Reading Lesson

In the library's new fiction section:

Me (pointing to a title on the shelf): Does that say My Friend Whore?

Mom (pulling the volume off the shelf): No, it says My French Whore. (Pause.) It's a love story.

Back to School

Today I visited my mom at work - for those of you who don't know, she the teacher's aide in the library. While there, I

* reshelved books

* read a book about a wombat

* was asked if I was a student teacher

* was asked if I was one of the high school volunteers

* cleaned up after a luau

* saw a guy I went to high school with

* read a note a student sent to the librarian that said, "You make books sound more interesting than they really are."

* saw parents who were my age or younger

* hit the road before the bell rang to avoid Other People's Children

Buck-O-Five

Total cost of 9 books from the Friends of the Library sale. It was pretty picked over by the time I got there today at 6:30 after going to the downtown branch only to realize I needed to go to the northeast branch which would have been only a hop, skip and jump from my office. But I digress. I did luck out and find a hardback of one of my favorite books for the bargain price of a quarter. And eight paperbacks - including another favorite -and two unread titles by a well-loved author. (Names and titles withheld so as not to incriminate myself any further than I already have on this blog about my love of romance novels.) Thanks to Pen & Meg for the heads up! In less then thirty minutes, I had an armload of books purchased for one dollar! All good things to look forward to reading during my hiatus from gainful employment.

Stacks & the City

Today I decided to walk down to the library to pick up a few books. I love being in a library, walking up and down the rows of books, checking their spines and admiring cover artwork. The smell of pages. The comforting silence. Today was no different, and I only wished I'd given myself more time instead of having to head to the desk 30 minutes before closing time.

On the way home, I was thinking about the city. I complain about it from time to time, but on days like today, I realize how much I like it. It was one of those days that's still summer but trying to be autumn. I can't wait for the cold breeze to start blowing up from the river. And just this morning, I was talking to Crazy J. about how many lovely porches there are in the city. Cobblestone streets. Church spires. An admirable skyline. I love seeing the columns on City Hall and the clock tower of the old courthouase as I cross Third Street.

Inspired by all that, I sat on my back porch this afternoon in one of the rockers and read a book from cover to cover. I left the door open so Kudzu could come out and chew on some of the vines that creep up the wrought iron. At particular moments, the huge air conditioner that cools the county building across the street would slow to a stop and the traffic noise would quiet and I could hear the breeze and the leaves rustling and, later in the evening, the crickets. And all in all, it was a fabulous Saturday.

Thoughts for Saturday

It's almost 7:30...here are the things I've thought about today:

1) Taking a walk (but not taking one)

2) The gay man at the office came out yesterday - and admitted that he doesn't love my haircut. I'm officially growing it out.

3) How long it will take my hair to grow back out

4) Going to the grocery store (but not going)

5) Sadness over the plate I knocked to the floor off the couch arm and broke into several sadly irreparable pieces

6)How everything in my house that is edible seems to be stale

7) Having seen two drunk college students almost have sex on Front Street last night between the post office and a lunch-only cafe called Betty B's

8) Amusement at Kudzu's new habit of laying on the window sill and sleeping with his face smashed up against the pain or the frame

9) How wonderful it is, sometimes, to have not talked to anyone all day

10) Going to the library to get a book on tape to listen to while cleaning (and not doing either)

11) My hair looks best on Saturdays when no one is going to see it

12) That if I put all the things back in the corner where the ceiling leaked, someone will show up to spackle, paint and sand the ceiling - all over my stuff

13) Why the new Killers album isn't coming out until October

14) How to lose 12 pounds before I have to wear a bridesmaid dress without really trying (or giving up chips, cookies and ice cream)

15) Why I can find time to blog, make my way through 96 episdoes of S&TC, eat, drink, sleep, work, and make a gigantic mess of my apartment, but I can't find time to read a book

16) That I kind of missed taking the new car for a drive today while I was busy staying in

17) Sometimes Kudzu knows just when to come and get in my lap

18) Where to get to dinner from (refrigerator not included)

19) Whether or not I should start the 6-hour Pride & Prejudice, which I suddenly have a yen to do

20) The list of things I should be doing is growing longer the longer I sit on this couch and blog