I had initially envisioned the Bright Lights Book Project as being peripatetic, which is not having a home base. Books were originally to be given to those who needed them, by wandering scholars. This was why the very real concept of the bookcase on the back appealed to me. It still appeals to me.

The bookcases in the community program was peripatetic in that readers could grab books while on the move. Well, they of course would have to stop and pick out a book – but they were still in motion.

Moving into the Eagle Hotel

The problem was that in order to deal with a high quantity of books, we had to have a space for them. The Meeting House qualified. It was a good space for cleaning and otherwise preparing books for distribution. It was a not so good space for storing books.

The downstairs space – I had to go up and downstairs and also deal with three doors and three locks. And I had to be careful because sometimes people would come into the building that ought not have been there. Once, in fact, we had to call the police.

I am now, as I am writing this, looking back. The above is in the past tense. I had given up on our moving anywhere. Space in Palmer, Alaska, goes quickly. And what goes is very expensive.

I was not even convinced that there would be a move today. I presumed that we didn’t have enough volunteers on hand. I am happy to say that I presumed wrong.

I arrived first at U-Haul, and shortly thereafter, two United Way volunteers greeted me. Then Robert arrived, and shortly thereafter, eight LDS elders greeted him. Robert and I took care of the U-Haul truck administrative, then I had the United Way volunteers follow me to the Meeting House where we moved boxes closer to the door. Melina Sevigny then appeared, and we loaded books into the TOTE van. The Historic Eagle Hotel was less than a mile away. We unloaded books then went back for another load.

Meanwhile, Robert and Company were finishing up at U-Haul – he and the guys unloaded the contents of two U-Haul storage units into the 15 footer, headed over to the Historic Eagle Hotel, and unloaded it. I sat on the window ledge of our new space and watched them. The guys were mostly in good physical shape – and they moved the boxes into place really fast. They had to be done by noon and finished right on the dot. Early, early, early, on time, late, late, late.

After they finished, Robert and Milena and her two children and I went back to the Meeting House, where I passed books on to Robert who was loading up the van, and Milena was taking down TOTE shelving.

We were done by 1:30 p.m. We celebrated by eating lunch at the Historic Eagle Hotel Restaurant.

We are now anything but peripatetic. This is something that I’m going to need to accept.

Next: 152. 6/3/23: Doing the Impossible