February Stats

Wild Releases: 26
RABCKs: 16
Catches: 6

Year-to-date:
Wild Releases: 44
RABCKs: 56
Catches: 8

Wild Releases #546 & #547

I was in the area of IKEA today, so I decided to go inside and take a look around. I'm not usually an IKEA kind of girl, but I had a craving for their hot, sweet, cinnamon rolls. I left empty-handed--there were no cinnamon rolls to be had, unfortunately--but perhaps someone else won't: I released Charlotte Vale Allen's "Hidden Meanings" on a pole outside the front door. All that travelling about exhausted my gasoline supply, so I filled up at the BP station in Irwin, and left Herman Wouk's "Youngblood Hawke" on top of the fire extinguisher at one of the gas pumps.

Catch #70!

I'm two for two at Toys R Us! "Eric Carle's Dragons, Dragons," was found and journalled by new member maxrc who says, "Read the book to my 4 year old Grandaughter she wasn't really excited by it. It was good variety for her though." I hope you enjoy BookCrossing more than your granddaughter enjoyed the book. ;)

Wild Release #545

My first release at Toys R Us on Donohoe Road was a big success, so I'm hoping my second release goes as well. I left "Eric Carle's Dragons, Dragons" in a BookCrossing release bag on the window ledge outside the front door. It's pretty dark outside, so I hope someone sees it soon.

Wild Release #544

Another lunch hour at Panera Bread, another book released. I left "Slightly Settled," by Wendy Markham, on top of a sidewalk table when I went in, and it was still there when I left. Hopefully it settles somewhere else soon!

Wild Release #543

The weather was finally nice enough this evening--still bitterly cold, but no snow in the forecast--to go to Mount Pleasant for dinner at Applebee's. I was planning on leaving Alice Sebold's "The Lovely Bones" on the windowsill in the vestibule on our way in, but the vestibule was crowded with people, so I didn't have the chance. I was going to leave it on the windowsill in the vestibule on our way out, by a kind Applebee's employee held the door open for us and wished us a good evening, so that opportunity was gone as well. I ended up leaving it on a bench outside the front doors. Judging from the traffic we saw tonight, it shouldn't be too long until someone finds it and gives it a good home.

Wild Releases #541 & #542

The long-awaited day has finally arrived! Niece No. 2 and I have been looking forward to hearing Carmina Burana performed live by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for six months and today, our wait was over. Since I can't seem to go anywhere without releasing a book or two, today was no exception. I left Mitch Albom's "Tuesdays with Morrie" on a table by the elevator on the bottom floor of Heinz Hall, and Armistead Maupin's "The Night Listener" on a fireplace mantel in the ladies' lounge a little further down the hallway.

RABCKs #162 - #177

Sixteen books are on their way to MaryZee, in Taneytown, Maryland, for the "BC in DC"ers' mass release at the Random House book fair on March 7. Good luck with your event!

Wild Release #540

I visited a new First Commonwealth Bank branch today at lunchtime; I wonder how many are left? This time I went to the Mountain View office and left Arthur Hailey's "The Moneychangers" on a window ledge in the vestibule.

Wild Release #539

"The Good Soldier," by Ford Madox Ford, has been deployed to Dick's Sporting Goods in the Hempfield Pointe Plaza in Greensburg. He is awaiting his orders in a lounge chair near the camo clothing.

Wild Release #538

I admit it; I'm a chicken. At least when it comes to releasing books. I don't want to be seen, and often will walk away from a perfectly themed release because someone was looking my way. Tonight, I had Charlotte Vale Allen's "Dream Train" all ready to go, I had a mattress store in my sights, but there was nowhere to leave it outside. I know this because I walked around the outside of the entire store looking for a suitable ledge or protrusion; as I walked, a salesperson inside the store took note of my progress, mistaking me for a commission-paying customer. I abandoned my plan and went with plan B--or was it plan V? If you're in the Eastgate Plaza, look for it on top of the newspaper boxes outside Valley Dairy.

Wild Releases #536 & #537

Last year on Presidents Day, Mom and I visited Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh to view the Chihuly glass show. This year, I wanted to continue the tradition, so Mom and I met Sister No. 4, Nephew No. 2, and Nephew No. 3 at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh. I had never been there before, but I had a couple of perfectly themed books in mind to leave behind. I left P.D. James' "Shroud for a Nightingale" on a bench across from Oscar, the ocellated turkey, on our way to the feeding show in the Wetlands of the Americas; Richard & Florence Atwater's "Mr. Popper's Penguins" was left in the care of the metal penguin sculpture in the Atrium of the Aviary.

Wild Release #535

Today is Presidents Day, so I have the day off work. I picked up Niece No. 2 and Nephew No. 1 at their house bright and early so we could have breakfast together at Bob Evans Restaurant in Greensburg. On our way in, I left "Full Bloom," by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes, on the bench outside the front door. On our way out, the book was gone. I hope to hear from it soon!

Catch #69!

