Happy New Year!
We’re shuffling 2015 off to the history books and welcoming in a brand-new year, free of dents, door dings, scuffs, tangles, and creases.
No “places” on it yet.
That’s a line from the thrift shop and yard sale lexicon.
Buyer holding up a bric-a-brac vase: How much for this? It has a place on it.
Yard Sale vendor: A place? Where?
Buyer: Right here. Little spot there.
Vendor: Well, I had it marked a dollar. But I’ll knock off a quarter for the place.
Buyer: Oh. I just noticed – there are a couple more places on the bottom here. And another one here.
Vendor: Hmmm. Well, then. Just go ahead and take it. I guess we’re even.
Plenty of newly-arrived books being sorted out to start the year in the bookshop. Including a couple with “places” and a couple that are interesting, but have been shuffled off to the “useless reference book” section.
Not a lot of calls for “Maidcraft” these days. The opening paragraph might help you understand why:
A cross section of bridge table conversation is enough to convince anyone that Maidcraft is one of the chief interests of the average woman. “Does your maid serve properly? – “My maid can’t seem to systemize her work.” – “Yes, my maid can cook, but she never gets anything on the table hot.” – “What my maid needs is a schedule for cleaning.” And then there’s always the woman who couldn’t play bridge because she was breaking in a new maid.
Like I said – not much demand for a book like this one. Maybe I can set it over on the shelf with the telegraph operator’s handbook.
And as we send 2015 off to the calendar afterlife, maybe an entry from the just-arrived book of “Comic Epitaphs from the Very Best Old Graveyards” is appropriate. This – from the tombstone of Mary Weary, Housewife:
DERE FRIENDS I AM GOING
WHERE WASHING AIN’T DONE
OR COOKING OR SEWING:
DON’T MOURN FOR ME NOW
OR WEEP FOR ME NEVER:
FOR I GO TO DO NOTHING
FOREVER AND EVER.
Hope there’s plenty of something going on for you and yours in the New Year!
Come visit!
McHuston
Booksellers & Irish Bistro
Rose District
122 South Main St. Broken Arrow, OK!