This past weekend, I did something I haven't done in a long, long time: I turned down the invitation to go yard sale-ing. And I would do it again, too. You see, I had a huge project sitting in my dining room that I really needed to get taken care of.

About a month ago (gosh, has it been that long already?!) my husband was checking out the auction bill for an auction in Plainfield, Wis., which is a little over an hour away from our house. He asked me that morning if I wanted to go, and I said I couldn't because my daughter was having friend over early that afternoon. He told me they had over 2,000 books at this auction (which caught my ear) and brewery memorabilia (which is right up his alley).

I said it sounded like an awesome auction, and that I had a feeling that the books would go dirt cheap. I didn't need any books ... my library was already stacked and packed with books lined up to read ... but I think you have to take advantage of opportunities like this when they arise.

That made up his mind. He said (and this is word for word, folks): "I'll take the truck and see if I can get you some books."

Some books. He came home with a truckload of books and it cost him a whopping $30 ... no exaggeration on the amount of books or the price! I couldn't believe it. I expected a few box lots, but not a truckload. I LOVE auctions!

So, I had to sort through all these books. I've been working on it here and there, but the bulk of the boxes still had to be gone through. Yes, there were the seemingly requisite collection of Readers Digest Condensed Books and "vintage" Harlequin Romances... but I have to admit, there were relatively few that I wanted to part with.

But I did it! I got them all sorted and the "keepers"—15 boxes worth of "keepers"—put in storage. (We'll see just how tough those Plano snap-together shelves really are.) A shame to have to store them, yes, but until I get more bookcases, it will have to do.

... now I just have to move out the "senders"—and there are nine boxes of those—and my dear husband won't have an excuse why he can't start putting the tin ceiling in the dining room.

Hmmm. I wonder, did he get the books for me? or for him (to buy some precious procrastination time to start that project)? I guess it doesn't matter; either way, it was a win-win.