RABCKs #94 - #120

Twenty-seven books are on their way to Fuzzmom in California for her OBCZ's summer reading program mass release. She posted an emergency wish on one of the forums requesting books: "We have committed to a mass release of childrens books for Aug 7th. The last day of the summer reading program at the Library where our zone is located. So... I desperately need childrens books. I have about 100, need about 300!! I want to be able to give each child a book!"

The books I sent are: "Mog the Forgetful Cat," "Froggy's Halloween," "Curious George Goes to a Chocolate Factory," "Oops!: The Manners Guide for Girls," "Stay In Line," "The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin," "The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck," "The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher," "The Tailor of Gloucester," "Two of a Kind: War of the Wardrobes," "Two of a Kind: It's Snow Problem," "New Adventures of Mary Kate and Ashley: The Case of the Cheerleading Tattletale," "A Wrinkle In Time," "Karen's Granddad," "Highlights Top Secret Adventures: Guide to Greece," "Highlights Top Secret Adventures: Guide to South Korea," "Highlights Top Secret Adventures: Guide to Israel," "Highlights Top Secret Adventures: Guide to Spain," "Highlights Top Secret Adventures: Guide to Japan," "Highlights Top Secret Adventures: Guide to Peru," "Highlights Top Secret Adventures: Guide to India," "Highlights Top Secret Adventures: Guide to Sweden," and five books in Spanish: "David se mete en lios," "Abuelo y los tres osos," "Clifford, el gran perro colorado," "Junie B. Jones y el negocio del mono," and "Disney's 101 Dalmatas."

Wild Release #341

The pizza I got on Sunday is gone, so I needed to get another one today. This fending for yourself stuff is hard! ;) I invited Mom and Sister No. 6 over to share the delicious pizza and salad I picked up from the Parkwood Inn on Cribbs Street in South Greensburg. I had a giant pizza box in one hand, but I managed to use the other to leave Greg Iles's "Spandau Phoenix" on the windowsill outside the front door.

WIld Release #340

I left another book on the Five Star Trail today, this time at the Trolley Line Avenue trail access near Youngwood. I hung Tim Green's "Kingdom Come" in a BookCrossing release bag on the bulletin board at the start of the trail. I hope it catches someone's eye soon and that they, in return, catch it.

Catch #43!

Another vacation book has checked in! "Against the Law," which I left on top of a gas pump in Mechanicsville, Va., was logged in as found in Williamsburg, Va., by kkcdts of Charlestown, W.Va. Thanks for journalling and joining, kkcdts, and welcome to BookCrossing!

Wild Release #339

I'm dog-sitting for Sister No. 3 and her family while they enjoy their first vacation in six years, so that means I have to fend for myself as far as dinner goes. Thankfully, they have some great places for pizza in their neighborhood! I stopped at Giannilli's on Thomas School Road in Carbon for a pierogie pizza and left "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves," by Simon R. Green, on a bench inside the restaurant.

Release #102 for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Wild Release #338 & Catch #42!

I stopped by DeGennaro's Car Wash on Route 119 in South Greensburg around 2 p.m. to finally vacuum the sand and Niece No. 3's shed skin out of my car and decided to leave "Cheater," by Ken Goddard, propped up on the brick platform that holds the vacuum canister. I went straight home and got online to make the release notes and almost fainted when I saw an e-mail from BookCrossing that said "Cheater" was caught and journalled by an Anonymous Finder! With a time span of 23 minutes from release to journal, that makes this my fastest catch to date. Thanks, AF!

Wild Release #337

I do like to do themed releases whenever possible; they are like inside jokes for those clever enough to make the connection. To that end, I left "Rising Sun," by Michael Crichton, on a rock outside the door of Robokyo--Greensburg's only Japanese restaurant. Not the cleverest themed release, but themed, nonetheless. Domo arigato.

