My first car was a VW Beetle. You would have loved my little Ford Courier 4-cylinder pickup (made by Mazda). Great standard transmission (it meant it wasn't stolen when parked in NY City when I lived there because few thieves knew how to drive it; some kids who did push in the vent to steal change out of the ashtray were caught in the act a second time. Turns out they thought that was an anti-theft device and I didn't correct them. And I told them if they ever broke in again I'd know who they were, the guy sitting out on his porch watching all of this would know who they were, so they could come to my building and ask for the park ranger and tell me if someone else was bothering it in the future. Over the next couple of years every so often one of those kids would greet me on the street with a happy Hello! My NPS co-workers were astounded: "You lectured them?" But I digress . . .)

That's great news about the books. Sending them to a new home where they will be appreciated is the best outcome, especially if you didn't have to carry them around. If you could see my dusty books, you'd know that I have quite a few, even though I have thinned them considerably over the years.

The dust here is getting to me, and along with recently ordering the extra vacuum attachment for getting dust around small objects I've ordered some more microfibre dusters (and will keep them out of the dog's reach). I need to sweep, mop, dust, and vacuum so when it comes time for the holidays, if there is ANY chance that anyone could come in the house (or at least look in the windows) that it will be ready for guests.