I said goodbye to the library tonight.
I had to take Joel to the doctor this evening (he had strep) while I was there, I made a trip over to drop off the last of my library books.
It was a quick, drop it in the drive-up box kind of errand, but knowing that it was my last trip...I just had to go in.
The kids and I wandered in and browsed the gift store clearance table in the lobby. There are always such amazingly cute things that are clearanced down to $2 or $3. Perfect for little gifts for piano teachers or little birthday presents.
We didn't find anything.
We stopped in at the cafe, like always. But it was changed since our last trip. Last month, it was named "641" (the Dewey decimal number for cafe'. Clever, huh?) but this time it had "mud" in its name. We browsed the display case for the little horse shaped sugar cookies with blue royal icing that we always get. They taste awful, but hey, it's tradition. No cookies. None.
They were making it hard to savor my last visit.
We settled on scones and a Dr. Pepper for mom. The kids divvied up the scones and I filled my planet-killing styrofoam cup with shaved ice. They have great ice. While signing my receipt, I told the cashier, "You guys have the best ice." He said, "mmk." Perhaps I was choking up just a tad bit when I said "That's really important, you know?"
"Um. Yeah."
I dropped my books in the slot and we wandered down the long beautiful lobby with the model of the titanic and the incredible public restrooms with automated everything so you never have to touch anything,
and the floor.
They have the best floor.
It's tiled and there is a curving road laid into the tile that has the last names of famous authors in pewter. The kids walked along it's winding path to the door, just like always, and we left. We walked to the car and I took my first sip of my Dr. Pepper.
It was flat.
My sentimentalism completely evaporated at that point. No cool gifts. No cool name. No cool cookies. Not even a cool coffee smell! An ice hater and a bad dr. pepper! Fine!
It actually made it kind of easy to let go. Maybe God had a hand in all that to aid the transition.
So that door is closed. I'm actually getting a little excited about Chris' new plan for actually buying books with the money I'm saving on gas, membership, gifts, cookies, lattes, and late fees. Lattes & Late Fees....that actually sounds like a great name for a book.
14 comments:
Okay. Okay. Just...just wait.
The Dr. Pepper, just so I'm clear, was flat. Flat Dr. Pepper.
This is an outrage!
That more than anything is a sign from Heaven. Walk on sister, with your head held high. Who needs 'em! Honestly, what is the world coming to? I think I need a hug.
That is a good book title.
Thank you! I Know! I'm so glad someone understands!
Book ownership is a beautiful thing. :-) I've spent more at Amazon than ever before, since moving down here. The libraries are just...pathetic.
You have a cafe and a gift shop at your (ex)library? I can't get my library to keep current magazines in the kid section! Sheesh.
I'm with Mike on the Dr. Pepper. It's a sin what the gov't does with our tax dollars. Supplying us with flat Dr. Pepper to...buy...
LoL - yes, I was quite spoiled and it was hard to give up. And yes, I bought the silly thing. I could have turned around and gotten it fixed, but then I would have to go back inside and I'd just said goodbye with this symbolic finality and...the kids were thirsty and watered down dr. pepper has less sugar, right?
And just to rub it in, just a little bit, the library had a ROOM just for magazines. It was the size of half my house and had plenty of comfy furniture to settle into....and glass walls so you could see your kids streaking by if they tried to escape from the children's department...
Okay I am jealous of the fact that you once HAD a library that had a cafe...and a cool coffee smell.
Our library has a cute children's area-but that is it. They have maybe 3 Christian fiction book and all the other books have a woman laying bare chested on Fabio.
Wait, wait, wait, wait....hold on! Your plan is to BUY books!? I fear you may have miscalculated. Though you're absolutely correct that the gas money, late fees, travel time and other peripheral expenses can make the library less cost effective than portrayed, buying all your books (especially with kids) can be the same arm and leg. Try checking out BookSwim.com. It's an online book rental service similar to Netflix, so there's no due date or late fees, shipping is free, both ways, you still get all the books you want to read, and you're saving money hand over fist in stark contrast to the high price of book-buying.
And no, I'm sorry to say, flat Dr. Pepper is no less sugary. :-(
Sounds interesting, Mr. Anonymous. It does sound like a great program. I searched for the 4 books that are on their way to my house from Amazon right now and none of them showed up in Bookswim's listing though. Apparently classical Children's books aren't in big demand with them. Good thought though. It's not a total waste though, I have another round of readers that will enjoy the books we've purchased when they begin school soon enough.
Just in case you really did think I thought there was less sugar in a flat Dr. Pepper...it was a joke. ha ha.
I can't believe you have a library that has all those things. It sounds more like borrowing books from Borders or Barnes and Noble. That said, I wouldn't be driving an hour for the library. I rarely even go to the Wichita Public Library any more, though it's only 35 minutes away and I go into town at least once a week anyway. I use the smalltown library 2 miles from me (which has a very poor selection) or the equally small library across the street from gymnastics in a larger small town.
LOL!!! I was laughing the entire time I read your post!! Just last week I told my dh that I was quitting the library because ALL our kids owe fines and we're not getting ahead in "borrowing" books. Of course, he asked me if the baby had a card yet, and I said no.
Still, I think the library thing only works if you go weekly and we don't. We go every 2-3 months and then we bring home too many books and so our fines are ridiculous!!
However, I LOVE Half Price Books. And they give me a 10% teacher discount on top of their already low prices.
And they serve coffee too. Not very good but its free. ;-)
LOVE the post. Check out BetterWorldBooks before you buy. Sometimes they have cheaper prices, sometimes you get used library books. The best part though is it's always free shipping.
I'm blessed to live very close to the library (we can walk) and while we don't have any extra things inside we do have interlibrary loan so books from all over will come to the library for me.
Flat Dr. Pepper, yum...I'm dealing with gestational diabetes and counting the days to enjoy any Dr Pepper again. But I can see why it would upset you ;)
We're book buyers, too. I've dropped many a Jackson on late fees because I'm dysfunctional like that. Besides, it's a little awesome to have our own mini library within our own walls.
Also, I'm most excellent at finding cheap books.
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