| Biographical Non-Fiction posted July 24, 2017 | Chapters: |
...31 32 -33- 34... 
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...they make up the story of my life
A chapter in the book Family Poems and Stories 2010-2017
My world of Books
by Mustang Patty
It all started with a glance at my overloaded bookcases in the front room. There were books lining the shelves all neat and tidy, but lying sideways across every shelf was a mess of other books. The interlopers were either new, or simply books pulled out and not put away properly. I didn't like the look of the wall of shelves. My living room looked untidy.
I hatched a plan to reorganize my books and tidy up the living room at the same time. It would take the help of my then sleeping husband, but I was determined to make this our project for the weekend. I didn't realize the depths the adventure would take me to, nor the amount of work it would take to make my plan a reality.
With graph paper in one hand, and the tape measure in the other, I went into the guestroom and started sketching. To make the needed wall space, I would have to get the furniture rearranged, and I didn't want it to simply look like furniture stacked within the enclosed room. Carefully measuring the width of the seven-foot high bookcases in the living room, I made sure they would fit in the allotted spot I created in the bedroom. I then realized the free space in the front room would allow me to reconfigure that space as well.
Could we rearrange two rooms in the space of a weekend? Sure! We used to rearrange the house all the time. Once the kids went to bed, we would move the furniture in the living room and dining room and have everything in place, pictures and all, before morning.
I must've forgotten along the way that those days were over twenty-five years ago. The collection of books was more than three times the size, and well, we are a tad older.
Combining the bookshelves already in the bedroom with the ones from the living room still didn't give me the needed shelf space, so I went to the website of my favorite second-hand store and looked at the offerings of good used bookcases. A wonderful find of two seven-foot, oak shelves was mine for the asking—and payment, of course.
By the time my hubby woke up, I had the shelving, and a great curio I found to fill the empty space in the living room. Sketches were made of the living room and bedroom, and a fresh pot of coffee was at the ready. Now, I just needed to get him onboard.
"Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well? I poured you a nice cup of coffee."
Tired, yet suspicious eyes looked up at me. "You're up to something, aren't you? Why do I feel like I'm in an episode of 'I Love Lucy?'"
"Me? Up to something? Well, it all started when I was looking at the bookshelves…"
After listening to my story and drinking his coffee, he put on his glasses and asked to look at the online shopping cart full of my finds. His reaction to the purchase was positive, but he looked at me carefully, "You do realize this will mean moving ALL of your books, don't you?"
"I know, but we have two whole days – minus the time to eat. It will be fun—just like the old days."
"I think 'old' is the operative word here. But, if you think you're up to it, I'm game."
Throwing my arms around his neck, "I love you, Fuzzy face! When can we start?"
"Let's have another cup of coffee while I study your sketches and get dressed."
----------@>>
Moving my books is a major project. I've been collecting books for most of my life. My shelves reflect me. There are rows of textbooks; general studies, specialized books on accounting and business. A treasure of memories lies in the law books from the grueling years of law school. I learned a great deal there, but my writing skills were hampered when I learned to write legal briefs.
My journals from the years are copious, but full of great fodder for writing. My children used to love reading my thoughts from when I was their ages. I always kept the secret stuff on a high shelf, but when they were old enough to read about the 'real Mom,' my journals helped to educate them about life, mistakes made, and the joys of living life your way.
I have a complete set of Stephen King books in hardback, along with copies in paperback. Each of the hardcovers were read only once as they became available, and the less expensive copies are available to be lent out, and for studying, highlighting, and note-taking. I've learned so much from his writing, but I do realize he has developed his own style over the years, and he abuses the rules of grammar—but he does know them, understand them, and deftly bend them to his will.
Another shelf houses the Harry Potter series, again purchased as they became available, and the tattered paperbacks are the result of my studying Rowling's growth in writing throughout the series. My son and most of his friends have contributed to this collection. I started getting books for all occasions when my children had their own money to spend. Their friends would bring me the paperbacks from their own collections when they were done with them. They all have a loving home with me.
A special shelf for the craft of writing occupies a prominent place. I have books on editing, creating a novel, and tons of writing exercises. My return to FanStory has made them more than useful, and they were many of the books pulled from the shelves and hastily laid on top of the neat rows.
Lastly, there's the gems of my novel collection. Writers like Nora Roberts, John Grisham, Truman Capote, and Debbie Macomber grace these shelves. There are many genres and a great number of authors represented. I love reading and my eclectic collection showcases my varied tastes.
----------@>>
"Well, it's Monday morning and I have to fly out to Canada for that job.
"Do you think you can get the rest of the books put on the shelves? You don't need to organize them until the new shelves are delivered on Thursday."
Feeling every muscle in my back and legs, I looked at the piles of books yet to be shelved. We spent much of our time pulling books from their shelves and stacking them onto the bathroom floor. Then, we had to rearrange the furniture. The house was in shambles for most of Saturday and Sunday, but the furniture was in place by late Sunday afternoon. Empty spots waited for the new-to-us items. Empty walls awaited the new placement of pictures, but for the most part, the project was done.
