Tuesday, July 8, 2008

I Love MY Library


I have a regular play date with a friend of mine. One of my favorite things about the play date is that my friend makes an awesome egg salad sandwich. I loooove egg salad sandwiches. I never make them. And every time I have one of her amazing sandwiches, I smack myself in the head and go, "Oh yeah...egg salad." Despite the fact that I frequently make emergency PB&J trips to the store, yet always have eggs and mayo in the fridge, I still manage to forget about making egg salad. And I seem to only remember about it when I go for the play date.

The other day we celebrated hubby's grandma's bday. Hubb's mom made an upside down pineapple cake--you know with the four pineapple slices on top and the cherry in the middle. It was to. die. for. All moist and buttery. Like the best part is at the edges where the butter and pineapple get all crusty and delicious. It's such a good cake. Probably one of my favorites. I never remember it though. I always think..."Man, I should make this." But I never do. I just forget about it.

Then at the BBQ we went to the other day, this GREAT song came on...Like it was one of those oldies but goodies that you immediately say out loud, " Oh, I love this song!" (I think it was U2 or Simply Red, or O.M.D.)and proceed to get your bootie out of the lawn chair and dance to it in front of everyone. Well, you and the host of the party, cuz she has said out loud how much she loves it too. I never remember I have the CD, despite having it stashed away in the back of my TV armoire. And then I forget about it, until I hear it again, in the waiting room at the dentist and vow to get that sucker out and listen to it when I get home. But forget.

So my girls have really been getting into the reading this summer. Chapter books. Big time. Can you say, "Junie B. Jones"? I'm so proud, cuz I am a dedicated reader. I love to see my oldest reading before bed, because "it settles" her (that's what I say). I love to hear her yell at the top of her lungs from upstairs, "I finished it!" She's read through all her Junie B. books and her Beverly Clearly and Nancy Drew's and she wants more, more, mooore! So it occurs to me, that maybe I should take her to the library. I loooove the library. I grew up on library books. My grandma was a librarian, so the reading was always encouraged. She was good about having a new stack of library books waiting for us on her fireplace every time we would go over to her house. It's one of my favorite memories. And the book mobile. Remember the book mobile? A traveling library. Genius.

Words are like food to me. I love the smell of books, that first whiff, when you open one up. The sound of the "crack" of a new one being opened for the first time. I love the black and white. I love losing myself within the pages, in the lives of the characters. I love falling asleep with the light on, book sprawled open over my arm. Falling asleep mid-sentence.
I forget about the library. The turn of the last page of the current book I'm reading and the call of Starbucks draws me to the Barnes and Noble, the Borders. I love the little hole-in-the wall bookstores too. The local artists. Love that. I feel an urgency when I finish a book. I must have another. I must go buy one immediately. I forget the library. Of course, it's free.

But I remembered today. And somehow, all the planets aligned just right and I was able to go alone to the library today. Bliss. I went to the children's section first. I picked out about 25 chapter books, and a couple glossy picture books on bike safety (it's become an issue), street safety (issue), and a book all about money (always an issue). To help teach the girlies about the value of the dollar. I think I need to read this one too. Gas prices and all, you'd think I'd remember the library a long time ago. Of course, there's the late fees. But today, I had an old late charge still due, that was for $8.25. I can't even remember the last time we went to the library, but it had to be at least six months ago. Still way cheaper than a new book. And you can check out an insane number of books. And CD's. AND movies. (Smacks self in head)

So my point is (what is my point exactly?)... Remember the library. It will save you money. The egg salad sandwich, upside down pineapple cake and U2 CD will make you happy. Well, it will make me happy. If I remember.

12 comments:

KWolfAK said...

I love books too. I get frustrated at the library because I do not like waiting to read the book I want. I want it now. So I have a big book store bill every month. Shame on me!

Chandra said...

I love this post. Bookmobiles were almost as cool as bloodmobiles. What ever happened to all the mobiles?

Also, I have told myself that I am going to start reading before bed, because I definitely need to be "settled."

Thank you for reminding me of that!

Tiffany said...

I am a library and reading and book fanatic. I went to Univ. of Oklahoma for one semester before transferring back to LA for USC, and their library is amazing. Old crooked floors, oh you could just spend hours in that place. I am an avid reader and loved Nancy Drew! Has your girl started Little House on The Prairie? That series was also a favorite.

Anonymous said...

I forget to do all the things I want to, too. We're creatures of habit. We sit in the same seats, make the same old stuff for lunch and dinner, park in the same old aisle at the grocery store...

