Being overwhelmed is simply a state of mind, one in which we make our own harsh reality. This I know to be true.

I am overwhelmed right now because I am having to deal with 2,000 square feet of near wall-to-wall books. I tell you, it’s ugly. There are more books in the room I am speaking of (the former banquet room of the Eagle Hotel) than there are in the nearby Fireside Bookstore.

I worked hard today, but I do not feel as though I made any progress. I first labeled boxes of children and young adult books, then put the boxes on shelves. I then went to the Meeting House, and orchestrated the sorting, cleaning, and stamping activities.

Three of us, two board members and perhaps a future board member, got the long table full of books ready to be taken to the Historic Eagle Hotel. After everyone left, I loaded up Fonix with books. Pete then appeared. He assisted me in

The first boxes moved to the Hotel

unloading the books and showed me what he’d done, which was sorted the boxes of books into huge categorical piles: fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books.

The thrift store is kitty corner to the Historic Eagle Hotel – Pete went over there today and he found a vacuum cleaner for $30.00. And it works. We had a $250.00 vacuum cleaner – we think that the dog chewed the cord.

I resumed labelling boxes and putting them on the shelves. As I was doing this, there was a knock on the door – the cleaning lady had a wagonload of kids’ books, which she donated to the project. There was no telling her to take them to the recycling center. As she wheeled the cart in the door, I had the same thought I have when I see the Jehovah Witnesses, which is – run, hide while there’s still time.

I went back to work – I moved the remaining kids’ books and three tables closer to the kids’ shelves and then moved all the boxes of kids books in to the vicinity of the shelving.

So the task of getting the remaining books onto the shelves is going to be that much easier. Pete’s been working on the shelves – he even decided to build more shelves, so yes, we’ll get all the books shelved.

I really could use a half-dozen volunteers. It’s very strange – people are as covetous with their time as they are with their money. I am not taking it personally, but I sure could use more assistance.

I am really scared because I fear the books will come in faster than I can get them out. Right now, I am so busy categorizing and shelving books that I don’t have the time to get books out there. Yes, this thought is filling me with considerable angst.

At the very least, this move and all that’s involved in it is going to take up my entire summer.

Next: 165. 6/16/23: Waiting