Booking in Tarpon Springs, FL

About 125 miles north of Punta Gorda, FL is a cute little town, Tarpon Springs. It is on route 19, near Clearwater. I don't know the history of the town but it seems to be the sponge capitol of FL with a big Greek influence. Greek restaurants, Greek clothing, Greek food stores, etc. You can very easily bring back a Greek peasant blouse, dress or a more formal and exciting belly dancing costume!

Of course, being an "Old" Bag Lady, I didn't purchase the Belly Dancing Costume but maybe next time, after I retire I could take lessons??? I mean, being a woman "of a certain age" means I to keep moving, right? At least I'd have the basics I need for the class (I have a belly!).

But, I did go looking for books as Tarpon Springs advertises a lot of antique shops in the downtown area and indeed, they are there. But they are very, very book challenged in the antique stores. I don't know why - most antique areas have at least one book dealer within the antique malls - a specialist used/rare book dealer who just doesn't want to have a store. This wasn't the case in downtown Tarpon Springs.

I did find one booth that was mostly books but they weren't even trying to be specialists. They were $1.00 books in pretty good shape but not ones that any book dealer would be interested in. Just common books - not even store stock (they would be on the $1.00 table out front of any used book store).

So, after passing on the books and all of the glass antiques, booth after booth of glass collectibles (dishes in particular), even full stores of red glass dishes (well maybe some dish was white but I didn't stay long enough to see it) we went to the touristy section and I loved it.

There were lots of people walking around the shops which are located right next to water with tourist boats waiting to take us out for a cooling ride on the water. There was an art show set up in tents, lots of ice cream and cold drinks and Greek food. Lots of Greek food and beer and sweets!

If you haven't added Tarpon Springs to your list of places to visit when you're in the area/state, maybe while you're at the St. Petersburg book fair (in March every year), consider doing so. And you will get to go over the beautiful Skyline bridge, see a great view of what has to be a great fishing pier!


After all, you're writing off the trip to the fair, might as well add in a side trip and get some great Greek Food and well, maybe pick up that belly dancing costume.

Page From Puppy to end.

Thanks to everyone who sent their condolences for our loss of Page, our 13 year old dog and friend. It means a lot to know that she meant a lot to others and that others of you know how we feel. We will try to focus on the joy she brought us - but we still "feel" the "deadly silence" of her not being here. Madlyn

R.I.P. Page, the Book Store Dog

1996 - 2009 Page passed away this morning.

We loved Page. We got her 13 years ago to be a watch dog (we lived in the country) and be in the book store. Since then, Page has lived in condos mostly and we never received a complaint about her barking. She didn't bite - see the photo with the pet bird - she was very gentle.

As an "entertainment center" for the book store, she preferred to trip customers coming into the store by lying in front of the door than being petted. Page was a lazy dog! I don't know if that was because of her Black Lab or Kerry Blue Terrier part but she was lazy. She wouldn't chase a ball or frizbee (we'd just throw it again and what sense did that make).

Page loved Sandy Pines, a resort camping location in southern Michigan. She loved to swim in the clear, calm water and ride on our golf cart - ears blowing in the wind.

The only book Page destroyed in 13 years was one volume on Detroit that I'd just had recovered. I don't know if it was the glue she smelled or what but she chewed the spine off of the new binding. One destroyed book in 13 years is better than my record.

Page loved going on trips - in the RV or car - but she wasn't happy to share the backseat with the bird! She put up with it but she didn't like sharing. We could leave Page in any motel room to go to dinner - as long as our suitcases were there and we turned on the TV she never barked at other travelers. If we weren't home, she didn't bark either - she protected US, not the location she was in. Any thief could have walked in to the HOUSE (as long as he didn't knock) if we weren't home and there would be no problem - if we were home, she barked whenever my husband would even hug me! She preferred a 'hands off' policy!

At 91, I guess Page has a right to rest eternally. But I bet she is visiting with Grandma now and letting her old bird friend, Frankie, walk all over her and her cat friend Casper will puuurrrr a lot upon seeing her. We will continue to miss Page, The Book Store Dog - the best friend we could have had.

