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Archiver > QUEBEC > 1999-05 > 0927479686


From: John Helmut Merz <>
Subject: [QUEBEC-L] Books, Garage and yard sales, etc.
Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 10:14:46 -0700


Sunday morning in Hamilton on Lake Ontario. The farmers have been
praying for rain, it looks like their prayers are being answered.
Friday and Saturday the highways were overloaded with people going
to cottage country over the long holiday weekend, they were praying
for sunshine.

Everyone knows I love books, a special kind mind you, genealogy, town
and county histories, American Revolution history, important persons
biographies, that kind. Last time I told you I had over 600 books on
my shelves, it was not true, I counted 745, and the trouble is I keep
buying more, I can't resist! But I am running out of space, either I
have to stop buying, or I have to sell some I don't need no longer.
I decided for the second option, and last week I sold three, but I did
not tell my wife that there are four on the way in. Anyway ....

yesterday one subscriber mentioned that if you are looking for books
to check the garage, yard and estate sales, and I can only endorse
this suggestion. Many of my books I picked up for a pittance, books
I would have paid for ten times of what was asked. One of my most
prized posessions is a book about the Baroness Riedesel, I bought it
at the Public Library yearly book sale for one dollar. I did not see
it sitting on top of the long sales table, one lady buyer had it in
her hands, leafing through it, my heart almost stopped. It was that
book which was offered to me by an antique book seller in California
for US$75, and I had written back to offer $60., the answer was not in
yet. After about a minute the lady put it back on the table, and having
had positioned myself across from her, I grapped it the second she let
go of it. What a high! Going nuts about books! BTW, the California
dealer insisted on getting his 75 dollars. I let him keep it.

In closing I would like to thank all those generous contributors to
the mail list, by those I mean contributors of genealogical help to
others, posting answers to queries, and I can see that our subscribers
truly appreciate the help they are getting. I don't mind at all if
someone acknowledges the help and thank those who helped. It makes for
a good atmosphere between friends and 'cousins'. And one more thing,
we all would like to know your name and where you are writing from,
just to see what kind of global community we have on this list.

Thank you all, and have a nice long weekend,
John Merz,
Hamilton, Onatrio, Canada.

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