Book Lovers

Today is National Book Lover’s Day. I had it saved on my calendar from last year. Dr. French has a post this year on the subject and he was the one who alerted me to this great day last year. I am always ready to celebrate a book.

This has been hanging on my walls for 15 years through many moves

I have often threatened to show photographs of my small book collection. It’s a good thing that my shelves have been culled and many passed on. There is a box waiting at the back door to go to “The Friends of the Library” bookstore. They sell used books so the library can buy new offerings.

One side of the living room

I have loved books since I discovered them at about the age of 12 when my parents bought eight for my Christmas gift. I had four Donna Parker and four Trixie Belden books. I had four of the books read before they were even wrapped and placed under the tree. Somehow my mother was suspicious of my over enthusiastic reception at Christmas. I sat on top of the refrigerator and read when mom was away and I was babysitting. They were hiding in the cupboard over the fridge with our school paper. Silly mom.

I have replaced some of
the original childhood books from that Christmas. When we moved, everything non-essential was left behind.

There was also a library on our base for the first time in my memory. Moving every six months to every couple of years left huge holes in my education so the library helped fill in the blanks. I started devouring books anytime I could get my hands on them which was not often enough.

the other end of the living room. I scrounge for book cases and space to put them.

My dream has always been to have a library in my own home, own a bookstore or at the very least work in one. I didn’t have the education to be a librarian but oh how I envied them.

In the den with the TV

My children are huge readers as well though only my son has kept enough to sink a battleship with the weight of them. My daughter reads as much but lets them go on so much easier. I’ve been a lending library for friends and family. My sister will often come and peruse my shelves looking for her next read.

At the end of the kitchen.

If you can read, you can do anything. I taught myself to cook, sew, quilt,  paint, meditate, and how to be a better person in the world from reading. I learned to garden and craft from a book. Books have kept me company when I’m alone and let me share when I’m not.

I had to stop accumulating so many books as I was afraid the floors of my factory crafted manufactured home would not hold much more weight. I’ve always joked that the books, soft and hard cover are insulation against the weather and holding down the house so it won’t blow away. I will buy a book before I buy food in case I can’t do both. Books will always be a  priority in my life. I need to learn something new every day and a book is a good place to do that.

Are you a book lover too? Do you have favorites or are they all friends?

From my heart to yours,

Marlene Herself

 

Lost and Found

Last night, while reading my Chicken Soup story just before dropping off to sleep, I saw a rather large (in my peripheral vision it was the size of a small tarantula) spider run up my bed to my pillow. I will not tell you the stream of words that came out of my mouth.

I jumped up out of bed and stripped off my nightgown to make sure it wasn’t hiding on me somewhere and before I started stripping my bed., I put on snug fitting pajamas just so I would know for certain I had nothing on me.  I then got out the vacuum and tried to move the bed. It weighs a ton and I was shaking so much my strength was missing. I gave up and went to sleep on the sofa for all of four hours.

Camellia to take your mind off spiders.

What does this tell me? I need to do some more cleaning out. I have been continuing to purge since Alys’ visit but last night set up a more in-depth purge. I had bags of fabric (hiding) under my bookcase headboard that I’ve been wondering where it should go. After pushing the bed out and dragging all those plastic bags of “I’m gonna” fabrics out, they are now in the thrift store box. Vacuuming and searching brought no results for the spider so I’m still quite jumpy.

Bags in the going box

 

Going through bags to go

I will admit that going through things is a good idea and have been bragging to anyone who would listen about my Alys adventure. I was looking through a bag on it’s way to the thrift store when I found a treasure rolled up in other things. My mother had finished this needlepoint for me well before my move to Arizona in 1999. I couldn’t figure needlepoint out but mom excelled at it and I loved the design. With everything that happened during the ensuing years, this needlepoint went missing. When I showed it to my daughter, she was stunned and agreed that it had to be framed and hung. She helped me to pick the mating and frame since it will one day grace her walls.

My mother’s handwork more than 20 years old

 

On the wall where it belongs.

My Alys worship affected one of my sewing friends who frequently spoke about buying a new, easy to carry machine. She knew just what she wanted and was going to go shopping. But first she had to do a little closet cleaning so there would be room for her machine. At the next gathering of our sewing group, she had to do a show and tell. It was her new machine and it’s little carrying case…that she found in the back of her closet! It had been there so long, she had to refresh herself on how to use it. Of course, we had to help her get it all figured out so she could quickly enjoy her find.

All the stitches she needs

It even had a case

I’m having a glass of wine tonight in hopes of a real night’s sleep. Cheers.

good stories start with alcohol

Have you ever lost things only to find them years later right where you put them? What does it take to get you to part with things that you “were gonna” use? Hopefully not a big spider.

From my heart to yours,

Marlene Herself