I decided to go in the shed & tackle the mountain of boxes that have been in there since last June 2019.
Left there after our aborted sale of the house last summer.
Eight boxes of books, absolutely ridiculous, can’t think what I was thinking of boxing every book I had.
I have whittled them down to five boxes today & three to go to the charity shop. Not done them any good being out all winter but all saved.
One book I was going to throw out as it’s out of date was an old Alistair Sawday B&B book from 1999 with our entry in it.
I always thought that you had to be really good to be honoured to have a mention on there but when he came to inspect was shocked to find we had to pay & it wasn’t on merit at all!
Strangely the book it was in came out the year we moved here so I never got any advantage from being in it! @sarah19 will remember this place & I met her & her family for the first time when they came for b&b .....I can’t remember how long ago...could be 30 years perhaps!
Three good things:
1. I have made a start with packing up!
2. I went to a funeral this morning of a very well known local vegetable shop business man. He died suddenly & we knew them socially but if course only 30 allowed. Lots if customers & friends lining the road but unexpectedly they conducted the funeral outside so we were all able to be there. Music & everything. It was lovely.
3. A mattress topper I washed yesterday & put on the washing line has dripped it’s way to half dry....I can finish it off inside. I will think twice about washing another.....dry clean next!
I'm delighted you went through your books again, and shared this one with us! I love the entry in the AS book, and am certain that you merited every word of it. I also love that Sarah B met you when they came to stay at your B&B. What a lovely, lovely story! Glad you managed to get 8 boxes down to 5 - it will be helpful long term, even if it hurts at the time!
This touches home. Neither Jack or I can part with books and we have mountains of them, some on bookshelves and others stacked on closet shelves etc. One thing to tackle while I'm still able!
What a busy day you've had, and such an interesting story. I had no idea that your family had farmed there for 200 years, and that the house was even older. We absolutely agree with the reader's comments, you were wonderful hosts and we are only sorry that we can't come and stay with you again.
Such a big job Pat in sorting through books and what a lovely find amongst all your treasures - A one to keep for sure ! So pleased you had good weather for the funeral - a very rainy morning here but has eased off by tonight !
@busylady Oh thank you a Judith that’s so kind. The above reference is for our previous farm though, we moved here in May 1999 so you & Peter stayed here in our new place!!
I had a very similar experience with Alistair Sawday and when I realised we had to pay we didn’t go ahead. Like you, I thought you had to be special to be invited to be in the book but that’s not the case at all.
@julzmaioro I came to the conclusion that if they had been in that garage all that time I didn’t need them....I was conscious of the weight if them too for moving!
@jamibann thank you Issi....it’s through Sallie that I started this 365 project. The whole family were delightful & we’ve kept in touch ever since, several more visits at various times too.
@beryl I did quite enjoy it actually but had to patch the boxes up a bit again...books are such heavy things! I’ve kept the sentimental ones & any I might read again or specially enjoyed!
As I read the start of your story I was thinking about the book we found you in.. it was 1994 and we were heading to France where Susannah had her 3rd birthday.
That was our very first B&B with the children and you know it's still No 1 on our list!!! 💛💛💛💛💛💛
@sarah19 Wow that’s 36 years ago Sallie...longer than I thought! Your four were all quite young & all wearing pink T shirts, I remember it so well as you git out if the car at the front gate....happy times! So very glad you found us! Xxxxxxx
Oh I can't look, ha ha. How can you manage to get rid of books. We did a bit of a 'cull' a couple of years ago and I still miss some of my books. We still have about 22 bookcases scattered across our house though, so the cull wasn't too drastic.
Hopefully those who buy those books will get pleasure from them. Its not all online! You can see the words so clearly in your shot - it surely must be a keeper!
@onewing You sound just like me Babs but I’m thinking of the space otherwise I would still keep every one! We are downsizing from a seven bedroom multiple room house to a two bedroom bungalow, open plan so needs must sadly. I must say I think I’m going to enjoy being more minimalistic when the time comes!! Strangely satisfying getting rid of clutter!
@maggiemae Hopefully maggie....I have kept all that are close to my heart & planning on a large bookcase to contain them all instead of different bookcases all round the house.
Great way for the owners of the b&b to make some extra money from your stay there. I was an avid reader but not so much now and when I start reading a book, after 4 to 5 pages my eyes begin to close and I know it is time to have a nap. I still have most of the hardbound books I bought many years ago and still treasure them and read them all over again once in a while.
Well done! Am delighted that your sale is in the bag.
R & l have loadsa books! Although I have made several attempts to reduce their number...you won’t be surprised to know that there is little interest in rural France for books in English. We’re both readers & hoarders. In addition to books, R is a Radio Amateur and has a collection of Morse Keys...and a smaller one of radios. However I did have a mini-purge during LockDown etc., naught really but the tip of the iceberg ;-). I hesitate to admit how much stuff is in the loft that remains unused and untouched.
@s4sayer I feel for you...when you live in a house for a long time you are bound to accumulate lots. I was lucky as we did half last year with massive skip. I must say once you start it gets easier!! We are downsizing massively so it must be done. Instead if keeping every book I have been through them again & set aside the ones I read but wasn’t bothered keeping....still gotta lots of boxes though. The attic was cleared last year thankfully!
That was our very first B&B with the children and you know it's still No 1 on our list!!! 💛💛💛💛💛💛
Yes I hope they will be appreciated wherever they go but go they have to!!
R & l have loadsa books! Although I have made several attempts to reduce their number...you won’t be surprised to know that there is little interest in rural France for books in English. We’re both readers & hoarders. In addition to books, R is a Radio Amateur and has a collection of Morse Keys...and a smaller one of radios. However I did have a mini-purge during LockDown etc., naught really but the tip of the iceberg ;-). I hesitate to admit how much stuff is in the loft that remains unused and untouched.
A lovely diptych full of memories!