Smiling at my wonderful hubby, "Thank you for spending a weekend full of memories with me. You and my books are the story of my life. I can get my books back on the shelves. It will be like spending time with some old friends."
It all started with a glance at my overloaded bookcases in the front room. There were books lining the shelves all neat and tidy, but lying sideways across every shelf was a mess of other books. The interlopers were either new, or simply books pulled out and not put away properly. I didn't like the look of the wall of shelves. My living room looked untidy.
I hatched a plan to reorganize my books and tidy up the living room at the same time. It would take the help of my then sleeping husband, but I was determined to make this our project for the weekend. I didn't realize the depths the adventure would take me to, nor the amount of work it would take to make my plan a reality.
With graph paper in one hand, and the tape measure in the other, I went into the guestroom and started sketching. To make the needed wall space, I would have to get the furniture rearranged, and I didn't want it to simply look like furniture stacked within the enclosed room. Carefully measuring the width of the seven-foot high bookcases in the living room, I made sure they would fit in the allotted spot I created in the bedroom. I then realized the free space in the front room would allow me to reconfigure that space as well.
Could we rearrange two rooms in the space of a weekend? Sure! We used to rearrange the house all the time. Once the kids went to bed, we would move the furniture in the living room and dining room and have everything in place, pictures and all, before morning.
I must've forgotten along the way that those days were over twenty-five years ago. The collection of books was more than three times the size, and well, we are a tad older.
Combining the bookshelves already in the bedroom with the ones from the living room still didn't give me the needed shelf space, so I went to the website of my favorite second-hand store and looked at the offerings of good used bookcases. A wonderful find of two seven-foot, oak shelves was mine for the asking—and payment, of course.
By the time my hubby woke up, I had the shelving, and a great curio I found to fill the empty space in the living room. Sketches were made of the living room and bedroom, and a fresh pot of coffee was at the ready. Now, I just needed to get him onboard.
"Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well? I poured you a nice cup of coffee."
Tired, yet suspicious eyes looked up at me. "You're up to something, aren't you? Why do I feel like I'm in an episode of 'I Love Lucy?'"
"Me? Up to something? Well, it all started when I was looking at the bookshelves…"
After listening to my story and drinking his coffee, he put on his glasses and asked to look at the online shopping cart full of my finds. His reaction to the purchase was positive, but he looked at me carefully, "You do realize this will mean moving ALL of your books, don't you?"
"I know, but we have two whole days – minus the time to eat. It will be fun—just like the old days."
"I think 'old' is the operative word here. But, if you think you're up to it, I'm game."
Throwing my arms around his neck, "I love you, Fuzzy face! When can we start?"
"Let's have another cup of coffee while I study your sketches and get dressed."
Moving my books is a major project. I've been collecting books for most of my life. My shelves reflect me. There are rows of textbooks; general studies, specialized books on accounting and business. A treasure of memories lies in the law books from the grueling years of law school. I learned a great deal there, but my writing skills were hampered when I learned to write legal briefs.
My journals from the years are copious, but full of great fodder for writing. My children used to love reading my thoughts from when I was their ages. I always kept the secret stuff on a high shelf, but when they were old enough to read about the 'real Mom,' my journals helped to educate them about life, mistakes made, and the joys of living life your way.
I have a complete set of Stephen King books in hardback, along with copies in paperback. Each of the hardcovers were read only once as they became available, and the less expensive copies are available to be lent out, and for studying, highlighting, and note-taking. I've learned so much from his writing, but I do realize he has developed his own style over the years, and he abuses the rules of grammar—but he does know them, understand them, and deftly bend them to his will.
Another shelf houses the Harry Potter series, again purchased as they became available, and the tattered paperbacks are the result of my studying Rowling's growth in writing throughout the series. My son and most of his friends have contributed to this collection. I started getting books for all occasions when my children had their own money to spend. Their friends would bring me the paperbacks from their own collections when they were done with them. They all have a loving home with me.
A special shelf for the craft of writing occupies a prominent place. I have books on editing, creating a novel, and tons of writing exercises. My return to FanStory has made them more than useful, and they were many of the books pulled from the shelves and hastily laid on top of the neat rows.
Lastly, there's the gems of my novel collection. Writers like Nora Roberts, John Grisham, Truman Capote, and Debbie Macomber grace these shelves. There are many genres and a great number of authors represented. I love reading and my eclectic collection showcases my varied tastes.
"Well, it's Monday morning and I have to fly out to Canada for that job.
"Do you think you can get the rest of the books put on the shelves? You don't need to organize them until the new shelves are delivered on Thursday."
Feeling every muscle in my back and legs, I looked at the piles of books yet to be shelved. We spent much of our time pulling books from their shelves and stacking them onto the bathroom floor. Then, we had to rearrange the furniture. The house was in shambles for most of Saturday and Sunday, but the furniture was in place by late Sunday afternoon. Empty spots waited for the new-to-us items. Empty walls awaited the new placement of pictures, but for the most part, the project was done.
Smiling at my wonderful hubby, "Thank you for spending a weekend full of memories with me. You and my books are the story of my life. I can get my books back on the shelves. It will be like spending time with some old friends."
