I Like to Read

We had a rain storm last night with lightening flashes and thunder that shook the house. The rain started with a whisper of wind, but in moments the screens of the open windows were splattered with rain drops. I quickly moved five new books off the window ledge before they got soaked.

I am a greedy book person. I get panicky if I don’t have a stack of books waiting in the wings for me to read. I like ‘how to’ books on subjects I’m interested in, but basically I read for pleasure.

My brother Charles had the same reading taste in history and whodunits that I do. My sister Adeline loved historical novels and romances.

When Adeline and I were in the first and second grades we owed the library so much money in over due book fines we thought we’d never get the bill paid. The librarian was kind and allowed us to continue checking out books on our promises to pay, but it took us all summer to whittle down the charges. We ran errands for a neighbor and earned a nickel or a dime mailing letters or buying stamps at the post office for her. Another neighbor hired us to feed her cat when she was away for a day or two. Mom paid me a quarter a week to iron the tea towels.

I am a sucker for the three day book sales Friends of the Library have annually. On the first day I usually need a cart to haul the books to the car. On the second day I only need someone to open the library door for me since my arms are loaded with books. On the third day I go to browse just in case I’ve missed something.

Electronic books are a wonderful source as are audio books but I’ve stopped checking out library audio books since my machine ate the DA VINCI CODE.