Day 96
I am in the library … which for some (including me) is practically heaven. The one in this small town is lovely. I knew before I walked through the big columns in front … because the courtyard is encircled with lilac bushes – all in full fragrant bloom! Ahhh!
It’s a nice library … exposed brick walls and high ceilings and tons of books and most importantly … computers for those unfortunate enough not to have one or have access to their own. Again, including me.
I am … in heaven! The connection is super speedy. The keys fly under my fingers. It’s well lit but not interrogation lighting (like at my dad’s desk). I’d sit there and feel compelled to yell out, “I’m innocent, I tell you!” … or better yet, “I’ll never tell. Do what you want to me but I won’t rat out Tony Two-Toes for nuthin’!”
Hmmm … 4 days in Chicago and I’m talking like a mobster! Or like the tattoo on one of my mover’s shoulder – like a … Mobstah. (WHY?!) I did kid him and said the word out loud as I was reading his arm, “Lobstah”. We had a good laugh. I’m sure he thought I was an idiot!
Anyway, here I am enjoying my plugged-in-ness and thinking of libraries as I sit in this one.
I subbed at an elementary school that had an old claw foot bathtub in one corner. It was set up with pillows and a little light … favorite spot in the whole place! I would have crawled in myself but a little girl wouldn’t budge. Brat!
When Ted was looking at colleges (so many years ago now!) we always popped into the university libraries. So many beautiful ones. Vassar was lovely with stained glass and old wood. Dartmouth was fabulous and right out of Harry Potter with a two-story reading room with old books locked behind old cages in old bookshelves. A huge fireplace at one end, floor to ceiling deep crimson velvet draperies at each huge window nook overlooking the quad area, rows and rows of gleaming, polished wood tables with green glass library lamps at each seat. It was gorgeous and the epitome of fantastic-ness.
When I was in Ann Arbor recently we went into the law library on the University of Michigan campus. Huge, (I think) limestone blocks, ornate, stained glass, spires … it was almost as pretty as looking at Notre Dame! But amazingly built in the mid 1900’s and not a zillion years ago!
When I think of libraries I think of Charlotte’s Web. I don’t know why because I always had my own copy of it as did the kids so it’s not like we ever checked it out from a library but that’s what I think of. Good ol’ Wilbur.
I don’t know what the minimum age limit is for getting a library card these days but when Ted was 4 he wanted his own card. So, our local librarian was really nice and let him get one even though he should have been 5. The kid was reading before kindergarten! I think it was all due to that library card!
We were weekly library visitors when the kids were little … getting 20-30 books out at a time. We had favorites and they were frequently in our basket but we brought home all sorts of books – we probably read almost every book in our children’s section at that time! Both kids were very fond of books and reading from early on.
One of my favorite pictures of Sam is when she was about 13 months old. I came upstairs one afternoon and instead of napping, I found her “reading” a book. Contented with turning each page, carefully, and looking at the pictures. I watched her for some time and then went and got my camera and took her picture!
All due to the library!