day hiatus from the blog. So have a happy holiday – go to the parade, grill hot dogs, and take a couple days off bookselling to enjoy your family and friends. I’m going to  -- with or without the mural.

P.S. In answer to the two questions already asked, I don't know why all the icons of my followers have disappeared, but I miss them very much and wish blogger would get over what ails it and the black thing on the windowsill is actually two of the felt pads that go on the bottom of the chair legs so as not to scratch the hardwood floor in the dining room. You guys are a riot!