My second caught book in two days is an AnonymousFinder's second book caught in one week. "Birthright" was journalled by an AF who says, "Found it at st.clair park i found 2 books in 1 week. So, thank you. After i am done i will set it someone for someone else to fine(:" That's the spirit, AF! Thank you and you're welcome.

Catch #68!

"Fables" has found a new home with arhess from Indiana, Pa., who reports, "still reading never saw anything like this before suprised when we found the book." Thanks for joining and journalling, arhess, and welcome to BookCrossing!

Wild Releases #533 & #534

I met some friends for breakfast at Bob Evans Restaurant in Irwin this morning. We enjoyed our meals and then went next door to the McDonald's Big Mac Museum for more coffee and conversation while their kids played in the playroom. When we were all talked and coffeed out, we parted ways and on my way out of the parking lot I left Roald Dahl's "James and the Giant Peach" on the bench outside Bob Evans.

I headed back into Greensburg to do some shopping at Toys R Us on Donohoe Road, and discovered that they have the perfect window ledge to leave books on--it is at eye height and runs across the whole front of the store. I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I left Arnold Lobel's "Fables" in a BookCrossing release bag on the ledge near the front door.

Wild Releases #531 & #532

"The Evening News," by Arthur Hailey, has been waiting patiently in my car for the perfect release spot. Today, we found it outside the Taco Bell in Hempfield Plaza. The book is now keeping company with the newspaper boxes on the sidewalk until some lucky person finds it.

Having made such a successful themed release, I headed to St. Clair Park in Greensburg with "Birthright," by Joseph Amiel, leaving it pinned to the information board at the entrance on North Maple Avenue. One of my cousins is married to a direct descendant of Arthur St. Clair, for whom the park is named, so this release seemed serendipitous as well.

Wild Release #530

Texas Roadhouse's steak and baked sweet potatoes were calling to me all afternoon. It wasn't too difficult to convince Mom that we should go out for dinner. I left Irving Stone's "The Greek Treasure" on the old menu holders in the waiting area around 6 p.m.

Wild Releases #528 & #529

I got a fresh infusion of legal thrillers from Sister No. 1 at Christmas--perfect to leave at the Westmoreland Bar Association (lawyers, not pubs). I left Richard North Patterson's "Degree of Guilt" on the window ledge of the Pennsylvania Avenue entrance around 2 p.m. It was laying on the ground when I passed by a few hours later (it is VERY windy on Pennsylvania Avenue), so I propped it back up on the windowsill and walked down to Doe's East Coast Dogs on West Otterman Street where I released Gary Larson's "Wiener Dog Art: A Far Side Collection" on their front steps. I hope both are found soon before the weather turns wicked again.

Wild Release #527

I left "Meet Me in Time," by Charlotte Vale Allen, inside the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Greensburg, hanging on the rack with the kitchen timers. I wanted to leave it with the alarm clocks, but I couldn't find them anywhere in the store!

Catch #67!

"Digital Fortress" was seized by an AnonymousFinder who said, "It was a shock to find it outside of BEST BUY. That's the last place one would think to find a book!" Thanks for journalling, AF, and enjoy!

Wild Release #526

What better place to leave Dan Brown's "Digital Fortress" than at Greensburg's very own digital fortress, Best Buy? I walked through the store looking for a good place to leave it, but ended up leaving it outside on a little ledge on the sidewalk.

Wild Release #525

If you find yourself at Sheetz in Greensburg in need of a little air for your tires as we did today, you may just find "Tales from Agrabah: Seven Original Stories of Aladdin and Jasmine," by Katherine Applegate, which I left in a large plastic BookCrossing release bag at the free air machine.

Catch #66!

What a blast! A fast catch for "Full Blast" today. New member RRExpress writes, "I did just find this book at the location that it was dropped. I was excited to find it. I plan on reading it (although it may take awhile--I have teenagers) I also plan on replacing the book somewhere for someone else. I havent read in awhile and look forward to "getting Away". Thanks!" Thank YOU, RRXpress, and welcome to BookCrossing!

Wild Release #524

Although it hasn't been a long time since I last was at Target, it has been a long time since I last left a book there, so I amended that today. I left "Full Blast," by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes, in a zippered plastic bag on the bench outside the front doors. I hope whoever finds it has a blast with it!

Wild Release #523

Twin Lakes Park was deserted at lunchtime today. What can you expect on a grey, cloudy, cold February day? Even the waterfowl were nowhere to be found--with the exception of Iris Johansen's "The Ugly Duckling," which I left pinned to the information board in the parking lot of the upper lake. Happy hunting.

Wild Release #522

I needed to pick up some merchandise at the legendary American retailer, Sears, at Westmoreland Mall today. It just so happened I had the perfect book to release at the same time. I left Laura Hillenbrand's "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" on the counter in the merchandise pickup area.

Catch #65!

The month started off with some news from an old friend: "The Keys of Hell," which I released over seven months ago at Hempfield Park in Greensburg is now in Rehovot, Israel! Although this is not the longest time between a release and journal entry for me, this is the furthest from home a wild release has travelled to date. New member dochank writes, "decent book but not great." Thanks for journalling and joining, dochank, and welcome to BookCrossing!