Love of Books

I do love books.
I think I have always loved books.

When I was very young we lived in the country and I had no access to a library at home or school other than the book mobile. I spoken before about how much I loved the book mobile. Mother was always wonderful about buying books. It was the one obsession she sort of catered too. She limited my purse obsession. We ordered books from Weekly Reader and I still have many of them today.

These are all from elementary school age...

When I started sixth grade we moved to a small town with a library. I could have literally lived in there. I would have Mama drop me off there weekly while she ran errands and I looked at all kinds of books. I would quickly make my selections to bring home and then spend the remaining time looking at all kinds of books. I really think my obsession with decorating books began at that point in time.

I fell in love first with biographies. I read every biography they had in this one little section. I read all about Martha Washington, Rachel Jackson, Abigail Adams. Not only did that begin my love with biographies (I simply love to read about other people's lives), but it fueled my love of history. What better figures of strong women and examples for us today! Then I moved onto fiction. I devoured story after story. I never was bored at home by myself. I was an only child, but could lose myself quickly.

The kids always had big bookcases in their room too. Lindsay had two of these in her room. Paul Allen had  two this size as well in his.

Now, I did learn to play with friends too. I had lived in the country and played only with cousins outside of school and we moved into a neighborhood where I swear every home had kids close to my age. Well, That is a story for another day.

When I was in middle and high school I had a fascination with the magazines and books in the home economics room. I loved the CoEd magazine. I remember any free moments were spent hopping up to look at decorating ideas and fashion.

IT is really still who I am today. Magazines are really hard for not to pass by without scooping up an armload. The prices are squelching that these days though.

Two things haven't changed in all of this time. One is I like a copy in my hands. No amount of screen pictures can take the place of the magazine in my hand and as much as I try to like the Kindle I want the book in my hand.

Nothing catches my eye on Instagram quicker than a room with a bookshelf.

In addition to bookcases filled with books, 90% of every flat surface in home has books on it.

After retiring, I realized I could no longer spend as much money on books as I once had. A good part of that was for school. I had a ton of books in my classroom, so when the library was closed at the beginning and end of the year or for holidays to do inventory there were no worries. Kids were not getting out of reading in my room😃

I am using the library these days to find my novels and trying to make a wish list when I need a decorating book or such for the family to give me for gifts. I actually have one now on my wish list to tell them I want for Christmas.

If I like a book I want it in my collection. The last two I read in the library I was like I need to order them now. Nope...I simply must not do that. The struggle / addiction is real friends.

I also make a list of books I want to read now when I hear or read someone mention one rather than immediately buying them. Makes for a lot less stacks of books around the house waiting to be read.

In the stack of books category I had probably gone overboard in the short essay kind of books. I had tons of them around the house. I have been reading them a lot as of late! I have whittled it down to only two of those left. Whew!

I have favorites. I don't even want to start because that would sound crazy too FOR  I wouldn't be able to stop listing favorites. Okay I will tell you only one because I got rid of the collection by that author when we moved into this house. I have regretted it ever since. Lewis Grizzard. ---Elvis Is Dead and I Don't Feel Good Myself is wonderful. And yes, I do read serious great novels.

I actually don't like sharing my thoughts on books too often because my love of books is so ECLECTIC that you would never be able to pin me down to one kind of book therefore I always feel like one would think ----"Oh, she liked this book, so the one she just mentioned is probably good too." The truth is it might be so very different from the last.

I think some of my nonfiction love is that I just love to learn. Maybe that is why I was a teacher.

Anyway, I have a book obsession and can't get rid of any. There in every room in my house! Literally!

Guest bathroom reading.

Master bath selections.
Mail catalogs are great for the bathroom.
Shop  while you ....no, I didn't just type that:)

I just had a thought other than grand baby and dogs today and thought I would share. But wait...I think the next post on books will be my collections. I have several collections of books. Stay tuned for when I have some time for which I don't have a ton of lately. I don't think that will change.

Jeff took off from work today to spend the day with daughter and grand baby. Lindsay is back to herself and things are clicking at her house with the baby. IT is sweet to watch you child with their child. Anyway, Paw Paw is so excited to get some father/daughter now grandson time today. I am going to clean my house and cross stitch some. I have missed that. Haven't touched a needle in over a week.

Hope you enjoyed my little story today.
Sandy