Release #101 for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Wild Release #336

I finally caught up with Niece No. 2, who spent the week of July 14 at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pa., for Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week. While she was there, she was kind enough to release a book: she says she left "Chicken Soup for the College Soul" in Westley Hall on top of a pay phone on Friday, July 18!

Wild Releases #332 - #335

I was in the Magee-Women's Hospital neighborhood in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh and decided to leave some books behind. I left Michael Crichton's "State of Fear" on a bench in the tunnel between the parking garage and the hospital, and C.S. Lewis's "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" on a windowsill on the fourth floor where the medical offices are. When I passed the windowsill later, the book was gone, but the bookmark was left behind. It *is* a small book that could be read in one sitting--I guess the finder was feeling confident.

On my way home, I stopped in North Huntingdon for lunch and shopping. You may not know this, but North Huntingdon is home to the one and only Big Mac© Museum--the most tasteful museum in the world, or so they claim. The McDonald's Big Mac© was founded in nearby Uniontown and when this North Huntingdon McDonald's needed to be rebuilt in 2007, they decided to make it a museum dedicated to the Big Mac©. It's pretty spiffy inside, with sleek booths and comfy chairs, and an über-cool play area for the kiddies. They also have a special menu after 10 p.m. I left "Mallory's Oracle," by Carol O'Connell, on a reading table situated between two comfy reading chairs and then headed next door to Target, where I left James Patterson's "3rd Degree" on a bench on the sidewalk.

"The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "3rd Degree" are releases #99 & #100 for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Wild Release #331

It's Sunday night again, so it's time for another SSM mission. I had the perfect book ready to go courtesy of Niece No. 5--"Plants with Seeds," by Dorothy Wood--I just needed to find the perfect place. By the time sunset rolled around, the parks were closing, so I left it in one of my favorite spots (even though I have yet to get a journal entry from there!): tacked on the bulletin board outside of St. Clair Park on North Maple Avenue in Greensburg. Mission accomplished!

This week's challenge, set by dicentragirl, follows:

SSM 072008: Outside
When: July 20th 2008
How: Today is Sir Edmund Hillary’s birthday. Celebrate by picking an outdoor themed book (trees, plants, trails etc) and leaving it outside on a park bench or picnic table.

Catch #41!

One of the books I released at Mammoth Park a few weeks ago was rereleased at Keystone State Park in Derry, Pa. This was the first I had heard from Garth Nix's "The Fall" since putting it on the rocks at Mammoth. Thanks for helping it continue its journey, Buckleguy, and welcome to BookCrossing!

Wild Releases #327 - #330

It took us 12-1/2 hours to get home from the Outer Banks--a trip that should have been at least three hours shorter but wasn't thanks to horrendous traffic on just about every road we were on. I had to stop for gas outside of Richmond, Va., so I took the opportunity to leave "Against the Law," by Michael C. Eberhardt, at the Sandy Lane Shell station in Mechanicsville, Va., off of I-295. Mom has been dreaming about IHOPs this whole week thanks to all the billboards and TV commercials we have seen and, as luck would have it, there was an IHOP directly across from the gas station. I left "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," by J.K. Rowling, on a bench in the lobby of IHOP before we were seated. After we placed our order and were waiting for our food, I saw a twenty-somethingish girl pick up the book and take it with her.

When we finally made it to Breezewood, Pa., I was so glad to be just 90 minutes from home, but I was also hungry again, so we stopped at Quiznos for a quick bite. I left John Grisham's "Bleachers" on a rack of potato chips where you place your order, and then, on our way out, I left the last book I brought to release on our vacation, Janet Evanovich's "Back to the Bedroom," on the window ledge outside the front door of Starbucks. Now it's back to my bedroom for me because I'm wiped out from our looooooooong day.

"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" is release #98 for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Wild Release #326

It's unfair that it is time to go home already. My bags are a little lighter than when I arrived, thanks to all the books I have been releasing; to make them even lighter still, I left "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," by Mark Haddon, on the bookshelf in our beach house. It is clearly labeled that it is a BookCrossing book that can be removed from the house, so I hope it has some fabulous adventures soon.

