You know how you run into the grocery store quick because you need one item and then, some how, when you are in there it turns into two bags full? Well, that seems to be what happens to us when we go to the library.
Today we went into town early, before homeschool gym at the YMCA, to pick up ONE book at the library. Spark is doing a 4-H project about Fox Terriers, because that is what our little Nikki is, and there was a book he wanted at the downtown library.
We brought some books back so we had the library bag with, otherwise, I would have even said to leave it in the car, we were only getting one book. Our book basket at home is already overflowing and we have plenty of books checked out to read.
We get in the library, put the returning books on the conveyor belt and march right upstairs straight to the animal books. We find the book he wants no more that four minutes after entering the building, we can see the library catalog online at home so we had the number and everything before hand. But did we take that book and head promptly to the check out as planned? Goodness no. There was another Fox Terrier book that probably would have some good information in it, and then just a few shelves lower was a cat book and Dancer is doing a cat project so we get that one too.
Now we are on the way to the door. Down a couple of rows is as far as we get and Spark sees a Christmas cookbook. 'You should get this Mom" he says "it looks good." Right next to it was another enticing Christmas book so that one got plucked off the shelf as well.
Since we were close to the knitting books I should really see what they had on the shelves this week. So that Spark would let me look for a few minutes I directed him to the comic book section. I quickly found five knitting books to put in the library bag. I stopped myself from getting any more so I did show some self control.
While waiting for me, Dancer found a doll making book which went in the bag. The craft books in the adult section are so much better than in the children's area.
Dancer and I headed back to get Spark from his row and he had found a book called The Smithsonian Collection of Newspaper Comics. I can't really say no to a book that has the name Smithsonian in it even if it does weight about nine pounds. We are homeschoolers after all.
We have now picked out more books than will fit into the library bag. Our library bag is a backpack with wheels and one of my hard and fast rules is that we don't get more books in a trip than will fit in the backpack. Spark's book is too big to fit in the bag so it really shouldn't count and I am sure that after we check the books out I will be able to finagle them to all fit, beside a lot of them are mine and I probably meant the rule to only pertain to the kid's books.
We start heading towards the stairs and as we were passing the Christian book section, Dancer eyes a book that one of her friends has at their house. Oh, we should check that out, it is by C. S. Lewis so for sure it is good and worth bring home. And this one looks good too, as I spy another one I might want to read. We already broke the library bag rule so we might as well go all the way.
The kids and I get to the top of the long granite staircase and gaze downward. I realize, that to get the library bag down the stairs, I am going to have to clunk it down each and every one of those steps because it is too heavy to carry when mine, and the kids, arms are full of books. We quietly opted to take the elevator.
After Dancer checked them all out, I managed to get all but two, and the huge book of Spark's which wasn't going to count anyway, into the bag. One of the books was a paperback that I needed to curve around the side of the bag, but I was patting myself on the back none the less.
Now we just had to go across town to the other library and pick the two books I had on hold there. So much for our overflowing book basket.
No comments:
Post a Comment