Book Bonanza

Started off another incredibly gorgeous late summer morning with the American Top 40. Casey made his third return to 1979 in as many months as disco, ballads, jazz, and R&B ruled the airwaves. Hits in mid-September of that year included "Goodbye Stranger" by Supertramp, "Lonesome Loser" by the Little River Band, the title song from The Main Event by Barbara Streisand, "Let's Go" by the Cars, "Mama Can't Buy You Love" by Elton John, "After the Love Has Gone" by Earth, Wind, and Fire, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by the Charlie Daniels Band, and "Rise" by Herb Alpert.

That week's #1 song would, in fact, eventually wind up as the biggest hit of the year - "My Sharona" by the Knack.

Unlike last week, there were plenty of things going on around the area. The big event in Oaklyn was the fall version of the Oaklyn Library's annual Flea Market and Book Sale. I was disappointed to see only a few flea market tables by the library...but one of them was my friend Cassandra selling her books. I got to say "hi" to her and touch base. She's been busy with her books and her sons, which is why I haven't gotten together with her again. I've been thinking of e-mailing her for a while now.

The book sale was much better. I ended up with four books and four videos. Three of the books were biographies on Joan Blondell (Center Stage Fancy), Louise Brooks (Lulu In Hollywood), and George M. Cohan (The Man Who Owns Broadway). The fourth book was a novel, Maiden Voyage, about a flapper in 1924 who inherits her father's shipping and cruise line and has to oversee the first trip across the Atlantic of it's newest vessel. The videos were Little Big Man, The Swan Princess, Memphis Belle, and another serial, Zorro's Black Whip.

Checked out a couple of other yard sales in the Oaklyn area as I headed to the Farm Market. There was nothing of interest at the sale on Newton Avenue near the library. I did better at the back of Oaklawn Avenue. They had a small pile of records. I came up with the soundtrack from the original That's Entertainment.

The Farm Market was the next stop. Needless to say, thanks to the weather, it was packed there today with people buying produce for birthday parties, football parties tomorrow, and impromptu barbecues. There were also more dogs there than I've seen in weeks, including a cute little terrier who reminded me of Linda Young's dog Willow and a handsome, fluffy old collie who patiently allowed young children to pet him. I finally ended up with nectarines (the peaches were rather sour last week), tiny Gala apples, carrots, and corn.

I rode around for an hour looking for a yard sale that was supposed to be on Breslin Avenue in Haddon Township, but I just could not find it. I did find one on Cuthbert Road across the street from the Shamrock Deli. They had paperbacks from the 70s and 80s, vintage kids' books, and some neat animated videos for sale, among other things. I ended up with two videos (Yogi's Great Escape and the 80s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Easter special) and three kids' books. The latter were the first three titles in the Connie Blair mystery series from 1948, The Clue In Blue, Riddle In Red, and Puzzle In Purple. It looks like a Nancy Drew imitation with a somewhat more mature heroine (she's an up-and-coming advertising exec, from what I've read on the back covers).

I was so thirsty, I stopped to grab a fountain iced tea at WaWa before heading home. I had a quick leftovers lunch and spent the rest of the day trying to figure out a budget. I got everything added together, but the same thing confused me as last month. When I tried to divide 24 by 1000,  (which I figure is about what I make in a month), I just get decimals...and moving those decimals around only reveals that I don't make much money.

I went to work depressed. Work didn't make me feel better. It was busy for most of the night, and there were quite a few annoying people, including one of those ladies who gives 600 orders on how to bag, then holds up the lines by rearranging everything. I know they don't mean to be rude, but why can't they either do it away from the register, or just leave it alone? I did what they wanted. And she put back a quarter of her order! It was so busy, I didn't get my break until quarter of 6...and I got off at 7.