Wild Releases #324 & #325

Although Niece No. 3 has been to the Outer Banks before, she had never climbed to the top of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse--until this evening. She was a lot quicker to climb than I, who chose to stop at each landing and relax (OK, and catch my breath!), so I was unobserved when I left "The Return of the Indian," by Lynne Reid Banks, on a windowsill about a third of the way up that overlooked the Currituck Sound.

After conquering the lighthouse, we visited the gift shop, where I left "McNally's Secret," by Lawrence Sanders, in a rocking chair on the front porch.

"The Return of the Indian" is release #97 for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Wild Releases #322 & #323

I was out of the house this morning before everyone was awake. I always like to have at least one early morning at the ocean before it gets hot and crowded. I released "Beach Road," by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge, at the gazebo at the top of the beach access off Morris Drive in the Corolla Light resort, and it was gone by the time I went back to the house for a long-awaited pancakes-and-bacon breakfast.

After spending the rest of the morning at the beach, I drove to the Corolla Light Town Center shops to get lunch for everyone. On my way out, I left Dav Pilkey's "Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants" in a giant Adirondack chair in front of the shops.

Wild Releases #319 - #321

Today was an adventurous day. It started out with Niece No. 3 and Brother-in-Law No. 4 parasailing over the Currituck Sound in Duck, N.C. We thought we would be able to go out on the boat with them and watch up close, but the boat was full of paying customers, so we waited on shore for them. I thought "The Art of Uncontrolled Flight," by Kim Ponders, was perfectly themed to leave on a bench at North Duck Water Sports.

After our parasailing adventure, we headed south to Nags Head for lunch at Slammin' Sammy's, where I left "The Coffin Dancer," by Jeffery Deaver on a bench outside. It was gone by the time we left.

Next on the agenda was Jockey's Ridge State Park, the tallest living natural sand dune system in the Eastern United States. Its height varies from 80 to 100 feet, depending on weather conditions. Mom, Niece No. 3 and I chose to stand and look at the dune rather than attempt to climb it in the heat of the day (been there, done that). I left a young-adult book behind to brighten the day of a miserable teen who may have been forced to climb the dune. "Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging," by Louise Rennison, is on top of the donations box at the pavilion in the parking lot. Release #96 for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Wild Release #318

Today started off cloudy and overcast, perfect weather for a walk along the beach. Niece No. 3 and I walked north on the beach all the way to where a fence keeps Corolla's wild horses safely in the northernmost 11 miles of the Outer Banks. When we made it back to Corolla Light's Oceanfront Complex, we stopped for refreshments--frozen daiquiris and french fries--and a book release. We left Dean Koontz's "The Door to December" on a bench by the practice putting green, but when we returned a few hours later to use the swimming pools, the book was still there. At Niece No. 3's insistence, I relocated it to the railing of the pergola at the main entrance to the clubhouse.

Catch #40!

"Ashleigh's Dream" has been caught and journalled--perhaps the gray kitty *did* have Internet access! An Anonymous Finder logged it in and says, "Picked it up at the painted pony located at the Corolla Light Town Center. Taking it to my niece in Fredericksburg, VA on Saturday 07/19/2008." Thanks for helping it on its journey, AF!

Wild Releases #316 & #317

Everybody went to the beach together this morning, laden down with chairs, umbrellas, strollers, toys, bags, kids and sunscreen. In an attempt to lighten the load, I left "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," by J.K. Rowling, in the gazebo at the top of the beach access off of Morris Drive in Corolla Light. It's important that everyone do his or her part, after all.

After we got back from the beach and had lunch, we decided to wait for the trolley to come at the end of our driveway so we could ride it over to the shops in the Corolla Light Town Center and have some ice cream. We waited and waited and waited and waited, but the trolley never came. Since the shops were relatively close, we decided to walk. Mother Nature picked that exact moment to deliver a deluge of rain, so by the time we reached the shops, we were very wet. We didn't let that keep us from our ice cream, however. We hung out at the shops, ate ice cream and waited for the rain to stop so I could release a book.

