blog « Robin Writes

So here’s the revised plan:

SEE the property. In person. Thanks to all this flippin’ snow, we have yet to make the drive down there.
Go to the seller’s auction in a couple weeks. There was some nice stuff in the midst of all the junk.
Close. You know, do all the paperwork and hand over a lot of money. That sort of thing.
Build an outhouse and a shower house. Not that the bathroom in the house doesn’t work, but we’re building the campsite first so we can work on the house over the summer and fall. It doesn’t need a lot of work, but does need cleaning and a few additional walls. Plus the decking needs to be repaired and sealed and re-worked. And a few other things.
Host a work weekend. This is where we invite everyone we know—including YOU—to come down, camp out, and build the kitchen shelter at the campsite. And drink beer, ‘cause, you know . . . it’s a campout, after all. Might even have time to build out the storage units inside the barn. Definitely have time to hike and explore!

What ELSE could we do? Ideas? A dock on the pond comes to mind, and of course, we’ll need to assess the older house and see if it’s fixable and/or what to salvage. Good thing I’m a list-maker!

A few weeks ago, I listed some of my favorite authors; while their books are tucked here and there on my shelves, I thought you might want to know what else is lurking around the office—and living room.

Looking straight out across my desk, I have two bookcases. They’re practically antiques: cheap, put-it-together-yourself from a discount store. Unbelievably, they’ve lasted for 25 years and countless moves; there are two more against the wall behind me.

Facing me are the non-fiction titles: several by Zig Ziglar, whom I met years ago, a Yahoo style guide from my days of article writing, horse books, psychology books, criminal justice, Black’s Law Dictionary, sociology, personality stuff, career guides, and a lot more. They’re mostly categorized by subject. I also have two shelves of antique books.

Behind me, again in the cheapo cases, are more of the same.

To my right, in three bookcases that my husband built, are my hardcover fiction and books written by authors I know—and of course, an entire collection of RHP books. These are all mostly categorized by author. Mostly.

That means that all the King books are together, all the Koontz, etc. Not that the Ks are all together or anything, or even that the Ks follow the Js. I’m not that OCD.

Oh, and in the middle case, I have a collection of antique law books that I picked up at auction in Texas—way cool, even if the covers are crumbling. Shelved with and below those are my collection of vintage Black Stallion books, plus my great-grandfather’s collection of Zane Grey novels.

Now, in the living room, two husband-built bookcases hold all my paperbacks, stacked to fit. Mostly by author, but really—fit is important!

If you know me at all, even a teensy bit, you’ll know that I’m not fan of the romance genre. Yes, I used to read them, back in the day, but even then not constantly.

But I do seem to have quite a collection of Danielle Steel . . . and Rosemary Rogers. Remember her? Of course you do! And Steve and Ginny? Ah, yes—I do still remember those books! But mostly I’ve got mystery and horror. Odd combinations, yes?