Tuesday 14 August 2012

#316: 100 Books


You know how, when you are working, you have to cover all the bases before you go on holidays so that your job doesn’t fall apart in your absence?  Even if it means putting in extra time and effort? It is the price you pay for the privilege of being able to take time off.

It turns out that library volunteering at the retirement home presents the same challenges. Who knew?

Bruce and I are soon leaving on a cross-country road trip to see friends and family, but no other volunteer has stepped up to take over the library “job” in my absence.  So I am having to cram 5 weeks of library visits into the next couple of days.

About 100 books have been placed on hold, and I will label them all with September due dates that identify them clearly as public library books brought by yours truly.  Then I have to deliver the books to my readers in the hope that the choices I have made for them will keep them happy while I am away.  

I anticipate that I will spend the first couple of days of our trip wondering what I failed to look after – just like I used to when I was gainfully employed. Are there loose ends I forgot to tie up?  Gaaaah!

But it’s OK.  Deep down, I know that if I have left a few stones unturned no-one is going to grumble and complain. I will not be fired. I suspect that my clients are (unhappily) prepared to have no books at all while I am away, so the delivery of some reading material will be greeted with delight, which is, after all, what librarians are in the business of providing. 

I also anticipate that along with thanks, they will offer advice for the journey: “Drive carefully,  Have fun! Take pictures!"   I will promise to do all that and more. 
***

It’s hard to blog and drive, but I’ll post updates from time to time on an occasional travel blog,  Reluctant Retiree on the Road.  Who knows what I will find while travelling from Guelph to Vancouver, and then to Seattle, San Francisco and back again.  (That’s a lot of driving, in case you are wondering.  It takes 3 days just to get out of Ontario!) There will be many retired friends en route and a few retired relatives as well.  We’ll be comparing notes, for sure!   

1 comment:

  1. Have a woderful trip! I assume you will be visiting Saskatoon?
    I am also preparing to leave things in good hands while I am away on a trip to Europe. It's just one concert and I have done what I could beforhand, but most of the tasks will be done when the 'touring booklet' is received in a bout a fortnight. I was amazed how much detail is in the 'to do' list. When I tick them all off it doesn't seem so many. However, last night, I wrote a customised list for the next concert to make it simpler for the person who takes over. It was l-o-n-g. We return the day before the concert when everything (I hope) will be in place. I will just sit back and enjoy the piano trio playing their beautiful music.

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