“Walking the stacks in a library, dragging your fingers across the spines — it’s hard not to feel the presence of sleeping spirits.”
The morning is cool and breezy. I slept in a bit later than usual as did Fern and Gracie, but for some reason I have been busy already. I made my bed first thing then watered the vegetable garden and the deck plants, filled the bird feeder, put the dog blankets and pillow in the washing machine and hauled up from the cellar bags of cans for recycling. It is as if I am Popeye after eating the can of spinach.
Today I had nothing planned, but I’ll take in the cans and see how much I make, pick up a few things at the grocery store, buy canned dog food and maybe take a ride to nowhere. I haven’t done that in a long while.
When I was young, I loved just sitting and reading. The library was a weekly stop for me. The librarian, on the kids’ side, was the epitome of librarians with her bun hairdo, her old lady silky looking dress with buttons and her clunky tie shoes. She was a husher who would put her finger across her lips to remind whoever was talking to be quiet. Libraries back then were like churches. You sat quietly in your seat or you walked, almost on tip toes, from bookcase to bookcase. If you spoke, it was always in whispers. Even the librarian whispered. I’d find my books and leave as quickly as I could. Nobody hung out at the library. Sometimes on the walk home I’d stop and sit on one of the benches near the town hall and read a bit. The benches were shaded and there was usually a bit of a breeze and I couldn’t wait to start a new book. I’d read a few chapters then walk the rest of the way home. The next week I’d do it all over again.
My little town library is a hubbub of activity. There are speakers on some Thursdays, the librarian has no bun, wears pants and talks aloud to all her patrons. The library is a welcoming place. The kids’ section is filled with wonderful books, stuffed animal book characters and kid-sized tables and chairs. In the summer there are story hours and not a single kid is ever hushed. I can always count on a perfect recommendation for a book from the librarian, and I don’t have to speak in whispers.
Libraries have a lot of competition from e-books. I buy them too, but I still love visiting my library. There is something comforting about being surrounded by all those books. I can walk up and down the aisles, pull out a book, read the jacket and then decided whether or not I want to read it. I always end up with three or four books. I save the e-books for when I travel. I just can’t curl up with a good book on my iPad.
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
June 20, 2014 at 1:07 pm
Greetings from central New Jersey. The Special Olympics USA national games are winding down. Last night both Special Olympians and local gymnasts put on a gymnastic show. My daughter was featured in the show performing her floor exercise routine. It was a lot of fun.
I always liked going to the library but I loved book stores even more. I guess I’m a hoarder of books and hate to return a book even if I never intend to read it again. As a kid I discovered paper back book stores and always had a book close at hand.
Although reading a real book is nice, I love E-books. I have at least a hundred on my iPad with me all the time. E-books can be searched, text can be highlighted and I can take notes. Best of all, they don’t take up any room and I can adjust the size of the text.
With the advent of the Internet a lot of research that used to be done in libraries can be done on line.
A beautiful day here in the garden state.
June 20, 2014 at 3:17 pm
Hi Bob,
I always watch the gymnastics during the Olympics. The floor exercises are so graceful yet athletic. That’s neat your daughter was featured.
I always pass books along and also donate some to my local library. If I love a book, I figure so will the person to whom I’m passing it along.
I like e-books for when I travel. I had about 20 of them with me for Ghana and read almost all of them. That was so much more convenient than in the old days when I had to haul real books.
Most libraries also have computers for people to use, and that is a wonderful thing if they haven’t one of their own. It is true how much more you can learn by browsing the internet.
I’m glad New Jersey is giving you the gift of great weather!
June 20, 2014 at 1:23 pm
I could sit for hours reading books in our library (later on I also loved listening to music there too) and loved the silence but I do like that sounds are allowed now days 🙂
I live so far away from any library now that I rather buy my books and music. I guess e-books would be hard to have in libraries, 🙂 But like flybob I also love book stores, we still have a few left but it looks like supermarkets have taken over a lot and then the internet shops too of course.
Midsummers eve here today and it’s almost as big as Christmas here. In some ways perhaps even bigger but anything than family oriented 🙂
We had a really nice day here, sunshine and windy but perhaps a bit chilly. But it was a joy mowing the lawn since the flies either stayed calm or blew away 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
June 20, 2014 at 3:20 pm
Christer,
I love bookstores, and I love roaming the shelves. There is still one in Hyannis, and it is always crowded.
