Border's, Bargains and A Blueprint

“I want to go to Border’s.”

This was part of the mother’s shopping trip on Saturday. And am I going to discourage a trip to a book (and music and DVD) store? I think not!

When I was a kid, I vividly recall the look of disdain I would get from the mother when I always preferred to hang out in the book section while she clothes shopped. (Not that she minded the reading. Education was always made a priority. I just think she wished my interest level in clothes had been parallel to that of books.) The mother had never been much of a reader. Until the last five to 10 years. I like to think this is one of the better ways in which I have rubbed off on her. (Leave a cereal box in front of me and I will invariably read it. Been that way since sometime around age 3 when my sainted grandmother started turning the tables on me and making me read to her. I’d already been a dedicated newspaper reader for years when I started delivering it at age 10.)

So, off to Border’s (among several other stops) we went. Her motivation was to get some books for my cousins’ kids – my godmother’s grandchildren – for Christmas. We found those in abundance. The mother found a few things she liked and me? I could have bought the store! Well, most of it anyway. But, I exercised a great deal of restraint instead.

There was one book though on the bargain shelves that almost immediately caught my attention, Do It Herself, by Joanne Liebeler, an early co-host of PBS’s “Hometime,” one of the original DIY industry television shows. It was neatly packaged with a multi-pocket toolbelt. But even that didn’t immediately sell me. I slid the book out of the nifty little plastic handle bag and as soon as I flipped it open, the page that greets me says: “Give your cabinets a face lift.” Thumbing through I saw chapters on flooring and painting and an illustrated list of “essential” tools. I burst out laughing. This thing reads like a blueprint for This D*mn House!
Notice the cover. What’s THAT she’s sitting on? Well, that cinched it. I had to have it. (And it was only five bucks.) Not to mention there’s an entire chapter on wiring, including a step-by-step to changing light fixtures – something I might actually learn from. I still need to spend a few more minutes with it, but I can tell you, I am getting way more than my money’s worth! If you find it at a Border’s near you, definitely buy it.

The mother, arms starting to fill up with books for the young’uns and the occasional novel for herself, spied me flipping through my find. “You want that? I’ll get it for you?” Well, gee. Thanks, ma!

Now if I can just get her to start requesting trips to Archiver’s …