January Stats

Wild Releases: 15
Catches: 2
RABCKs: 1

Year-to-date 
Wild Releases: 15
Catches: 2
RABCKs: 1

Wild Releases #1073 - #1078

Sister No. 6's Harlequin Presents books were piling up so I filled a box with them and sent them to The Book Thing in Baltimore, Md. When the box was almost full, I snuck in six Silhouette Desire books she had given me, too (the titles are too embarrassing to list here!). All told, 67 books were sent: I hope we both hear back from some of them!

RABCK #297

Last month, BookCrosser daffodil-2 asked in the Chit-Chat forum if anyone outside England would be kind enough to send a postcard to the children, aged 5 and 6, in the school class where she is a volunteer helper. "They would be thrilled to receive some from abroad," she wrote, "maybe saying that you do bookcrossing in your country too, and a little bit about the area where you live. The cards can then be used as a geography lesson. I have started a bookcrossing box in their classroom and they recently chose their first books, which they are very pleased with." I volunteered immediately, but had to wait until the holiday mail was sorted out before sending my postcard and book. Tomie dePaola's "Strega Nona Meets Her Match" is on its way across the pond. I hope the kids enjoy it!

Wild Release #1072

I was in the mood for Chinese for dinner, so I placed a take-out order with Szechuan Garden and perused the book section at Ollie's Bargain Outlet next door while I waited. I ended up buying a book and leaving a book: Beth Gutcheon's "Still Missing" is in the free literature rack in the vestibule.

Wild Release #1071

If you're grocery shopping at the Shop 'n Save on Route 66 in Greensburg, keep an eye out for "The Other Twin," by Hunter Morgan, which I left pinned to the bulletin board in the vestibule tonight.

New label!

The 2011 BookCrossing Convention is less than three months away! It will be held April 15-17, 2011, in Washington, D.C., and I can't wait to be there. I started collecting books to release while I'm there, and I created a commemorative label for them, so their readers will always know where their BookCrossing adventure began. You can download them here, and find links to other 2011 convention goodies here. The local BC in DC group, who are the hosts of this year's festivities, has a fantastic website at www.bcindc.zoiks.org that provides all the information any visitor to D.C. needs to have a fabulous, fun-filled adventure any time of year.

Wild Releases #1069 & #1070

Sister No. 6 made me drive her to IKEA in Robinson Township today, but she did let me fill up my gas tank at Sheetz in Irwin—on her—on our way there.  Since she was being so generous, I was generous, too, leaving "The Magician's Tale," by David Hunt, on top of the gas pump—on me. After we wandered through IKEA for more than an hour, I was feeling generous again. I left "Weddings Are Murder," by Valerie Wolzien, on the customer survey desk by the exit.

Catch #154!

Two years, eight months, and one day have passed since I left "The Prince of Tides" on the shelf at my local Blockbuster video store. When the store closed a few months ago, I did wonder at the fate of all the books I had left there over the years. Now, I needn't worry about this one, which has earned the top spot in my personal "Longest stretch between a release and journal entry" stats. An AnonymousFinder writes: "I rescued this book a few years ago, but it got lost in the jungle I call a house. Better late than never!" Agreed.

Wild Release #1068

Sister No. 6 was kind enough to pick me up and take me out to lunch this afternoon, so I thought I'd be kind as well and release a book into the wild. I left Patricia Cornwell's "From Potter's Field" on a window ledge outside the side door of Subway on Route 119 in South Greensburg.

Wild Release #1067

I was planning to leave a hardback book on top of the next gas pump I encountered, but as I was rooting through my bright red BookCrossing tote bag for a bookmark and a release bag, I came across this audiobook and decided its time had come to see more of the world. I left "Knock Down," by Dick Francis, in the plastic credit card application holder on top of a gas pump at Snooky's Sunoco on Route 30 in Greensburg. And it's off!

Wild Release #1066

I felt like a real grownup tonight—I went grocery shopping after work and put things into my cart that have never been there before. Then I went home and used those things to cook a delicious meal: spinach and cheese pie. I know people must do that every night, but for me, it's monumental. Takeout and fast food have been my friends for far too long. One of the bonuses of visiting the Shop 'n Save on East Pittsburgh Street in Greensburg is that I was able to leave this themed release: "There Is a Carrot in My Ear and Other Noodle Tales," by Alvin Schwartz, was last seen nestled among the carrots in the produce department.

Catch #153!

Catherine and Heathcliff didn't have to wait long on the wild moors of the Eat 'n Park parking lot! "Wuthering Heights" was logged in by an AnonymousFinder who says, "I found the book at Eat-n-Park just were the last person left it. i'm going to do my beat to read it and passs it on."

Wild Release #1065

I had a breakfast meeting at Eat 'n Park in Greensburg this morning, so that gave me the opportunity to leave "Wuthering Heights," by Emily Brontë, on a light post in the parking lot.

Wild Release #1064

Since many people start a diary on the first of the year, I thought "Bridget Jones's Diary," by Helen Fielding, would be an appropriate New Year's Day release. I left it on a bench outside the door of the Dollar Tree in Latrobe. Happy New Year!