Fall flea markets and estate sales started on this late summer morning, but I didn't want to get out of bed. Ron sleepily wrapped his arm around me at 6:15 am, and I drifted back into cozy half-consciousness. But business and the thrill of the hunt beckoned, so I struggled up and out.
Soothed by the aroma of Starbucks French roast, I roamed side streets and neighborhoods of the university town next door in search of books for my eBay bookstore. I stop only at promising places..... estate sales of longtime residents, friends of library events, yard sales by book lovers. Ah, the simple pleasures of discovering books unheard of, beautiful editions of old classics, and finding first editions by favorite writers. My only regret is that I resell most of my book finds. My treasured cookbook collection already exceeds hundreds of volumes, and my eclectic history book collection is extraordinary as is.
Today on my hunt, I bagged 68 books for a mere $42, including first editions by John Steinbeck (The Winter of Our Discontent), Somerset Maugham (Catalina), and one that will create lots of eBay excitement, Ian Fleming (On Her Majesty's Secret Service, a James Bond novel). Also found books about chess strategy, Italian and Mexican cooking, magic & religion of gypsies, collecting sea shells, geology of Utah and Arizona, history of the Jews, TS Elliott poetry, Rudyard Kipling just-so stories, dictionaries for ballet, biology and Japanese-English vocab, earthquakes and volcanoes, life in a medieval castle, and a vintage classic cookie cookbook. (I can't bear to sell the Steinbeck book. His social justice soul speaks to my spirit. My cookie-baking 13 year old may nab the cookie book. )
Life is good...especially in fall, my favorite season.
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