The library is awesome! I love books, and for awhile (back when we had money) I forgot about it too. But after a very expensive trip to the book store, we added up all the books we bought in a 6 month period and we were shocked! The library is saving us BIG TIME. Kids like to read books over and over, so children's books are a good purchase. That latest copy of a silly beach read for me? Not so much. :) Great post!

Apple Joos said...

Thank you for stopping by for SITS! Thankfully, I haven't become a slave to my cell phone yet. I tend to forget it when I leave which not only defeats the purpose, but also leaves me with a bunch of semi-angry voice mail messages at the end of the day.

Jennifer P. said...

I love the library, but feel they have quite a racket going on with all the fees (says the notorious late book returner...). And I just have to add, that I read the entire Junie B. Jones series myself before I read it to my kids. Still one of my favorite reads! And I think, btw, that the bookmobile got converted into the traveling mamogram thingie.

Unknown said...

Gosh I love the library. But it's always SO hard to decide!!

Unknown said...

Oh - and how much do I love Junie B? I read those books before bed.

Lula! said...

OK, so much to get into here.

First...I just thought you should know...the friend who called to tell me about Ramey's impending death? Her name is Sunshine. She's Ramey's best friend, and the person who introduced me to Ramey. (And Sun is one of my BFFs.) It's her real name, too.

Second...I am so craving an egg salad sandwich now. LOVE 'em, but for whatever reason I've never made them myself. Ever had one ona crossiant? DELISH.

Third...I am a huge book devourer. My 6 year old is learning to read quite well...she's big on Fancy Nancy. I'm praying both my girls will grow up loving to read as much as I did. And I echo Tiffany--Little House is up there with my all-time favorite series.

Finally...U2...oh, yes. That's all I gotta say.

John Deere Mom said...

Sunshine-It won't let me put the exact way to strikethrough on the comment section...so do this but in regular horizontal type.

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Dee said...

Love the library, now the girls are not into colouring in or ripping up books, its a safe place to visit! Its getting me back into reading, which I used to do all the time. Our library is small, so we cant check out too many, but thats ok, I dont have to search the house for them them! And dont forget that surprise CD I found there, Greg Page! That just confirmed to the Librarian that I was a Wiggle encyclopedia. LOL

Sunshine said...

Kendra--Okay...so now that you say that, when I did go to the library this time, I wanted to get another book by this author...she only has two books and the one I just finished was AWESOME, so I wanted to get the other one. OF COURSE, it was checked out by all the libraries in the Portland area...and then there was a waiting list for it. SHEESH! So yeah...not gonna lie...that was ANNOYING.

Chandra--I don't know what happened to the book mobiles, but it was a good idea. They kind of have something like that around here, but it's like an arts and crafts mobile that travels to different parks. So, are you getting good and "settled" with a good book now?

Tiffany--Oh, LOVE Little House On the Prairie! And yes, I did get my girls a bunch of those this trip to the library. Oh, and I just saw Sex & The City ((ooooh, bit of a spoiler here) and the idea of getting married in a big ol' beautiful library was AWESOME. WHY, oh WHY didn't I think of that???

Jaci--Major creature of habit, that's what I am. And obviously very forgetful. Isn't there a vitamin for that? Yeah, sometimes you get some winners at the library, don't you? But it's better than buying a loser book--I hate that more. :)

Apple Joos--So have you started text messaging yet? And a lesson I've learned very recently--turn off the phone when on romantic dinner date, eating steaming hot clam chowder that is SOUP NAZI good. Mmmmk? Cuz it's vry disapntng whn that bwl of chwdr spls in yur lap. Suct.

Jennifer--Well, that traveling mammogram mobile t'aint a bad thing either. Is there always a line to get in?

hot tub lizzy--I do have to say that the library does make me dizzy with all the choices. But it's a good dizzy.

lula--(insert Twilight Zone music) That's quite a coinkidink. Tell Sunshine I said "hello"...I've never said that before. And again, I'm sorry to hear about Ramsey. And I need to buy croissants today. And there is a Fancy Nancy coming up at the B&B next week (I can't give up the book store entirely...it smells good there). She is so cute. She reminds me so much of my little A-girl. And yeah...U2. :) THANKS for the long post. Awesome.

john deere mom--thanks for showing me how...I'm gonna have to give it a whirl. Though I'll probably mess it up and delete my entire blog. That could totally happen. Thanks for the help! :)

Dee--MY GIRL! Hey sweets! How cool is it that GP is at the library? Wait, is that cool? Yes, yes, it's COOL! Further validation that I need to go to Australia. And check out cd's at the library. That's now on my list. What does Anthony call us? Boardie detectives? Yes. We should totally get paid for that. :)