We have a library bus come round here, every three weeks – a big converted bus full of books that tours around the outlying rural communities. Sure, we can go to the libraries at Castle Douglas and Dumfries, and often do, but it’s important to keep such local services alive (and it’s great having a library stop right outside your house). So we use it every time. It carries a pretty good selection and you can order anything that’s in the library system; the librarian/driver has a laptop hooked up to the main system and can tell you in seconds if a book is in stock or not. He knows his regulars’ preferences anyway and will try to carry stuff that we’ll like.
Today (Tuesday) was Library Bus day; it was also Bin-Emptying Day and Tomato-Man Day (no, not a new superhero but a bloke going round selling tomatoes from his car). Wednesdays are Veg-Van Days, when the mobile shop, selling mainly vegetables, comes round; in alternate weeks Wednesday is also Coal-Delivery Day. In addition, Wednesday is also one of the two Dumfries Bus Days, when the bus going directly to and from Dumfries goes by the house (very helpful when you have loads of shopping to lug home); the other Dumfries Bus Day is Saturday. Other days of the week are as yet unclaimed.
Such is one of the consequences of living out in the ruralities and working from home – days are measured, named even, by local happenings. The rest of the world seems far, far away…..