242. Good Books, Good Friends, Silent Book Club

Books, Events, Friends 0

I’ve listed all of these things before — perhaps if I put them together, I can make a new listing?

I was feeling a little discouraged after having my water heater replaced. That’s a big thing to deal with “by myself” (not that I was ever really alone), and had an emotional aftermath.

But Silent Book Club was just the thing to take away any residual bad feeling. I’m reading such very good books! And I have such good friends! (We even had two new people today.)

I realized that I have NINETEEN favorite books already this year that I will consider nominating for the Newbery. I only get to nominate seven, beginning in October — but how wonderful that I’ve read that many wonderful books!

237. Perfect Timing

Events 0

Last week I discovered that I had only two weeks before my military ID card expired.

It is always difficult to get this renewed. In this case, I didn’t have any weekdays off before the deadline. I called, and the nearest office didn’t have any appointments. “Nearest” was 45 minutes away, too. They said that they take walk-ins after 1:00, but I asked if I should go in an hour before, and she said that the day before they’d started turning people away at 11:30 in the morning. So I asked when they open and she said 6:40.

The upcoming Friday, I had a meeting of children’s librarians in Arlington. (It is also 45 minutes away, but in the same general direction as the base with the ID card office.) I figured I’d try to get to the ID card office at 6:40 and bring a bag of books and plan to wait 5 or 6 hours if I had to. At least my workplace was already planning on having me gone in the morning, though I hated to miss the meeting. I asked to not be scheduled on the information desk until late in the afternoon, and planned to take as much leave as necessary.

Well, I didn’t get to the office until 7:15. There was a 7:20 no-show — and I had my new ID card by 7:30!

I was early to my meeting, and even had some time to sit and read before I went to it!

What’s more, if I had arrived at 6:40, I would have been there when they had to call the police about a belligerent customer who got angry when they didn’t give him (a walk-in) priority over a person who was late to their appointment.

I had prayed that there’d be an opening for me to take. And that I’d get to go to my meeting and not have to take leave. But I hardly dared hope it would really happen. And it was my own fault I hadn’t kept track of when my card expired.

In short, it was total grace.

236. I Took Pictures.

Events, Nature 0

I’m scanning old film from when we lived in Europe – and I’m so very glad I took so many pictures! I do so love pictures of castles! It brings me right back to how it felt to stand on the top of tower and look out over miles of green countryside. Or maybe look through a broken archway and wonder what life was like in that very spot 500 years before.

I am so blessed that I got to visit so many beautiful places.

229. Fireworks Out my Window

Activities, Events 0

Tonight I discovered there was a fireworks show going on outside my window.

Okay, it was far enough away that the bangs came quite a bit after the bursts of light. And, okay, there was a tree between me and them.

But the tree’s foliage was fairly sparse – didn’t really obstruct my view much at all. And the fireworks were also reflected in the lake – which was beautiful.

And I could actually sit in my rocking chair and put my feet up and watch the show – which makes them marvelous right there!

226. Family Math Games

Events, Libraries 0

I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned this one before. But I do love it when I get to host families playing games with their kids. Today I brought my cousin’s game, Sovereign Chess, and a teenage boy and his dad showed up and really enjoyed playing it. I really enjoyed watching them. (The dad started out aggressive and came very close to winning – but then in the longer game, the son controlled many more colors and won the game.)

It just makes me so happy to provide this for our community and get to watch it happen.

224. Michelle Obama at ALA

Activities, Events 0

I got to hear Michelle Obama!

My flight was delayed almost 4 hours – and I didn’t get to my hotel until it was almost time for the opening session to start. People had been lining up since before I got on the plane. But I was able to get registered and get in there by 4:20 pm – and they were still doing Opening Session things. I heard her introduced and every bit of her talk, and it was a treat all the way around.

218. Booktalking

Activities, Books, Events, Friends, Libraries 0

Booktalking has gone well this year!

It helped that we did the hardest one first – one hour per grade. (Most are 20-30 minutes per grade.) All the rest seemed like a piece of cake after that!

But it has also helped that I have read so very many good books, since I’m reading for the Newbery Award.

And maybe it helped that I have enough experience, I don’t worry as much about it.

And I really enjoy the two co-workers I do it with.

So it was an enjoyable time of booktalking this year – one day left tomorrow!