Books!

 A week or two ago, I was trying to go to sleep but I would close my eyes and envision books tumbling over me.  I felt overwhelmed by the books in the hall and in the garage.  Even Jim said he was feeling overwhelmed;  he thought he had gotten rid of so many books before we moved.

And he had!  The Theological Book Network gave him tax receipts for more than 1000 books that he had donated--some right after he retired and the rest in May--books that go to third world seminaries.  He estimates that he gave at least that many to students at Notre Dame.  We put numerous books that he thought were of little value in Better World Books bins where we had heard (and hoped) that they would be recycled for their paper.

After we moved into our apartment, we bought six three-shelved Sauder bookcases from Skillman Furniture and Jim began filling the shelves. He went back to buy one more five-shelf bookcase later.

When I posted on Facebook about our dilemma, one suggestion was to Kondo the books--did each one that was left in boxes or on the floor bring Jim joy?  He said that was the wrong question.  The right question was would the book bring him work?  Or assist his research?

Maybe breaking down the task into manageable parts would help.   I labeled boxes Trash, Garage, and Students.  I would hold up a book and Jim would decide where it fit.  We did that over the last week--a section each day.

There are now five boxes of books that Jim hopes to give to students at Princeton University or Princeton Seminary.  Just how that will happen is to be determined. 

 There are eight boxes of books stored in the garage and we are optimistic that there might be room for the car now.

 And then there are the trashed books.  It makes me sad when I think of the work each author put into his or her volume.  We recycled all the paperbacks and one by one I tore out the pages of the hardbacks to recycle their paper.  We made daily trips to the recycle bins in our apartment complex.

I am pleased to say that as of August 13, 2019, a month after we leased our apartment and four weeks since we moved in, we can walk through the halls without having to avoid books.  And it looks great!