Who Uses a Library?

For a long time now I have decried the fact that more and more people buy books these days rather than borrow them from the library.  Now, of course, this is a very unscientific and subjective idea, but just pop into any large store which carries books at discounted prices (ie. Costco) and watch the people crowded around the book aisle.

As a bibliophile almost since birth, it pleases me no end that society is still reading actual paper books (given all the electronic devises at our disposal).  Plus, I'm sure authors and publishers are happy since it helps their bottom line (although not much at Costco prices), but that begs the question: Who Uses the Library?

I have three University-educated adult children, two of whom are married to University-educated wives, and not one of these five step foot in a library!  (Of course, just because they are 'university educated' doesn't for one minute make them smarter than average - it just makes us as their parents poorer than average! But, since one assumes they were compelled to read books to obtain their various diplomas, one hopes the habit might have continued?)  I also have two grandchildren ages 6 and 9 who are able to read in both French and English, and who love their books - but neither are members of their local library.  Their books are bought for them either at school from monthly Scholastic flyers (for which their teachers earn enormous numbers of free books for their classroom, which is a good thing) or at Costco and other book stores.

But, think what they are all missing!  Libraries are fantastic places, full of millions of opportunities to go to, experience or just escape from anything you desire!  Just entering one excites me like nothing else can - truly!   I can cheerfully while away hours and hours just perusing the stacks of possibilities at my disposal, and leave, my arms overflowing with an assorted selection, thrilled to bits in anticipation - and all for FREE!!

So, why would anyone buy a book?

I do have an extensive personal library which I have collected over the years, but they are mostly non-fiction books, which I will refer to and turn back to time and time again.  Plus, a number of 'special' well-written fiction pieces which I just had to have in my collection.  But, generally, most people only read general fiction books once.  So, what happens to all those paper-backs purchased at Costco?  Plus, what will happen to libraries when my generation moves on to greener pastures?  I dread to think ...

With these thoughts in my head, I was simply delighted recently to discover an adorable book called "The Uncommon Reader" by the well-known British play write Alan Bennett.  It's a wonderful little book (only 121 small-sized pages) but every sentence, every word, has a function, is meant to be there and adds to the overall story.  Nothing is wasted.

It tells of the Queen, following her yapping corgis one day, coming across the Westminster travelling bookmobile parked near Buckingham Palace.  Not wanting to seem rude or give offence, she reluctantly checks out a book.  Thus begins her journey as an avid and ecstatic reader.  Simple enough story line, but in Bennett's uncommonly capable hands it becomes a witty narrative about the power of reading. In Uncommon Reader Her Majesty's new-found passion distracts her from her 'duties' and worries her equerries to the point where they conspire to bring the Queen's literary odyssey to an end. But, do read to the very last page - Alan Bennett does not disappoint even then ...

As Edward Marriotte of the Observer commented:

"Bennett's portrait of her is not only extremely funny, but also, one imagines, not far off the truth. Travelling by coach to state occasions, she becomes practised at waving and reading at the same time, 'the trick being to keep the book below the level of the window and to keep focused on it and not on the crowds'. As she works her way through the canon, her critical faculties become more acute. 'Am I alone,' she confides in her notebook, 'in wanting to give Henry James a good talking-to?' Through books, she discovers a way to express herself that has been denied her by her upbringing and vocation."

Marriotte continues:

"The Uncommon Reader is a gloriously entertaining comic narrative, but it is also much more: a deadly serious manifesto for the potential of reading to change lives, for its ability to broaden horizons, to imagine oneself in others' shoes, and to enable one - or should that be One - to break out from the constraints of upbringing, class and education and lead the life you've always wanted. And, Bennett ponders, who might need that more than the Queen?"

Great stuff ... and it all started out with a trip to the library.

Oscars' continuing education ...

Four-month-old Oscar discovered water within the last week.  You'd think having a Labrador for a dad and a Poodle for a mum, he'd take to water like a duck!  But his early backyard experiences with the hose weren't very successful ... so, when we took him to Judy and Alex's lakefront cottage last week we wondered what he'd make of the lake.

He had a wonderful time playing tag with Mike and Al's dog 'Macy' ... right up to the time that Macy leapt into the lake and Oscar blindly followed!  He went right under and his surprised look when he surfaced was something like, "What the devil is this???"  He immediately started swimming as though he had grown up on the river bank, and the rest of the day was spent in delightful stick retrieval splashing in and out of the shallows with pal Macy.

My only regret was that I did not have my camera with me to capture some of the great picture ops that the 2 dogs created.  One time, black Oscar and pure white Macy, swam back to shore each clutching different ends of the same stick in their teeth.  Oh, where is a camera when you need one??

So this past weekend, when Brian invited us to their cottage I made sure my camera came with us. 

Their 6-month-old Golden Doodle 'Chester' and 9-year-old Newfoundland dog 'Farli'

demonstrated to Oscar how dogs have fun in the water.  Now we saw his genetics on display as he splashed around thoroughly enjoying himself.   