For Sale: Hank Aaron, Mantle, DiMaggio, Ruth, Gehrig;

I have a few nice collectible baseball items for sale:

1. National Baseball Hall of Fame 1987 BASEBALL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM YEARBOOK. Softcover (stapled binding). 8-1/4 X 10-3/4. Honoring 1987 inductees Dandridge, Hunter and Billy Williams. Many photos, some in color, many statistics & bios. 90 pages, Illus. Covers, Roberto Clemente on back with brief bio. Very Good (minor blue ink/scuff near spine on back) $25.00

Kenner's Starting Lineup Series baseball figures, in unopened box with cards as issued:

Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, $50.00
Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio,$60.00
Edwin Mathews and Henry Aaron. $60.00

Shipping is extra, prices depending on zip code and number of items purchased. The boxes are unopened but show some wear as you can see in photos.

I accept PayPal (with credit card option) and personal checks. Please email me at oldbaglady@embarqmail.com to order. Thank you. Madlyn

New Book Van Decision Made

Thanks to all who gave me suggestions on how to shop for the new van. I think I tried just about every hint - and ended up buying locally but feeling as though I got the best price I could negotiate. This is a Town & Country Touring van, 2006 with 31,000 miles. I got a 5.5% interest rate.

This does tie in with a bigger issue book related issue, however. We complain daily (if not hourly) about books not being available when ordered on any of the databases. We hold ourselves and others to a 100% perfection/satisfaction rate or berate their/our professionalism if not characters. But not one of the on-line cars I called about was available - already sold.

Now in the grand scheme of things, I'd think that more people would be upset about a $14,000 car not being available than a $10.00 book. But each dealership just said that the car was sold but lucky me, they had another (totally different brand even) van available that they were sure I'd like if I'd just come in to see it. It didn't matter whether the dealership I called was across the country or in the next city, the story was the same.

If car dealerships can't keep track of the cars/vans on their websites I think maybe we (and customers) should lighten up just a bit on our expectations of perfection of on-line book dealers. We can say something to the customer that we are sorry but this slipped through our standards of perfection! It happens, life's short, move on. Truly, I'm not suggesting we act in a slipshod way but maybe the next time someone is setting the rules at Amazon and Alibris about this perfection thing, we can ask them to consider giving us just a little more slack. I'm pretty sure I won't misplace any $14,000 books - or forget to take it off the internet when I sell it - like all those car dealers did.

I didn't get a new van - even with the government incentives because, well, jeez folks, I just couldn't afford it. I wonder how many people driving old clunkers can afford to trade them in for a brand new car? I turned in the Ford Taurus - less mileage on the new van than on the old Taurus - boy, I'll miss that car (24 mpg, premium sound, multi cd player). But now I can haul books again - looking towards my upcoming retirement. Madlyn

For Sale: First Kiss

Still new, boxed - great for the collector. $25.00 plus shipping

For Sale: Model Railroader 1949 6 Issues

Today I have 6 issues of this periodical from 1949 (Feb, March, April, September, November and December). The photo is of one of the better condition ones, The December issue is of the less good condition - still all present, but the cover at the spine is torn 2 inches into cover. There are approximately 100 pages per issue. 3 issues v.g., 2 issues good, one issue fair - if evaluating just the covers. Insides are all very good. Lots of phot0s, directions on building model railroad sets and technical information - and don't forget the ads! All 6 issues $40.00. plus shipping - your call on how to package and ship - boxed will cost more than bubble envelopes.

Free: If interested, when I ship the Model Railroader to you, if you are interested and I still have them, I will include American Modeler Annuals. There are 5 mostly complete issues from the 60s. The paper is dry and crumbling. There are extra pages - Lots of information for someone who is interested in model cars, radio control and model planes. They just are in poor condition.

contact me at Oldbaglady@embarqmail.com Thanks for looking. Madlyn