This is the word used to describe something going well, as in, “it went like clockwork.” I don’t know the origins of this phrase, could be that this term refers to what transpired did so in a timely fashion. Or the phrase could refer to the inner workings of a clock, which is one that’s working.

I am a fan of clocks with faces. I am not fond of digital clocks. I wonder if kids that are now growing up are able to read clocks with faces. I’ll bet in some schools they are. Other schools might see this as just one more thing to teach. Like writing cursive. Now students mostly go tap, tap, on computer keys.

Third row for Velveteen Rabbit

Me, I do both. I write out early drafts by hand, then type them in. I make revisionary changes in writing, on the second, computerized draft. Then I type them in.

I do wonder if bypassing writing in cursive has any sort of cognitive effect on kids. Someone should do a study.

Anyhow, the day went well. Seldom do days go quite this well. I headed out early for the recycling center, so that I could do my part salvaging. It was overcast but not snowing – the roads were a little mushy, but it was nothing like yesterday – snow rain mix in the air and on the roads.

I got to the recycling center a few minutes before 10 a.m. There was a pallet marked for the VCRS staff, a pallet marked for us, and a Gaylord full of books. There was also some leftover materials on the table. Bill took care of the materials on the table and dealt with the BLBP boxes. Me, I dove into a Gaylord and began sorting. It contained the highest quality books that I’ve ever seen in a Gaylord. Lots of hardback books.

I finished promptly at 11:05 a.m. got in my car and drove to the Park and Ride site on trunk road, and there I met Melina. She, her daughter Siersha, age 3, and I drove to Anchorage under partially sunny skies, and arrived at the Discovery Theatre at our scheduled time. We met up there with Lainie, who had a crew with a handcart, ready to take our books. I’d put them in bins yesterday. Lainie and her staff set up our book display, and soon the kids and parents started rolling in.

It’s always magical, to see the kids take books, usually under their parent’s approving eye, and today was no exception. I estimate that we parted with 200 or so books. I talked with Stephanie (her booth was next to us); she works for Best Beginnings – they get books out to kids that they order from a series called Imaginarium books.

More magic – Melina, her daughter, and I were given tickets that enabled us to see the Velveteen Rabbit performance. I knew it was going to be good, but it far exceeded my expectations. The Velveteen Rabbit learns what it is to be real. Seemed to me like the six actors and actresses put their heart and soul into their acting. I was able to suspend disbelief.

After the performance we drove back to the Park and Ride and I headed back to the Meeting House to pick up books to drop off at Sutton Elementary on Monday. Got home as it was getting dark – felt like I’d dodged a bullet.

Next: 36. 2/5/23: Bright Lights Book Project Flier