In spite of doing our usual library run a day early and grabbing way too many books to be lugging around on the bus, we were back again yesterday - and twice, today! Well, technically, 3 times today.
I'd got an email notice that another item I'd put on hold was in after we'd returned from our first trip. Since I somehow missed returning one of the dvd's, I needed to go in the next day anyways to avoid the fine. While Youngest and I were there, we made the mistake of not leaving right away. *L* Youngest had already finished the Goosebumps book she'd borrowed, so she went looking for 3 more. While she was looking, I noticed the 4th book in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series and snagged it, then spotted The River. We already own The Hatchet and Brian's Winter, and had been on the look out for the final book on the store. Then we went to the audio/visual section.
Oops.
So along with another Bond movie, Die Another Day, for dh, I grabbed The First Merchants, Cruise Greece, and A Baroque Odyssey (Cirque du Soleil) on DVD, plus Mammoth Cave and Youngest chose Star Trek: First Contact, on VHS.
Then there was today. It started out a bit earlier than usual, as we had to negotiate a trip to a particular shop that isn't on any bus routes. At least it was only 2 buses to get there, but with a couple of blocks to walk for the transfer, plus about 4+ blocks when we got there, I made a point of bringing my cane - and was glad off it. :-P The transfer bus was about 15 minutes late, too. After more than an hour in the shop, it was more walking, then back to downtown to transfer. By then, almost 5 hours had gone by, so we took advantage of the fact that our stop to get home is right in front of the library and dashed in for a much needed trip to the facilities. LOL While there, Eldest went to try and find some other Goosebumps books she though Youngest would like, but had no luck finding them. I was expecting another item on hold to have come in, so we made a quick check in the holds section, but there was nothing there. Since we missed lunch while waiting for all those buses, and not knowing where to go for lunch near the shop we went to, Eldest decided to treat us to some vendor hot dogs. This isn't something we often do - we'd gone only once before so far this year, and as far as I can figure out, it was the first time I'd had a vendor hot dog in at least 3 years. *L* So we sat outside to enjoy a lovely day with our "lunch." Then we wandered around to take some pictures for the Art Project, discovering a hidden park in the process.
We almost made it to the bus stop in time, but the timing of the lights was off, and we missed it. That left us with another half hour before the next one. Rather than standing at a bus stop for so long, back into the library we went. A quick check in the holds section found nothing for me, so we went to the coffee shop in the building for something to drink, where we could sit in comfortable chairs. It was really nice to just sit and chat with the girls like that. The only downside was being hit up by a panhandler for loose change. Not that we had any, what with using my debit card all the time, but sheesh - we'd already been hit up for money at the bus stop twice by the same guy. Now we can't even sit with a drink in a coffee shop without someone going from table to table. I wish I could still feel sympathy for these panhandlers, but so many of them are doing it for a living now, or doing it to feed their addictions, I just don't know when it's for real or not.
So we finally make it home. After we settle in and I turn the computer back on to check my email, guess what I find?
Another notice that something had come in! LOL A cd,t his time - Caribbean Voyage: East Indian Music in the West Indies.
Well, we happened to be planning to go back downtown for the evening anyhow, so we ended up leaving a bit early so I could get to the library before it closed. By then, yet another item was waiting for me - another Bond dvd for Dh. That's when I discovered that there's a limit of 5 dvd's per card, which I already have so I had to leave it behind.
Which means tomorrow, among our other running around, we need to watch at least one of the dvd's we've borrowed so we can return it, and take out the new one. *L*
The good thing is that this branch is really convenient for us. If we really wanted to, we could walk to it, though I certainly wouldn't want to while carrying a lot of books. It's not that close. *L* It's also just a really great library. Being the main branch, it's very well supplied. It's also very open and comfortable. There's even a small, free art gallery, along with both permanent and temporary art displays scattered about. It's the sort of place I would happily just hang out in.
It's also a contradiction of sorts. The used needle deposit boxes in the bathroom stalls are a reminder of the rampant drug use in the area. Signs stating that the staff do not have to put up with abusive language and behavior, and anyone who does abuse them is banned for a year. There's also the uniformed security guards. Usually one, but on Friday afternoons there's two. Today, I happened to walk behind one of them and was startled by the misshapen look of his back.
The library security guards wear body armor.
Good Lord.
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