Loves and losses

There is a house in Stanegarth that is home to several thousand books. In each room most of the walls are lined with what I guess will now have to be called my 'former' book collection.
I became a serious bibliophile about ten years ago and quickly amassed a large book collection, and then in 2000 I moved house and many of the books were taken to second hand book shops. When I told people what I had done, many of the true book lovers were shocked, horrified, scandalised even and I felt castigated, I had become a pariah lurking among the real bibliophiles.
I vowed never to part with my books again and when I came home to Shetland two years ago, the whole lot came with me, (Nearly 4000 books!) by this time the book collecting bug was deadly serious, all my books had my name in them and where and when purchased.
But circumstances change and sacrifices have to made. When I hurriedly left the Stanegarth house I was able to grab a few of my most precious books, including the signed collection which is something, but looking at the reading list for the book group, I think to myself 'There is a hard back copy of The Stornoway Way at Stanegarth, A copy of The Red Tent, Several Salman Rushdie books including Midnight's Children of course. Could I retrieve these books? Not without a lengthy legal process I'm told.
All these books can be replaced and many have been, but some how 'Purchased amazon.co.uk - Sept '07', doesn't have the same romance as; "Child's second hand book shop, Okehampton Devon, - holiday August '03".