Books From Freecycle

One of my favorite websites is Freecycle.org. Here members can list stuff no longer needed that can be passed onto others. The idea is to find new homes for unwanted items so they don't end up in a landfill. Members can also post things they wish to receive.
When I joined Freecycle a couple years ago my hope was to occasionally acquire clothing for my grandchildren. Having a few extra shirts, pants and pajamas to keep at my house would come in very handy indeed. So far - ziltch. That's not to say that clothing hasn't been offered - it has. But this Grandma is always too slow on the draw. By the time I respond to an offering it has already been promised. I have even wished for items a few times but there wasn't any response. Augh! but I will keep on trying because you just never know.
Last week a member offered a bag full of children's books. Ooooooh, I was salivating at the thought of this offer - this is the first time books have been offered and being a bit of a biblio nut I was really hoping. Of course I was yet again too slow. The books had been promised but I was informed that I was second on the list. If the original respondent didn't show up they would be offered to me. I figured that was the end of it. After all, who could pass up a bag of children's books? So I put it out of my mind. Well, surprise, surprise, a couple days later I learned there had been a no show - the books were mine - all MINE!!!!
Picking up the books was so easy. The offeree lives just down the road from me. Freecycle encourages anonymity for safety reasons. So there was no direct contact with the person. The books were left outside - the bag was marked with my name - I stopped and picked up my new literary treasures.
Opening up that bag when I got home was like having Christmas all over again - the books are absolutely wonderful. Half of them look like they just walked out of Barnes and Nobel. Be still my frugal heart! It was just too much fun sorting the stories out. I have decided which books will soon become birthday gifts and Easter basket fillers. I have put some aside for next Christmas - not only for Beth and Wullie but for the new royal baby that will join the family next Fall. A few books will be saved for when the kids get older. The rest are now on our bookshelf. You can never have too many fairy tales!
I have only received a few things through Freecycle - guess our needs are pretty simple so I am not looking for much. But, these books were absolutely fantastic! And, the best part is, once the kids have outgrown the stories, they will be Freecycled again. Books are too precious to throw away. I LOVE Freecycle!