March Stats

Wild Releases: 28
RABCKs: 29
Catches: 3

Year-to-date:
Wild Releases: 72
RABCKs: 85
Catches: 11

Wild Release #575

Just as certain meteorological conditions combine to create a perfect storm, so do seemingly random events combine to create a perfect release moment. I just happened to be in the neighborhood of Cracker Barrel in New Stanton on a Tuesday with Mary Pope Osborne's "Twister on Tuesday" so I had no choice but to release it on one of the benches outside the restaurant. What would really make it perfect is a quick catch and journal entry!

Wild Release #574

I think I may have seen the sun today. After so many gloomy, overcast days in the winter, one forgets what it looks like. With the sun shining away, I headed to Twin Lakes Park in Greensburg to enjoy my lunch. I left "A Season of Swans," by Celeste De Blasis, in a BookCrossing release bag on the pedestal of the "The Family" sculpture by the island stage on the lower lake. I did not see any swans nearby, but there were some ducks out on the lake.

Wild Release #573

Mystery was on the menu at Bob Evans Restaurant in Greensburg this evening. Truth be told, "Mystery on the Menu," by Carolyn Keene, was actually on the bench on the sidewalk outside the front door around 5:30 p.m. Adding to the puzzle, it had mysteriously disappeared by the time we left the restaurant. Spooooky.

Catch #73!

It's a quick catch for "The Wide Window," which has found a new home with ARIOM98 from Greensburg, Pa. "I was going to get ice cream at The Meadows with my friend and saw this in the window. I probably saw it because my New Year's Resolution is to pay more attention to things," says ARIOM98. "My parents suggested that since I already read the book I should give it to my friend. So, I offered it and she said no. I'm really excited about reading this book again! When I'm done I think I'll take it on my vacation this summer! I'm really excited and I hope that I can find another BookCrossing book again soon!" Thanks for joining and journalling, ARIOM98, and welcome to BookCrossing!

Wild Release #572

The flavors of the day were tempting enough for a post-dinner trip to The Meadows Original Frozen Custard in Greensburg. After enjoying a generous small Butter Pecan cone with Mom, I left Lemony Snicket's "The Wide Window" on a not-so-wide windowsill outside the front door around 6:40 p.m.

Wild Release #571

Happy BookCrossing Birthday to me! I found this lovely site two years ago today! *delighted cheering*

Anyhoo, I stopped at the East Pittsburgh Street Shop 'n Save on my way home from work to pick up some essentials for this evening's dinner, and left Meg Cabot's "Teen Idol" in a BookCrossing release bag in the free literature rack in the vestibule around 5:20 p.m.

Wild Release #570

Niece No. 7 will be celebrating Birthday No. 3 on Saturday and in an effort to be a good aunt and provide way too much sugar to all the party-goers, I stopped at Eat 'n Park to get some Smiley Cookies. I left Carolyn Keene's Nancy Drew book, "The E-Mail Mystery," in an empty slot of the free literature rack in lobby on my way out.

RABCKs #203 - #206

Four animal-themed books are on their way to FourOnTheFloor, for their mobile animal-themed OBCZ that travels to animal-related community and fund-raising events in Rowan County, N.C. Keep an eye out for Ribsy, Henry Huggins, Henry and Ribsy, and The Emerald-Eyed Cat Mystery.

Wild Release #569

There aren't many pillars in small-town Greensburg, but I had the perfectly themed book for one. "Pillars of the Earth," by Ken Follett, was left on one of the pillars of The Palace Theatre's courtyard fronting West Otterman Street around 1:30 p.m.

Wild Release #568

This release was a no-brainer. Where else would I leave Nelson DeMille's "Cathedral" other than our very own Blessed Sacrament Cathedral? I left the eponymous book on the steps outside the side entrance before Sunday evening Mass.

Catch #72!

For the second time, babygirl1459 has caught one of my books. Both were left inside our local Lowe's. "A coworker found it and put it our breakroom," says babygirl1459 of "Dazzle." "I will pass it on to a friend or find a place to leave it." Thanks, babygirl1459. Enjoy!

Wild Release #567

Sister No. 6 and I were in Ligonier this morning selling daffodils for the American Cancer Society, and once our shift was done, I drove around town looking for a spot to release a book. I settled on the small park at the intersection of East Main Street and Lincoln Highway East. I left John Grisham's "The Runaway Jury" on a bench by the sign that explains about the arches that never quite got built.

Wild Release #566

One of the most memorable lines from Disney Pixar's "Finding Nemo" is "Fish are friends, not food." Fish were not my friends today; fish was my food of choice for lunch. Not only did I have a fish sandwich at Wendy's across from Westmoreland Mall in Greensburg, I also abandoned Nemo, Dory, and company on a window ledge inside the main doors. As I sat inside enjoying my lunch, an employee returning inside from a smoke break spied the book and took it back into the kitchen. I can only hope that the book becomes someone's friend quickly and checks back in with BookCrossing.

Wild Release #565

Ever since I received "Intern," by Doctor X, from Sister No. 1, I knew I wanted to leave it in a local hospital. Today I got my chance. I had to pick up some things from the former Jeannette Hospital, now known as Westmoreland Hospital at Jeannette, so I left the book inside the vestibule of the main entrance on a windowsill by the free literature rack.

Wild Release #564

I always forget about Old Country Buffet in the Eastgate Shopping Plaza, but lots of other people don't. It seems to have a steady business, so I finally remembered to leave a book there. If you happen to be around, look for "Julie of the Wolves," by Jean Craighead George, in a clear plastic bag on a window ledge by the front doors.