Corolla Light Town Center is one of the sites in the Outer Banks that has a painted pony. You can find them all up and down the Outer Banks, boldly decorated in front of all sorts of businesses. This one was perfectly placed for a themed release of "Ashleigh's Dream," by Joanna Campbell, the fifth book in the Thoroughbred series. I wonder if that cat has Internet access so he can journal the book he seems so interested in ... ;)

Harry Potter is release #95 for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Wild Release #315

It's our first full day at the beach and I got up at what seemed like an ungodly hour (7 a.m.) to drive Mom and Niece No. 3 to church services in Kitty Hawk. We didn't get back up to Corolla until close to Noon and by the time we ate lunch, it was nearly 1 p.m. before we set out for the beach to say hello to the Atlantic Ocean.

Corolla Light, the community we are staying in, has its own trolley system that will take you to the shops or the oceanfront complex or the tennis courts and golf course; trolley stop #17 is right at the end of our driveway, complete with a bench to wait on. I decided to leave Ann Brashare's "Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood" at the trolley stop for someone to find and hopefully enjoy.

Release #94 for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Wild Release #314

You'll be happy to know that I did find a beach chair at Target, and some beach clothes at Wal*Mart in Latrobe. I know *I* was happy to find them. I am also happy to be on vacation!!! I am spending the next week in the Outer Banks of North Carolina with Mom, Sister No. 5, Brother-in-Law No. 4, and Nieces No. 3, No. 7, and No. 8, and I have a bagful of books to release in our wake.

We stopped in Meyersville, Maryland, for gas and lunch and I released my first book of the vacation--Lemony Snicket's "The Carnivorous Carnival"--on top of the free newspaper rack outside the Burger King on Route 17. It's actually a pretty cool Burger King, done in the style of a 1950s diner. They have a booth in the shape of a 50's car, jukeboxes, giant 45 records around the lights on the ceiling, and a great outdoor playground. Niece No. 3 was wishing she was young enough to play on it.

Release #93 for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Wild Release #313

Still in search of the perfect beach chair, I spent some time at Wal*Mart after work. I didn't find what I was looking for there, so I went next door to Fashion Bug to see if they had any beach-type clothes that weren't horrible. I left Michael Crichton's "A Case of Need" on top of a post on the sidewalk outside of Fashion Bug. The posts are supposed to keep cars from crashing through the stores' front windows, but that might not be a bad idea where FB is concerned. I went home empty-handed. The quest continues.

Wild Release #312

I'm leaving to go to the beach in a few days and I am in the market for a new beach chair--one that has a cup holder so I can stay hydrated, and a canopy so my delicate skin doesn't fry. That's what led me to Dick's Sporting Goods at Hempfield Pointe during my lunch hour. They didn't have the chair I was looking for, but I did leave a book on a Coleman camp chair set up by the camouflage section: "Bloody River Blues," by Jeffery Deaver. It seemed an appropriately titled book for that section of the store. The search for the perfect beach chair is to be continued.

Catch #39!

I was afraid Dav Pilkey's "Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, Part 1: The Night of the Nasty Nostril Nuggets" was lost in the lost and found at the Bowl-A-Rena in Jeannette, Pa., but I have never been so glad to be wrong! An Anonymous Finder made a journal entry today: "I didn't really find the book. My neighbor found it in a bowling alley between two bowling balls. She gave it to me because she's 6 and she can't read. I am going to leave it at my dentist appointment in a couple weeks. I enjoyed it alot and I hope the person that finds it will enjoy it as much as I did." Thanks for filling me in on the book's journey, AF, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Wild Release #311

Every time I release a book at Chick-fil-A in the Eastgate Plaza in Greensburg, I am compelled to leave a wholesome, family treasure because of the company's wholesome background. Today's book was L. M. Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables." How much more wholesome can you get? I left it propped on the ledge outside the front door around 1 p.m.