My library also lends movies which is great. I used to get their books on tape when my old car had a tape recorder. The trip always went so much faster.
I wish we celebrated midsummers eve. Even the first day of summer doesn’t get celebrated.
The day has stayed beautiful here as well. The breeze has kept it from getting too warm.
Enjoy the rest of your day!
June 20, 2014 at 4:55 pm
Christer, nowadays some libraries have e-books too. You can download copies with a digital timestamp which are readable for a limited time. Audio books and videos are usually also available for time-restricted download. You don’t have to live near a library.
Greeting from a library addict. Have a great midsummer.
June 20, 2014 at 10:23 pm
So smart! I knew about the audio books and the videos/ dvd’s but how smart top come up with digital timestamps!
Thanks Birgit!
Christer.
June 21, 2014 at 12:10 pm
Hi Kat,
I’ve been here every day. I thought I left a comment on growing up but maybe not. Getting the new dog settled with old dog and working out a new schedule has probably screwed up my brain. I think I’ve done something when I haven’t yet. 🙂
When I was a kid the librarian in our branch had a grey bun, wore suitably subfusc twin sets and tweed skirts but no clunky shoes. Plain pump style with sensible heels. Black. Always black.
I never heard her shush anyone because no one had the courage to make noise in there. She was a fearsome presence.
She actively discouraged elementary school kids who were reading above their grade level, particularly if they were well above the grade level. She explained that if she let us read out of our grade level, there wouldn’t be any books left for the people in the grade level we wanted to borrow. Okay. O-o
The weather is beautiful today. The two dogs, Rocky and Piki Dog, are having a running wrestling match through the house. Ah, the rumbling roar of paws and the chorus of play growls. It makes me smile. As long as they don’t knock over the furniture. Again. 🙂
Enjoy.
June 21, 2014 at 12:17 pm
Hi Caryn,
You had me worried there for a bit!
Tell me about your new dog. It seems Rocky likes his new pal. Where did Piki Dog come from as a name?
I had to laugh at the convoluted logic of not giving kids books above their grade level. My dad used to have the same convoluted logic about handicapped spaces. If one was empty, he said we should use it as no one else was using it. I tried to explain about that if a handicapped driver came, he’d have no space. My dad said the driver should have been earlier.
The same beautiful weather here today. It did get chilly during the night, and the house was only 64 when I woke up.
June 21, 2014 at 2:05 pm
I love that logic. It excuses so much. 🙂
Piki Dog is a black and white rat terrier from Texas. He weighs about 10 lbs and is a year old. He has a heart as big as the Lone Star State and an appetite for treats to match it.
Rocky and Piki Dog get along fine except for the toys and any sticks on the lawn. Those are all Rocky’s and he gets very annoyed when Piki Dog uses any of them. Piki doesn’t give a flying you know what. He can hold his own.
The name means little dog in Suriname pidgin. (Either that or he’s half a motor scooter in Kenya.) I stole it from John Walsh’s dog that he got while rescuing wildlife in an area in Surinam that was flooded due to a new dam. It was back in the 70’s.
Piki Dog came with a name that nobody liked including him. I tried it and a shortened version of it. Meh. I tried some other names. Equally meh. I said “well you’re a picky dog aren’t you?” and he got all happy and excited. That’s when I remembered Piki Dog. He likes it. He is it. It shall be so ordered. 🙂
Right now I am sitting on the couch with a sleeping dog on either side. I would like to get up and have lunch but I don’t want to wake them. They are so angelic when they sleep. 🙂
Here’s a photo of Piki Dog.
June 21, 2014 at 2:21 pm
Caryn,
Piki Dog is adorable and seems to love the camera. He is still a baby so I expect he has a whole slew of energy. Rocky knows he is the alpha dog so whatever there is belongs to him. Little dogs do tend to think of themselves as large and fierce so I don’t doubt he can hold his own.
It seems many languages have pike as I just looked the name up. It is half a motorcycle anywhere Swahili is spoken so you have one word to work with should you go there. I love that in Tagalog it means knock-kneed. There are also several other languages where it is a real word.
That is one of the nicest feelings: being surrounded by the animals you love and who love you.
Give Piki a hug and Rocky an extra hug for his patience and forbearance.
June 21, 2014 at 2:28 pm
Rocky and Piki Dog thank you for the hugs.
June 21, 2014 at 2:41 pm
They are most welcome!