Library Buddy

When I was a kid my mom took us to the library nearly every week. I remember roaming the children's room and knowing all of the stories. My mom had so much confidence in me that she even signed me up for an adult card when I was 10. I had outgrown the children's section and she wanted me to keep reading. What a wise woman!! I took it so seriously and was so careful. How I caressed books and studied all of the titles. Mom and I were Library Buddies.

When my kiddos were growing up we followed that same tradition and we went to the library nearly every week. We learned different strategies that allowed the kids free reign, me some looking time, and a way for keeping track of all of our treasures. Each kiddo had their own library card and took care of their own books. Obviously it didn't always work well. One summer one of the boys got an overdue notice. He knew it was going to come out of his pocket and he was absolutely stunned when the notice was for $1.9 million!!!!! (The librarians really got a kick out of that! The real notice is in his baby book!!) How I cherished the days when we would share suggestions and titles and stroll the shelves together. All of my kiddos were my Library Buddies.

The kiddos are all grown now but I recently have been grooming another Library Buddy. He's handsome, loves books, carries all of my books without complaint and says "cool" whenever I suggest a title! He even checks the books out for me. We're Library Buddies!

(Grandchildren are awesome!!)

Me - The Dead and the Gone

Jase - Big and Little
Thomas the Train
Five Little Pumpkins
Find the Puppy
The Wiggles - DVD

I love this new tradition!!!

See What $3.00 Will Buy

Yep, I can smell a bargain!! No lie, All three books - in hardback, no less - came home to join the towering stacks and all for only $3.00! My local independent bookstore emailed me Happy Birthday wishes in the form of a $10 coupon. They also have a stamp program that is worth $10 when filled!!! With some fancy bargaining on my part all I had to use of my birthday gift certificate was $3.00!! I felt like I almost stole these beauties. Don't you want to go shopping with me??

Saturday AND Sunday

Well alright it's Sunday as I post this BUT it was Saturday when I started it.... it's the thought that counts, right?!?!?

1 Book you read and/or reviewed this week
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
2 Words that describe the book Life altering
3 Settings where it took place or characters you met Small town Pennsylvania
4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it 1. This was reality after a catastrophe - no TV show could equal it...it was all plausible!! 2. I was sucked into the drama rather quickly and got so involved that I kept counting my cans of food on my shelves in case of emergency!! 3. Research was evident - no off the cuff guessing or predicting. When a cataclysmic event happens to the whole world, how will we cope? 4. Hope and dismay were both present. Just like life!
5 Stars or less for your rating? 4.5 I'm still thinking about it!

In rambling news....

• I loved celebrating my birthday at the park with everyone!! It was worth getting older for the perfect day I had!! We rode rides, fed the ducks, sledded down the grassy hills on cardboard ( what Arizonans won't do to pretend there's snow!!) and ate Eegee's, cupcakes and chocolate mousse cake!! Sugar overload!! Thank you Mr. Weatherman for the perfect 72 degrees with scattered clouds. Thank you, family, for adding laughs and love!! I feel blessed!
  
• Rich took me out to breakfast - my favorite meal to eat out at! Yum!!
  
• AND I got books and gift certificates to my favorite bookstore. Can you guess where I'll be Monday?!?! Wanna come? Was this a good weekend or what?!?!
  

• I got this neat sign from J&K - I've coveted this forever! Thanks!!! Help me design around it?
• Football was everywhere....both of my teams lost but I got to watch and revel in the excitement.
  
• It's a holiday weekend and I'm ready to play, relax and go see Suessical the Musical!! Who needs work?

June Bug

A book cover and title peeked my interest one afternoon while cruising through the blogosphere (thanks lifeinthethumb.blogspot.com .) It was Teaser Tuesday and the book title just stuck with me. I was surprised to notice it on the "New" shelf at the library later that week and the book just about walked home with me!! (How come books keep doing that? Don't they know they have cousins at my home towering in piles towards the ceiling?!?)

Anyway, here's what captured my attention on the back cover:

“I believed everything my daddy told me until I walked into Walmart and saw my picture on a poster. . . .”

A great pull, don't ya think?? And it's within the first 3 paragraphs of the book!!

The rest of the back cover:

"For as long as she can remember, June Bug and her father have traveled the back roads of the country in their beat-up RV, spending many nights parked at Walmart. One day, as she walks past the greeter at the front of the store, her eyes are drawn to the pictures of missing children, where she is shocked to see herself.

This discovery begins a quest for the truth about her father, the mother he rarely speaks of, and ultimately herself. But when her father’s past catches up with them, forces beyond his control draw them back to Dogwood, West Virginia, down a winding path that will change their lives forever."

June Bug by Chris Fabry was altogether readable from page one. I liked that kid, I liked her dad, I lost myself in the pages and the story and liked how that felt! A story about love and redemption ....hmmm, it was fun to start the year off with a book I kept wanting to read.