Books, Baskets, Chairs & Monsoon Easter

Well, so much for my great prediction about the book collection we made an offer on three years ago and reiterated two years ago. I clearly remember stating in my last post  that I was certain this third opportunity would wind up being just one more wild goose chase. In part this was because it was never made clear to me that this time the books were really up for grabs. So Thursday night  I sent Eric along by himself to have another look and submit a new offer based on current prices. I knew without even seeing them again that most of the books had dropped in value, but was equally certain that the owner would still demand at least the original offer.  So when the automatic garage door rose signaling my book warrior’s return from the wilds I didn’t even fly out the door like a banshee to hear the verdict.

“I got them,” he said by way of greeting as I looked up from the book I was reading.

“You got them?”

“Yes, I got them. And for half the original offer. You were right – a  lot of them had dropped drastically. But I think it was a fair offer and we still did okay.”

“He actually TOOK that?”

“He did. Right away too.”

 It’s a good thing I’m not a gambler. The big problem now is that we have to retrieve them which sounds easier than it is because the house sits very high on a bluff and I am pretty much useless this time due to fibro pain from the ORDEAL which has my whole left side screaming. Eric is hoping to hire a friend’s son who’s working only sporadically at the moment. So fingers crossed on that one!

As we speak I should be getting ready for what we have dubbed Monsoon Easter due to weather.com’s prediction of 36 hours of rain.  We never celebrated last weekend due to the book fair, so I have a ton to do to get ready. The kids will be here from Maryland and Michigan today and tomorrow the games will begin. I made the baskets, filled 38 plastic eggs with treats, including a special silver dollar for each little guy, and cleaned a lot of the house. Today I have to finish the latter and prep what food I can. I kept it simple with a baked ham, curry rice, fresh asparagus, rolls, and that salad made from romaine, avocado, candied pecans, fresh pears and Roquefort cheese in a mustard vinaigrette. For dessert I’m baking a raspberry cake from scratch.

Yesterday I managed to haul some books to the antiques mall for the weekend, but I’m mad at myself for not taking a photo of that gorgeous Ohio book I got at the book fair. This thing is amazing, so what do I do but put in a box and take it away. We also took over two green leather chairs I got at an estate sale over a month ago. The gunsmith at our store (antique firearms), redid the legs and they look amazing. I totally love these chairs. There were four originally, but the owner kept one, so I kept one too, and just took the pair as per the instructions of my antiques dealer friend Darwin. He and I both really grooved on these, but I think Eric is much less dazzled. I guess they’re one of those things you either find drop-dead gorgeous or totally ugly.

Today’s post  had few booky picture possibilities, so what you are seeing above is the lone green chair, with some books needing to be listed, the plastic eggs, and one of the kids’ Easter baskets. I know, I know -- not exactly an Ansel Adams moment, but the best I can do.