more than they expected...

Chicago was a reasonable success. The drive was long, but uneventful. I finally remembered how to avoid the city center and went to the hostel to register. After lunch with a friend I found out the books couldn't be sent away until Friday. I cruised all the thrift stores just looking around and buying an occasional book to fill out incomplete sets. I had dinner in a nice Romanian restaurant.

The best news is that I sent off about 600 pounds of books to seven Peace Corps sites throughout Romania. I wasn't able to meet any of my Romanian friends in Chicago, so I wasn't able to line up any support at this time for future shipments.

I did try to hit a couple book sales while I was there, but the one big one regretably wasn't closing until the next day and had arranged for disposal in anay case. But they did generously give me a few boxes of good books that their salvage man told them were useless for him.

Back in St. Louis this past weekend was very slow with only a single box of books gathered.
I chatted with one of the guys at the donated storage facility and found out he thought I was only going to store three or four pallets. In my mind I was very clear I would be filling a 20' container. ooops.... The floor footprint I need is about six times that and I'll need it for about 3 or 4 more months.

carrying on...

My book gathering takes a pause as I prepare for taking a small shipment of books to Chicago for dispatch to sites in Romania. One volunteer's family was particularly generous and almost a quarter of this batch is going to him to fulfill what we promised him. His village school will particularly pleased. Books will actually be spread over the whole country. Suceava, Galati, Timis, Oradea...

After I get back I will follow-up on some calls and set up a couple of book gathering opportunities. While in Chicago I will visit at least one library sale and a church rummage sale.

quiet day

I made a couple phone calls trying to line-up a couple rummage sales. I found two, many miles apart. If I can't find someone to help I'll have to choose which one might give the most books.

I used the day to get more empty boxes for books. It was hard to find enough of a uniform size (to make stacking, storage and shipping easier), but I soon discovered that 12-to-a-box motor oil boxes are small enough not the be too heavy and plentiful at all the chain auto parts stores. I think I finally have enough boxes to do the job. I have 300+ of them sorted and stacked and ready to fill with books.

An interesting thing... In the warehouse-o-books I found a case of books authored by a prominent local radio personality. I called his producer and offered them to him before they hit the landfill. I'm hoping his gratitude will shine as he offers to help me raise some shipping costs. I doubt it, but I'm hoping.

the weather gets warmer...

Last Saturday was a neighborhood book sale and the woman who ran it was most helpful. She waited around an hour or so after everyone else went home so I could load up.

Sunday I was invited to a local church and gave a talk to a bunch of retirees during their monthly dinner/meeting. It went pretty well, but I don't know what the result will be. I now ruminate that I missed the opportunity to ask them for prayer.

Monday I ran a couple more loads in my pick-up - totalling maybe 40 boxes - to the storage facility. I alternate between confidence in the project and thoughts of "why isn't this pile of boxes growing faster?"

I worked with a new local bookseller, helping him in his warehouse, sorting his stuff. There isn't much that would be useful for the project so far. I've been working so hard at the other guy's place that he ran out of empty boxes.

The next couple of days I'll spend on the primary project of getting several small batches ready for shipment.

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