I can't believe I did it again!!!

Well here we are, the last day of the year, and there's so much I could be blogging about. Like for example how even though it wasn't the greatest year in many ways, it was a lot better than 2007!! I could also continue the cleaning and organizing that I opted to do instead of going to the movies with the rest of my family. I will get back to that task shortly, but in the meantime I have to relive my library experience for you because it just screams "blog material".

We are big library people, as are most of my readers I'm sure. We have always been huge fans of the library that Jake has called "Miss Lynn's library" since he could talk (even when Miss Sally was still there). We probably take out 500 books and movies a year, and I really don't think I'm exaggerating. We get calls from them at least a few times a week because an item we've "requested has arrived", and occassionally because "one or more of the items we've checked out is overdue". We have a great working relationship with them. We can request items from any of the 9 libraries in the county system and pick them up there. We can also go to any of those other libraries and check stuff out (as much as we'd like) and then return it to "Miss Lynn's Library". Who could ask for more? Last year before I was too busy blogging, I used to be on a yahoo group with people from all over the country who use the same curriculum as us. I heard many stories from people all over whose libraries didn't have any good books, or had limits, or weren't child friendly, and many other negative things. I even had my own bad library experience when we lived in CT, once Madi was born, I could no longer take Jonathan to toddler storytime because babies weren't allowed!! I mean did you ever hear anything so crazy?! Boy once we moved here I thought we died and went to Heaven to see what a great library system we had.

Here's the thing, the library that is two minutes from our house is NOT part of the county system. I am well aware of that. In some circles it is known as the "useless library". Jake really enjoys playing on the computers there. We've gotten into the habit since Jake has been homeschooling to go there every week or two. It is really quiet, and I can sit and read while he works on the computer (it is quiet because no one I know goes there...at the other library I'd run into tons of people I know and talk the whole time and never get any reading done). Often we check out books from there, you get the same three weeks as Miss Lynn's library, and sometimes they have books that the county system doesn't have. We really try not to check out videos and dvds there because it COSTS 25cents to check them out. I know that's not really a big deal, but since we can get them for free at the other libraires, why do it? WHY DID I DO IT???? You see, not only do they cost 25cents...it is a $2.00 per day per movie late fee!!! I've known this for years. A few months ago we got totally stung and had 4 movies out 1 day late (or maybe 1 movie out 4 days late)...Jake and I went in with big frowns on our faces and counted out EIGHT DOLLARS to give them. This was supposed to impress on Jake (and myself) why we WERE NOT GOING TO CHECK OUT MOVIES from there any more!!! Would you believe I didn't learn my lesson?! Apparently about two weeks ago we were in there. I was reading and Jake was playing on the computer. I vaguely recall him talking me into checking out (for 25cents) a Teletubbies Christmas movie! Yes I am insane!! Well today guess what I found under our Christmas movies?! TEN DOLLARS later--here I am! PLEASE don't let me do that again!!!!!!!!