A Five Book Day

Don has a habit of writing up trip reports and sending them to the eWorld as his standard way of a.) keeping in touch with friends and; b.) keeping a journal. I just picked up on his take on yesterday's fun day at the bookstores. Our styles are totally different (so what else is new about us???!!) and I thought it would be a kick to drop his trip report here to show off a bit of his style and humor.

Happy New Year’s and a Blessed New Year!

Yesterday’s activities started by Krista going to Tresetti’s World Café, in Modesto, and purchasing a gift certificate as her Christmas present to her parents, and Annie and Quanah each purchasing a Border’s gift card for their respective Christmas present to me. Guess what I found in my stocking. Krista’s present was in Annie’s stocking.

Annie, being the social secretary, suggested that we take Saturday to go to Tresetti’s and then go to Borders. She also likes to relax there.

After French onion soup and crab cakes and respective sandwiches and good coffee, we headed to Annie’s “add-on”. She always does that. We start out with one or two places to go to and she adds on as many as she thinks I will tolerate and agree to. The add-on was Barnes and Nobles. Annie was searching for a particular literary magazine, which she had found there once before.

Barnes and Nobles did not produce the magazine for her. It is rare that I venture into a bookstore and not walk out with a book in hand. While Annie was searching, I was perusing. I discovered and purchased the following:

Hard Tack and Coffee by John D. Billings. First published in 1880. Billings served with the Army of the Potomac and tells of army life, when the soldier was not marching or fighting.

Druids Their Origins and History by Lewis Spence, to go with my other Druid book on their influence in Europe.

O. Henry, complete and unabridged. Related to the War Between the States in that William Sidney Porter, O. Henry, was born in North Carolina in 1862.

The first two books I could not pass up as they were on the bargain shelves. O. Henry is one of a series of “Noted Authors” published by Barnes and Nobles itself; large hardbound, approximately 1,500 pages of small print for only thirteen dollars. I’ll take that deal. O. Henry is to American literature as Norman Rockwell is to American art. I enjoy the talents of both.

Driving over to Border’s, I found a parking space right in front of the store. I had my gift cards, a printout of the book I had already reserved on-line the day before, and a Borders Rewards Card in my shirt pocket. The Rewards Card is in Annie’s name. My purchases gain her points.

She headed to the magazine section as I headed over to the History section, after obtaining an eggnog Latte at their coffee shop. That store has several shelves devoted to the War Between the States, with many worthy publications to choose from. After reading each title and selecting some to inspect, I held Mosby’s autobiography in one hand and Mary Chesnut’s Civil War in the other. After giving both a closer study, I opted for Mary Chesnut’s Civil War edited by C. Vann Woodward. The publication is her diary during the war years as a Deep South Southern Belle. Now that I know about Mosby’s book I can purchase it later, but for now I wanted her’s.

Taking my find over to Annie, I discovered that she was very pleased at finding Rosebud. Next stop; check out counter. I went first and requested the book I had reserved. The clerk produced my copy of The Civil War Chronicle edited by J. Matthew Gallman. It contains writings by soldiers, journalists, politicians, farmers, nurses, slaves, and other eyewitnesses of the war’s events and told from both the Union and Confederate sides of view, in the only day-by-day composition.

I paid a dollar something and the clerk handed me my library additions. Annie had chosen several magazines, which my discount was used for and I handed the clerk a few dollars more. Shades of Clint Eastwood!

Once in the car, we were both smiling about our treasures. Annie began to page through Cloth, Paper, Scissors and she discovered an article by one of her blog friends. Well that was meant to be.

I drove the car south back to Turlock and Annie’s second add-on; the new Catholic book store down on Main Street. It is Turlock’s one and only.

Upon entering, I saw a sign stating that all Christmas merchandise was forty percent off. I began to wonder just what we would walk out with. After viewing each display, we purchased a beautiful one piece Nativity. It is now setting on our entrance table for year-round display. Annie also selected some cards. She also took note of another one piece Nativity in the window and two cross plaques to go with the one she now has. If this store goes out of business, it will not be for lack of Annie’s support.

It was a good day. Just the two of us enjoying a couple of life’s interests that we have in common. A very good day.