A different perspective

Sebastian and his parents headed home first thing this morning.  I then spent the next few hours sorting books.  

Last night Ben fixed my dead computer for me and sorted out a change of password for my wifi (thank you SO much Ben, you are a very useful not-son-in-law). Then they helped me catalogue my books through an app on my phone - so that I don't stand in shops going, "Do I have that one or not???"  It took a long time, so we had just shoved them  randomly on shelves as we went.

Today I took them all off, sorted them into some sort of order, and put them back on. (It's okay Sarah, they are grouped by author but NOT in alphabetical order!)  Fantasy fiction far outweighs anything else.  Having already had my own collection, then inherited Blaze's, there were a few double ups but not as many as I'd expected.  Mostly we 'shared' books - which means I bought the first in a new series and if either of us enjoyed it I carried on buying them.  Hmmm, that does suggest that the ones I 'inherited' were 90% paid for by me anyway!

It did make me very aware though of just how many books are missing - all the ones I've lent out and never got back - often Number 1 and 2 in a series!  But now that I have it all recorded in my phone I can start filling the gaps as I'll know which ones I need when I'm in bookshops.

I glanced up just as I finished re-shelving to see a pair of monarch butterflies playing on the buddleia in the garden.  When I went to get my camera I became aware of just how long I'd been at the job - about 5 hours - so after I'd ascertained that the butterlies had not wanted their photo taken and flown on without me, I went out for lunch.  The table I chose at a local cafe had this outlook to the garden.  Beautiful.

NOTE:  Sarah and Ben, thanks so much for your help last night.  Having company made the job much easier.