Oscar learned all about kayaks also, and to stay clear when 6-year-old's are wielding the long paddle!

But, mostly he learned what fun it was when you combine good doggy pals, water and plenty of beach to chase each other around!

He didn't even have time to stop long enough for me to get a good front shot of him! All my pics that day consist of him watching and running with his pals - learning how to be a fun-loving, well-rounded dog.


He sure was a tired puppy on the drive home though!

Families ...

I had to make a speech at my son's wedding this past weekend (which was spectacular, by the way) and I mulled the topic over in my head for a long time.  I goggled 'mother-of-the-groom wedding speeches', which brought up very little - except to say that the mother-of-the-groom rarely speaks at weddings.  Hmmm, how old was that statement?

I wondered about regaling the guests with funny stories of Mike's growing up.  That would have been so easy as there were loads of them!  But, at age 36, I didn't think it appropriate to embarrass him with baby stories (as I might have a 20 year old.)

So, I fell back on the advice theme (a mother is ALWAYS giving advice, right?)  But, what?  I mulled it over some more.  Finally, I decided on 'families', how important they can be in our lives, but how easily we neglect them.

It was an easy speech to write after that.  I am SO proud of my grown kids!  Not just because they are intelligent (which they are), or handsome (which they are - in my humble, 'unbiased' opinion ;) and not just because they are all successful in their own fields ... but, because they are such great people!  I love spending time with them!  They are friendly, polite, caring, funny and down-to-earth individuals.

However, I knew I couldn't just get up there and blow my own horn, so to speak.  But, Ray and I do take some credit for how they have turned out - and it didn't come easy!  Creating a successful family takes a lot of hard work - making the baby is the easy part!  I thought of Mike and Al as they start their own branch of our family tree, and in my speech I likened this stage of their lives to me gleefully digging up and putting in a new flower bed last year.  I planted a slew of lovely perennials and looked after it well last year since it was new and a novelty.  But, this spring the weeds came up with the plants, and since I had moved on to newer projects with no time to spend on it, it got quite overgrown and a bit of a mess.  I saved it with some back-breaking work, just in time.

Our families are like that.  So easy to take for granted, but without care and attention they too can become a mess.  Thus, I used this garden analogy at the wedding, (and actually got a bit carried away when I pointed to all the young people sitting there and told them they didn't just 'spontaneously combust' into the great folk they are, someone put a lot of effort into them!)

Did my son hear my message?  Well, when we were having the traditional 'mother-son' dance 15 mins. later, he said, "Great speech mum. So, let's see if I've got this right, you want me to plant a garden?"

Why do I bother?????

But, it was a smashing wedding, full of laughter and love, just as weddings are supposed to be.  (And, I'm so glad they didn't elope, as I had once hoped - we would have all missed out on a fantastic day!)

A Very Hot Walk

Oscar has finally had all his booster shots, so we can start taking him out for long walks, which we did yesterday afternoon.  Too bad it was a very sunny 29c, and being a black dog Oscar heats up fast.  What were we thinking?  Just couldn't wait to get him out with the big guys, unfortunately the big guys were all back in their cool air-conditioned homes.

The only dog we saw was across some very rapidly flowing water - but that didn't stop our little fellow trying to pop over for a play-date. (Thank goodness for strong leashes.)

I think the part of the trip he enjoyed the best was when we all flopped down in the shady cool grass.

It was a slow walk home along the hot trail - trying to dodge all the sunny spots.

Letter to my Mother #5

Dear Mother,

Yesterday marked 45 years since we arrived in Canada, a very long time ago, yet in some ways it feels like yesterday.  Arriving in Toronto to a humid 91 degree heatwave, and everything closed for the Canada Day holiday.  Our stifling little hotel room, into which the four of us were crammed, no clean clothes (as they had not arrived yet) and us all feeling disorientated and dazed, wondering what on earth we had done!

So, I paid a special visit to you, and at 11am found you fast asleep in bed - it was one of your 'sleeping days'.  But, there was a parade assembling in the Home's parking lot with a marching pipe and drum band, and I knew you'd enjoy it.  So, even though you resisted, we got you up, into your wheelchair, and out to greet the day.

Now, aren't you glad I did that?  We got there just as the band was getting ready to start playing, and how you loved it!  I walked you along the sidewalk keeping up with the band so you could hear and watch them longer.  Your eyes were bright, you wore a smile, and you delighted everyone as you conducted the music with your waving flag.  You were a star mum.

Afterwards, you kept saying, "Oh, I did enjoy that!"

But, you fell asleep again in your chair when I went into the cafe to get your favourite hot chocolate ... I guess it was all too much for you.

Later, I tried to talk to you about that Canada Day 45 years ago - you are the only one left now who experienced it with me - but it wasn't a good 'memory day' for you.  Maybe, some other time.

Happy Canada Day Mother.