Life, as I've known it lately

For those of you who are desperate for news about what I've been up to (and I can't imagine who that could possibly be), here is what you have been waiting for. Sorry if I kept you waiting for too long.

I got into Hibbing on December 31 at about 2:30. I didn't do the 13 hour, one-shot drive, but broke it up over two days (Wichita to Des Moines on the 30th, then Des Moines to Hibbing on the 31st). All driving was uneventful, but northern Iowa was very pretty that morning, with fog frozen to the trees. Then Minnesota greeted me with snow showers! Except for my cold, it was an enjoyable drive.

The house in which I'm staying in Hibbing belongs to one of the library board members. It is her mom's place, but that lady is now in an assisted living establishment and the board member didn't want the house sitting empty. So I'm staying there rent free till Cole and Miri join me in our new place here (wherever and whenever that is).

After I got to Hibbing, I unpacked and then did some shopping. After I was settled, I got the TV to work with my DVD player and game consoles. I watched "Gods and Generals," the prequal to "Gettysburg." Good stuff, go rent it. Then I slept for 10 hours, watched more movies, played games, wandered around Wal-Mart, watched another movie, then went back to sleep.

My first day at work was filled with paperwork, passwords and getting my toys set up. Since then, I'm learning circulation, how packed the kid's room is with books and where the bodies are buried. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming, especially since they have been without a children's librarian since August. I'm already getting tours set up. This week, the local paper will be by to interview me (I'll post a link when it comes out) and the library has scheduled an open house on the 15th for everyone to come by and meet me! Honestly, I have never felt so welcome at a new home or job. Yeah, its cold, but the welcome feeling more than makes up for it.

First big project before Winter Reading club: weeding the kid's collection. I've started with items that have not circulated since 2003 and that is just the fiction section. One book truck is already full, so this will be quite an effort.