I hatched a plan to reorganize my books and tidy up the living room at the same time. It would take the help of my then sleeping husband, but I was determined to make this our project for the weekend. I didn't realize the depths the adventure would take me to, nor the amount of work it would take to make my plan a reality.
With graph paper in one hand, and the tape measure in the other, I went into the guestroom and started sketching. To make the needed wall space, I would have to get the furniture rearranged, and I didn't want it to simply look like furniture stacked within the enclosed room. Carefully measuring the width of the seven-foot high bookcases in the living room, I made sure they would fit in the allotted spot I created in the bedroom. I then realized the free space in the front room would allow me to reconfigure that space as well.
Could we rearrange two rooms in the space of a weekend? Sure! We used to rearrange the house all the time. Once the kids went to bed, we would move the furniture in the living room and dining room and have everything in place, pictures and all, before morning.
I must've forgotten along the way that those days were over twenty-five years ago. The collection of books was more than three times the size, and well, we are a tad older.
Combining the bookshelves already in the bedroom with the ones from the living room still didn't give me the needed shelf space, so I went to the website of my favorite second-hand store and looked at the offerings of good used bookcases. A wonderful find of two seven-foot, oak shelves was mine for the asking—and payment, of course.
By the time my hubby woke up, I had the shelving, and a great curio I found to fill the empty space in the living room. Sketches were made of the living room and bedroom, and a fresh pot of coffee was at the ready. Now, I just needed to get him onboard.
"Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well? I poured you a nice cup of coffee."
Tired, yet suspicious eyes looked up at me. "You're up to something, aren't you? Why do I feel like I'm in an episode of 'I Love Lucy?'"
"Me? Up to something? Well, it all started when I was looking at the bookshelves…"
After listening to my story and drinking his coffee, he put on his glasses and asked to look at the online shopping cart full of my finds. His reaction to the purchase was positive, but he looked at me carefully, "You do realize this will mean moving ALL of your books, don't you?"
"I know, but we have two whole days – minus the time to eat. It will be fun—just like the old days."
"I think 'old' is the operative word here. But, if you think you're up to it, I'm game."
Throwing my arms around his neck, "I love you, Fuzzy face! When can we start?"
"Let's have another cup of coffee while I study your sketches and get dressed."
----------@>>
Moving my books is a major project. I've been collecting books for most of my life. My shelves reflect me. There are rows of textbooks; general studies, specialized books on accounting and business. A treasure of memories lies in the law books from the grueling years of law school. I learned a great deal there, but my writing skills were hampered when I learned to write legal briefs.
My journals from the years are copious, but full of great fodder for writing. My children used to love reading my thoughts from when I was their ages. I always kept the secret stuff on a high shelf, but when they were old enough to read about the 'real Mom,' my journals helped to educate them about life, mistakes made, and the joys of living life your way.
I have a complete set of Stephen King books in hardback, along with copies in paperback. Each of the hardcovers were read only once as they became available, and the less expensive copies are available to be lent out, and for studying, highlighting, and note-taking. I've learned so much from his writing, but I do realize he has developed his own style over the years, and he abuses the rules of grammar—but he does know them, understand them, and deftly bend them to his will.
Another shelf houses the Harry Potter series, again purchased as they became available, and the tattered paperbacks are the result of my studying Rowling's growth in writing throughout the series. My son and most of his friends have contributed to this collection. I started getting books for all occasions when my children had their own money to spend. Their friends would bring me the paperbacks from their own collections when they were done with them. They all have a loving home with me.
A special shelf for the craft of writing occupies a prominent place. I have books on editing, creating a novel, and tons of writing exercises. My return to FanStory has made them more than useful, and they were many of the books pulled from the shelves and hastily laid on top of the neat rows.
Lastly, there's the gems of my novel collection. Writers like Nora Roberts, John Grisham, Truman Capote, and Debbie Macomber grace these shelves. There are many genres and a great number of authors represented. I love reading and my eclectic collection showcases my varied tastes.
----------@>>
"Well, it's Monday morning and I have to fly out to Canada for that job.
"Do you think you can get the rest of the books put on the shelves? You don't need to organize them until the new shelves are delivered on Thursday."
Feeling every muscle in my back and legs, I looked at the piles of books yet to be shelved. We spent much of our time pulling books from their shelves and stacking them onto the bathroom floor. Then, we had to rearrange the furniture. The house was in shambles for most of Saturday and Sunday, but the furniture was in place by late Sunday afternoon. Empty spots waited for the new-to-us items. Empty walls awaited the new placement of pictures, but for the most part, the project was done.
Smiling at my wonderful hubby, "Thank you for spending a weekend full of memories with me. You and my books are the story of my life. I can get my books back on the shelves. It will be like spending time with some old friends."
 Recognized |
|
thank you VMarguarite for the use of your picture. It was the perfect compliment to my work.
Hope you enjoy this insight to me and my varied interests.
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and 2 member cents. Hope you enjoy this insight to me and my varied interests.
Artwork by VMarguarite at FanArtReview.com
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