Remembering Old Times as Old Friends Get Together ~ October 31, 2015

This gathering had been in the works for some time. We were classmates and good friends at the old St. Paul's School in Barton Heights, Richmond so many years ago.  We were part of the 1950 Graduating Class and many of us had not seen each other for decades!  We were Margarite, Sue, Phyllis, Joan, Helen, Norma and Mary Ann.

It was wonderful to see everyone again.  And what tales were told as we sat in Margarite's living room and around the dining table that day!  We had a lot of catching up to do!

Several of us had brought photographs from our school days at St. Paul's. As we looked at them and reminisced about old times, we heard both happy and sad stories about our classmates on those old photographs: marriages, deaths, illnesses, divorces, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and much more.

It was a joy to be together again.  Hopefully, we can do it again before we get too old to travel. It's hard to believe that it has been 65 years since our elementary school days!         

~ New Photos by m. a. allen 

As I was saying.... errrr...

I NEED A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS!

My Bookshelves...

Yes, I am!  My used bookshop at Mixie's is across from my other two spaces where I sell my collectibles and vintage items.  I have close to 20 bookshelves of various sizes in my bookshop and 99% of them were made by my oldest son, Jimmy.  He likes to build things out of wood.  If it wasn't for him, I couldn't have put together a bookshop at all.

He decided in the beginning to put the fiction and historical romances in alphabetical order by author so people could find their books easier.  My subject matter books like Science, Biography, History etc. are in their own special sections.  I have gotten many many compliments from booklovers who appreciate being able to find their books without having to look through hundreds of books.

In the meantime, I had decided to price my books very reasonably so that people could buy them.  That decision came about because an earlier bookseller whose books I craved but couldn't buy, priced his books so high that I couldn't afford to buy them.  It was very discouraging because he had a number of books that I would have liked to read and own.  This bookseller finally moved away.  It wasn't long before Jimmy and I decided to fill the void.

I love my bookshop and so do my many returning customers who know they can get a good read for only a dollar or two or three.  They can also trade 3 for 1. Three of their books for one of mine.  Just today, when I was a little late, I received a call from Mixie's  because one of my customers wanted to know if I was coming in.  She wanted to trade her 12 books for 4 free ones.  I'll be right there! I said.

My customers are very loyal.  Sometimes, I come in and there on the floor are a couple bags of books... I have no idea who put them there, but I am grateful for them.  These are free books and great books to place on my shelves.

Yes, indeed... I am easily distracted by bookshelves!

Another Year; More Books to Read!

I read 54 books last year.  I don't think I will be reading that many in 2015.  I'm already off to a slow start.  My first and only book on my list so far is "The Coal Tattoo" by Silas House.  I think I read it some years ago but had forgotten a lot of it since I only read for pleasure.  Anyway, it was a very good re-read.

I usually have several books going at one time.  I'm in the middle of one on Kennedy written by one of his staff members whose name eludes me; The Good Soldier Svejk, a WWI satire by a Czech author, Hasek; one on WWII titled "The Postmistress" by Sarah Blake and so on...

I also have the Jewish Study Bible, The Tanakh Translation, because I am going to take a free Yale University Online Class in Religious Studies.  If you are interested in these free online classes on almost any subject, look up Academic Earth.

Booklover's Revenge!

So clever!  Need I say more?

Does This Bother Anybody Else?

"Where Books Come To Life!"

Painting by Christine Kornacki

Isn't this a great picture?  The story the young boy is reading has literally come to life!  This is what happens when a child (or an adult) becomes engrossed in a book.  You can imagine yourself right there with the hero or the heroine.  Your mind drifts away from the daily problems we all face and you find yourself falling into a reverie with words that tell a story.

My bookshop has a couple of sections of children's books.  The best ones are in a bookcase directly on the aisle.  The other books are in a smaller area and I have a sign that lets you know that those books are only 50-cents each.  I want to sell them off and just concentrate on the better ones.

Unfortunately, there are few children who stand there looking at the books.  The children are there with their parents who are shopping for something in particular and are in a hurry.  Though the children are looking at the books, they can't stay because their parents call them away.  "Come on... I don't have all day," they say as they move on down the aisle to check out other shops.  It's a pity.

I don't think the parents even realize that they are teaching the child that books aren't important.  Instead, they stop at the shop further down the aisle and let their children buy some inexpensive toy instead.  I guess the parents are not readers themselves so the bookshop doesn't entice them.

Both parents and children are thereby missing out on one of the joys of life.  Sure, these children can go on to read books electronically...  but it's not the same as holding a hard bound or a softcover book in your hands and using your imagination to bring its story to life.


 

My Favorite Passtime!