VNSA Book Sale 2013

Yesterday was the annual VNSA (Volunteer Non-profit Service Association) book sale.  If you read my post from last year, you know Sarah and I planned that day to go again this year.  (Book Sale 2012)

We met at the same nearby McDonald's for breakfast, only this time at 6:30 instead of 7. We arrived at the Fair Grounds by 7:30. The line was shorter than last year, but still 4 or 5 lengths of the exhibit building. 

Sarah and I stood in the winding line chatting.  That's the best thing about my friendship with Sarah.  We don't have to be doing anything.  We can just stand around and talk.  The line moved pretty fast this year.  Someone official told people they couldn't have chairs in line and the space taken up by the chairs filled quickly, shortening the line considerably.  This time we made it inside by 8:30. 

The layout was different than last year.  This was noteworthy enough to be mentioned over the intercom.  And there were only 2 tables of mystery paperbacks instead of three. I had donated all of the Cleo Coyle books I bought last year, plus the 6 I bought to fill out the series.  But I didn't see any Cleo Coyle on display.   Maybe someone snatched them up before we got inside?

I did, however, see a lot of J. A. Jance.  And that was one of my goals.  To buy more of the Sheriff Brady series.  And lots of Janet Evanovich.  She was on Sarah's list.  (I already own them all.)

I brought a cart, but we left it in the car.  It seemed too big, out there in the parking lot.  But we saw other carts the same size.  The VNSA has a sign-up for a handful of shopping carts and those were full-sized carts.  So next year, we will actually bring the cart inside. 

We did bring in cloth bags, so we didn't need to clutch our treasures in our arms.  This year we each came with a list of authors and titles we wanted to search out. I filled my first cloth bag with paperback mysteries, some the aforementioned Jances.  Plus I bought some new authors whose titles or descriptions spoke to me. 

I wanted hard covers of the first 3 Harry Potter novels, to complete my set.  My first three are paperback editions.  But the Children's section was crowded.  There were even two kids on their bellies examining the boxes furthest back on the floor under one of the tables. Book lovers after my own heart.  

By the time we made it to the opposite end of the building, to the Cookbook section, my two bags were full and my arms were being stretched from carrying them.  I saw a woman with one of the shopping carts piled high pass by.  With the bags, I bought twice as many books as I did last year.  What would I have done if I had brought the cart in?

As always, the checkout was quick and efficient. I walked out with five books in the Gregory Maguire Wicked series, a Reader's Digest home repair hard cover, a cookbook, and 27 paperbacks for only $58.50.  That's a little more than double the $28 from last year. 

Next year's event is already on my calendar.  I'm going to take the cart inside.  Will I spend twice as much as I did this year?