Winter. No sun. Short days. Blah. Eagerness for Spring is abundant in our Humble household. So, how does one meander around the doldrums of winter with the freezing cold, snow, stuffy noses, wearing two pairs of socks no matter the event season? Creativity must take center stage. Since my creativity seems frozen in the ice hanging on our front door, I’m reverting to what we know best. Libraries.
It started out so simple, so innocent.
A library card. Two beautiful words of freedom. Freedom to pursue books in our town AND in surrounding towns. Our local library has a reciprocal agreement with other libraries in the area meaning FREE library cards for those who participate. Such sweet sweet words.
I honestly felt like a traitor the first time I entered a library not in our “home base”. Was it treason to ask for a card? How could I betray our librarian by being there? What if she found out? Could I ever erase the guilt?
Then it happened.
I saw the children’s library.
I tepidly ventured in.
I didn’t know where things were.
I had to hunt.
New discoveries abounded.
New books, new children’s programs, new connections, new comfy seats, new online music downloads!
Did I mention a coffee machine in the front lobby?!
Joy!
It was like going on vacation. Perhaps we had reached a desperation point in the Winter Blahs. Snow. Slush. Cold. Yuk. Perhaps any venture outdoors would have elicited this response. Honestly, it doesn’t matter. We found new books. All is well if you find new books. Right?
Our new adventure does pose fresh problems. Where to store the books? Where to keep them separate from our other library books? The fear of owning a fortune in overdue fines becomes overwhelming. Long slow breaths are taken. Reality sets in.
New rules must be created and enforced.
Only ten books at a time can come home from our new discovery. No videos, no CDs. The drive is too far for the hassle and our local library has what we need anyway. We must show at least a bit of local loyalty.
Now as I’m searching for our next “living book” on WorldCat I notice a library two towns away has a copy currently available. Another adventure in the making?? Another card to keep and maintain?? Another children’s library to investigate?? Hmmmm…..
Sometimes a change of scenery is all that is necessary for a Winter Blah to turn into a Winter Ahhh.