Watching: The season premiere of The X-Files. I was working on the computer, and found myself losing the thread of the plot; X-F just wasn't holding my interest. But then, I've always preferred the stand-alone, "Monster of the Week" episodes to what has come to be known as the "mythology" stories.

Weather: Much cooler than yesterday, at least 15 (F) degrees colder than yesterday.

Collectors

Yesterday Tab bought me a late birthday present: lots of wonderful old Maine postcards for my collection. About a year ago I started collecting old (pre-1950) postcards of Maine locations. I have several dozen now, mostly of Skowhegan, but a fair number of Portland ones as well. I started out buying most of my postcards on eBay for $3 or $4 each; then a few other people started collecting Skowhegan postcards on eBay as well, leading to insane bidding wars. I couldn't afford the inflated prices, so I stopped checking eBay.

When I was in Maine earlier this year, I discovered that my sister Lori is also collecting Skowhegan cards. She introduced me to a great shop where I picked up many new postcards at far-cheaper-than-eBay prices.

Recently, Tab ordered some archival sleeves and a dust-proof case for my collection and spent a few hours organizing and mounting my cards. (Is it any wonder why I love him?)

Since I've been avoiding eBay, I hadn't added much to my collection in recent months until yesterday. About a month ago, Tab's mother had asked him to find out whether some Japanese, WWII-era money discovered in his uncle's house was worth anything. He took the money to the local coin and stamp shop, and while browsing around, he discovered that they had boxes of old postcards organized by state and town, including quite a few Skowhegan ones.

Yesterday he dropped me off at the shop and then took the boys out for a walk around the shopping complex so that I could browse the postcards at my leisure.

The coin and stamp shop was tiny, no more than a hole in the wall. High shelves lined both long walls, making the small room seem even smaller. Three long tables ran nearly the length of the room almost to the back counter. Every flat surface was covered with dusty envelopes, boxes, cartons, and notebooks. In the back of the shop by the counter, one of the store's proprietors was talking to a coin collector.

I pulled up a chair and sat down with my box of Maine postcards. Within the box, the cards were organized alphabetically by town. Skowhegan had its own section; as Tab had reported, there were quite a number of them. I had my collection with me so I could refer to it, and was glad to see that only a few of them were ones I already had.

While I sorted through the cards, I half-listened to the conversation going on at the back of the store. The customer was talking about buying some more coins for his 7-year-old nephew, whom he is starting off with a small collection.

"But what if in a couple years he goes and spends 'em on candy or something?" the customer said.

"Nah, he won't do that. You want to develop a coin collector, don't you? This is what you should get." I was at the other end of the store and facing the opposite direction, so I have no idea what the proprietor was showing the customer.

"Don't give it to him like this, though. Here's what you do. You give him a jar full of pennies--empty out your pockets, your spare change at home, whatever--and you seed these in there with them. Don't make it too easy. Let him find them himself. It's the thrill of the hunt."

I smiled, listening. In a way, that's exactly what I've experienced with my collection of old Maine cards: the thrill of the hunt.

For the most part I confined myself to the Skowhegan cards, but there were two Portland cards I couldn't resist. One was of Deering Oaks Park, a place I used to enjoy walking around when I lived in Portland. The other was this one of "Vonyik's Vienna Cafe."

The scan isn't too clear here, but above the door, the sign reads "Caterers for Receptions, Private Dinners, Wedding Breakfasts and Society Banquets." On the three windows on the middle floor are the words, "Ladies' Dining Rooms." And on the top floor is the "Private Banquet Hall." The card is postmarked 1906, and there is a little note written on front, in which the sender writes that they will be taking a ship named the "North Star" to New York.

I always love the postcards that are written on. It's like a little glimpse into a vanished way of life.

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