Wild Release #563

Faith and begorrah, 'tis St. Paddy's Day and that means it was time for another themed release at Callaghan's, the only Irish pub in Greensburg. I left "The Leprechaun Book," by Mairtin O'Griofa, on a handy ledge outside the door. Here's wishin' the luck o'the Irish is with me today!

Wild Release #562

I normally don't travel as far as North Huntingdon on my lunch hour because it always seems too far away--not necessarily in miles, but in time spent on the road with traffic and many, many, many traffic lights to contend with. The difference today was that I had a coupon to use that was good specifically at the McDonald's Big Mac Museum Restaurant, and I wanted to see if the trip could be done. It turns out that luck was on my side; traffic was light, the traffic lights were mostly green, and I had plenty of time to enjoy my cheap lunch, read a chapter of my book, release "Sherlock Jones and the Phantom Airplane," by Ed Dunlop, on a small table between two comfy chairs in the McDonald's Big Mac Museum, and get back to work, all within the hour!

Wild Release #561

After the euphoria of a catch this morning, I wanted to be sure to release another book today, but I didn't really have anywhere to go--no errands to run, no parties to attend, no exotic locations that screamed for a themed release. So I ended up leaving "Blood Relations," by Barbara Parker on the ATM outside the West Point branch office of First National Bank because it was the first book I pulled out of my bag and I happened to be there. Unexciting for me, but perhaps not for the person who finds it.

Catch #71!

Sourpuss26 from Ruffs Dale, Pa., found and journalled "Cordina's Royal Family: Gabriella & Alexander," by Nora Roberts. Sourpuss26 writes, "I caught this book on the ledge of a window at Kings resturaunt. I have never before heard of bookcrossing, but I think it is a great idea & plan on joining myself!!!" Welcome to BookCrossing! Enjoy!

Wild Release #560

We celebrated Sister No. 2's birthday at the Bowl-A-Rena in Jeannette, Pa., today. Her birthday is not until St. Patrick's Day on March 17, but that didn't stop us from having fun today. Everyone was instructed to wear as much green as possible, with tickets for a special birthday Chinese auction to be rewarded for each item. I now have many photos of my family members wearing a green wig and boa--all done for the sake of earning more tickets. I'm sure I will find a use for the photos somewhere down the line. (Blackmail, anyone?)

While there, I took the opportunity to leave Louis Sachar's "Holes" on a rack with some bowling balls that had many holes in them.

Wild Release #559

I am two for two with releases and catches at the Toys R Us in Greensburg, so I decided to press my luck and see if I can be three for three with the release of Roald Dahl's "The Enormous Crocodile." I left it in a BookCrossing release bag on the window ledge outside the front door, just like others; may it be caught soon, just like others!

Wild Release #558

It was no fluke that I decided to visit the Coffee Bean Café and Roastery on Route 30 in Greensburg for lunch today. I left "Cherry Cheesecake Murder," by Joanne Fluke, on the brick ledge outside the main doors when I went in, enjoyed a delicious sandwich and a couple of chapters of my book, and when I went outside to my car, the release was gone!

Wild Release #557

I had a release that was fit for a King's today. I left Nora Roberts' "Cordina's Royal Family: Gabriella & Alexander" on the window ledge outside of King's Family Restaurant in the Hempfield Pointe Plaza on Route 30 in Greensburg.

Wild Release #556

Who doesn't like to check the prize bin of a gumball or gaming machine and find a treasure that was left behind? To that end, I left a little book--"Ladybug Barber," by Sarah Toast--in the prize bin of the claw machine in the entrance of the Hempfield Giant Eagle.

RABCKs #178 - #202

Twenty-five children's books are on their way to debnance, in Alvin, Tex., for a mass release at the Texas Library Association Conference in Houston, Tex., in April 2009. Good luck with your event!

Wild Release #555

It was a toss-up where to leave this book--inside the movie theater by a poster for the "Shopaholic" picture, or outside a local bridal shop. The bridal shop won--MB Bride on Urania Avenue, in particular. I left Sophie Kinsella's "Shopaholic Ties the Knot" in a protective plastic bag on a bench outside their front door.

Wild Release #554

Things just were not as they seemed today. First of all, I was at the Rite Aid drug store on Route 130 in what I always thought was Harrison City, if not Level Green, but it turns out to have an Irwin address. Second, the phone booth outside said Rite Aid was phoneless. It was just an empty shell. This actually worked in my favor, as I was able to leave "A Necessary Woman," by Helen Van Slyke, in its phoneless cubbyhole.

Wild Release #553

"B" is for Bortz Hardware on South Pennsylvania Avenue in Greensburg. "B" is also for James Patterson's "Kiss of the Bees," which I left on the little book-sized shelf on the sidewalk to the right of the front doors.

Wild Release #552

I haven't left a book at Lynch Field for what seems like a month of blue moons, so today I left John Leslie's "Blue Moon" there, clipped to the chain link fence with a clothespin and a clear plastic bag. Will someone find it before the next blue moon?

Wild Release #551

Every time I go to Lowe's, I am blinded by the aisles of dazzling chandeliers. Today was no different, but I was happy to be able to leave an appropriately themed book--"Dazzle," by Judith Gould--while carefully shielding my eyes from the brilliant illumination.

Wild Releases #549 & #550

I headed to the Shop n Save on Route 66 after work to do a little shopping and left "The Girl at the End of the Line," by Charles Mathes, on a bench on the sidewalk outside when I was done. With that task done, I picked up a couple of subs for dinner at Subway, and left "Sun and Spoon," by Kevin Henkes, for another hungry diner to find.

Wild Release #548

If you happen to be using the drive-thru ATM at S&T Bank on East Pittsburgh Street in Greensburg, you may find Nicholas Sparks' "The Notebook" on the brick ledge next to the machine.