Happy Reminder

Every year I take the August Happiness Challenge. Here's a brief explanation of the Challenge: "Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world."

You're invited to join me. Visit me with a link to your daily August happy, and I'll come read it. I've found that experiencing other peoples' everyday pleasures is a great mood lifter.

It helps if your August Happiness Challenge posts are marked with an icon. Just something that means "happy" to you. Here's a pair of my past happys.

THE HAPPY BEGINS AUGUST 1!

We already have a winner

Next weekend is my village's library book sale. Every year there's a book that my neighbors donate in big numbers. Usually I have to wait until I wander the sale tables to find the winner of this dubious honor. This year, I helped sort the books and found one book that dominated the donations.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Again. Copy after copy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo! Just like last year!

In 2016, it was The Help.
In 2015, it was The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.
In 2014, it was the first appearance of The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo. 
In 2013, it was The DaVinci Code.
In 2012, it was Sixkill by Robert B. Parker (a Spenser mystery).
In 2011, it was The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. 
In 2010, it was Scarlett, the Sequel to Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind. 
In 2009, it was My Life by Bill Clinton.
In 2008, it was The Da Vinci Code.
In 2007, it was The Nanny Diaries.
In 2006, it was The Corrections. 

Apparently local book clubs selected The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in big numbers, but the readers didn't want to keep the book on their shelves for re-reading. Some copies had been on the shelves of other libraries and somehow made their way to us. Any way, there are so many copies, not all of them will find homes next weekend.

In exchange for my service as a volunteer -- first sorting books, then flattening and stacking packing boxes -- I got to choose a book. I went with this one. It's in beautiful condition, and I've always wanted to read it.

Next weekend, after the sale is over, I can return, show my badge, and take whatever didn't sell. Last year I left with Helter Skelter, a book that ended up having a profound impact on me. Let's see what the 2018 haul has in store.