Two weeks ago Monday I picked up several books from the library. Thinking ahead, I got a couple of more books than I thought I would read. It seems I outsmarted myself. My plan was to renew them online, saving myself a trip, and still have plenty of reading material until I was ready to take them back. They were due Monday of this week. Late afternoon, I went online, checked “All Books;” then checked "Renew all.” Up popped the message, “Can’t renew. Book has been requested.” That has never happened to me before in all the times I’ve renewed books here. When I did go to the library, I had several errands planned for that direction. I wasn’t ready to do that yet. I wanted to go to Dierberg’s, which is in the opposite direction, so I could replenish some of their deli foods. I didn’t feel like going anywhere yesterday, so put it off. Today, I thought I’d better get over there and drop off the books, so whoever was waiting for the one on request could have it.
I didn’t want to do all the errands I had planned today, but that would mean I would just have to make another trip that way soon. I decided I would go ahead and do all the errands in that direction anyway, and then on the way back, pass up my street, then on to Dierberg’s. When you don’t want to cook for just one person, it is nice to have some ready-cooked food on hand.
First I drove to the library. These were all right turns on the way out. Coming back, I made three left turns and two right turns to get back home. After I left the library, I stopped at the gas station to fill up my gas tank for the first time in just under a year, by me; and by anyone, for more than seven months. I had my son-in-law fill up the tank for me, when they were here at Christmas 08, so I could take advantage of the cheap gas price at that time. I didn’t think ithe price would stay that low very long. Today the gas was not cheap! Next I drove to City Hall to pick up “Blue Bags,” the city’s recycle bags for paper, plastics, cans, and bottles. Coming back, it was a straight shot down Mexico Road to Salt Lick to go to Dierberg’s, where I spent too much money. I left home just before 12 noon and got back home about 1:30 p.m. By that time I was ready for lunch, and then some.
When I turned in the books, I told the librarian, I had tried to renew that one book too, but couldn’t because it had been requested, so it was overdue a couple of days. After all that, as she checked in the book, she told me that it had been released from the request. Apparently another book had come in, or perhaps from another library. So, I wouldn’t have had to go in that direction after all today. I could have gone to Dierberg’s late morning, so the deli foods I wanted would be ready, and have done a more leisurely junket for all the other errands [no doubt more would have been added later] at another time. NEXT TIME, I’ll call and see if the book is still on request, so my conscience will rest easy, and I won't have to make an unnecessary trip.
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