Release #92 for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Wild Release #310

I wasn't sure if I had anything that fit the theme of this week's SSM, but then I remembered the books that Niece No. 5 gave me a few weeks ago: she felt she had outgrown them, so being the wonderful, sweet niece she is, she gave them to me to give away on BookCrossing. One of those books was "Surprise Puppy!," by Judith Hodge, and it fit this week's SSM to a T. I had the animal-related book, so I needed an animal-related place. I chose Shaggy Dog Grooming on Highland Avenue in Greensburg, and left the book on the windowsill outside the front door at sunset. Mission accomplished!

This week's challenge, set by dicentragirl, follows:

SSM 070608: Pets and Other Animals
When: July 6th 2008
How: Find an animal related book and release it at an animal shelter or zoo (or pet store or ??.)

Catch #38!

"The Indian in the Cupboard," or in this case, the Indian on the bookshelf, was found and journalled before we even got home from the festival ourselves. I saw that it was still on the bookshelf where I had left it when we were done with our volunteering, so I'm very pleased that it must have been picked up shortly after we passed by. New member Sita200, from Kew Gardens, New York, says the book will be "travelling back to my home in NYC to be released." Thanks for joining and journalling, Sita200, and welcome to BookCrossing!

Wild Releases #300 - #309

Sister No. 6 and I left early in the morning for a walk at Twin Lakes Park, where the Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival is being held this weekend. Our mission was trifold: to get some exercise, to walk through the festival before the crowds of people arrived, and to seed the festival grounds with BookCrossing books. Unfortunately, the parking lots were bogs of mud thanks to the previous day's deluges of rain, so there was no place to park and we were unable to accomplish any of our objectives. Mom and I were scheduled to volunteer in the information booth later in the day, so Sister No. 6 came along with us, this time on the shuttle bus, and I was able to release ten books in the several hours were were there.

I left James Patterson's "Cradle and All" on the shuttle bus on our way to the festival; "Chocolat," by Joanne Harris, and "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency," by Alexander McCall Smith, were left at the lemonade stand where Niece No. 2 was working; "The Indian in the Cupboard," by Lynne Reid Banks, was left on a white bookshelf in one of the booths by the boathouse; Dean Koontz's "Mr. Murder," was left on a set of steps connecting the main path to the one at the lake's edge; "How to Make An American Quilt," by Whitney Otto, was left in a booth that sold handmade quilts; Eoin Colfer's "Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident" was left in the garage that housed the children's art exhibit; "Red Lily," by Nora Roberts, was left in a red lily pot in the Shadowwood Gardens area; S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders" was left on a bench by the fishing gazebo; and last, but not least (certainly the heaviest book to carry all that time!), Ken Burns' "The Civil War" was left on a bench between the lower and upper lakes, on the path to the Civil War reenactment camp.

Releases #85 (Chocolat), #86 (The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency), #87 (The Indian in the Cupboard), #88 (Mr. Murder), #89 (How to Make an American Quilt), #90 (The Outsiders), and #91 (The Civil War) for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.

Catch #37!

E.T. phoned home. Well, journalled home is more like it. The book was found and journalled by new member Readingsusieq15 from Irwin, Pa., who writes: "It was such a pleasant surprise to find this book in Kecksburg the sight of the supposedly UFO sightings. My husband, brother and sister-in-law all went just to see and wanted to take out picture under the UFO. That is where we found the book - how appropriate for little E.T. to be found there. I will try to find a place just as worthy to pass it on. Thanks again for a really special treat." Thank you, Readingsusieq15, for helping E.T. on his journey. Welcome to BookCrossing!

Wild Release #299

It has been awhile since I released anything at The American Coffee Shop on North Main Street in Greensburg, so I decided to do something about it. I left Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca" sitting in one of the white metal chairs on the sidewalk. I hope she will not be lonely for long. "Rebecca" is release #84 for MRWiley's 2008 Movie/TV books release challenge.