The library is open!

Other parents may rant and rave about schools being closed with all this four-letter-word crap that has imprisoned us for several days this year...this month!

Admission: I have been suffering the DTs over my library not being open. It's been closed three or four days this week. On Sunday, I wanted to laugh it off as "We made such a mess at Evening in the Stacks" but it was only ONE branch. (And believe me, the amount of work done to transform Miller branch is monumental.) I had even had a thought on Saturday, faced with the impending ice storm, to see if I could borrow a book. Where would I have stored it? In my evening bag that could barely fit my phone? But I mentally slapped my wrist and realized that would seem CRAZY.

On Tuesday, I picked up my requests, figuring they would tide me over. Not so much.

A book for Lil.

An audiobook - Wolf Hall - because the BBC has produced a version of this amazing book with Damian Lewis and Luke needs to refresh his memory for the PBS airing in the spring. He commutes to McLean, VA most days so he can get through a book lickety-split on his drive. In paper, it would take a month of Sundays, which he usually works on these days, so audio is a winner!

A book for me. I felt rejuvenated to explore a new author. Alas, it was so hard to follow and seems to be based on a cheating scandal about the West Ham football club. I rarely give up on a book, but I couldn't do it.

I had thirty pages in The Outcast to go and no good book to anticipate.

Howard County notified parents of Friday's closure on Thursday at 6:30 PM. I was distressed, yes. Annoyed, perplexed, etc.

The library notified us at 9:31 PM that they'd remain closed Friday as well.

And I began to wish that I had browsed the stacks that fun evening in the stacks.

Book crazy

I often read 2 or 3 books at the same time. I have to have a book in my car, in case I have an appointment. At home, I need a downstairs book & an upstairs book. Upstairs books are usually non-library books as they take me a long time.

When I bring books into public places, people ask me what I'm reading. That response takes a minute. I try to gauge whether they're asking to feign interest or genuinely interested. And that takes a moment.

And then I explain what I'm reading & feel like I have to justify what I'm reading.

I'm addicted to medieval & Renaissance historical fiction & if it's a mystery, it's like the book is canonized. World War I mysteries are a favorite too. I have a History degree, I come by it honestly. But I still feel like I need a disclaimer...

Hello, my name is Kirsty & I have a problem with getting too many books from the library. Can you blame me? My library did win a prestigious award this year.

Unfortunately, my 12 step plan still involves me going to the library. I volunteer there...not as often as I'd like.

But when I volunteer, I generally find additional books to adopt...I mean, borrow.

Dear Yelp Reviewer from a fellow diner

I believe we were the family that was planning our vacation to Europe recently that caused you to leave for “Chinese down the road.”

Yes, we had our iPads out & our guidebooks out. We were getting together with my parents & discussing what they’d like to do. And we were investigating side trips.

Have you never gone to a business lunch or dinner? When you discussed strategy for an acquisition? When you discussed goals for the year? Have you gone out for dinner or drinks with a friend who just became single? Or had a friend thinking about divorce after her hubby cheated on her? Or celebrated a promotion for a friend who worked so hard? Have you ever

sat next to a birthday party?

Vacation planning is not allowed? I’m sorry that we did not confine ourselves to the library to do so. (Actually I’m not sorry.) Instead, we met up at our favorite wine bar and the talk turned to our upcoming trip that is still open-ended. And yes, we’re so excited that we checked our phone/tablets to answer questions & plan our routes.

Maybe you should type up a list of topics that are acceptable to you and hand them out to your nearby seatmates.

But this begs the question – why were you caught up in our conversation? Could you not converse on topics you found interesting with your party?

From my recollection, though, you were upset to be sat at the common table and you hadn’t reserved in advance enough to get a regular table.

We were glad you left, because another party came. And they embraced the friendliness of the common table.

My dirty little secret

I'm a little ashamed to admit this: I don't always walk to the Mall.

Sometimes it's because I'm returning from someplace like dropping Lil off at ballet, which is based at the Howard County Center for the Arts in Ellicott City. (Even if they move to Long Reach, which I hope they do, that's still on the other side of town, and I don't know if Ballet Mobile would go with them, which I hope they would.)

But sometimes, I'm not returning. I'm driving from my house to the mall. There are a few reasons for this:



Sometimes it looks like this:



Or it's raining or really cold...

So yes, if I'm planning on doing major shopping, I will drive so I don't have to walk up the hill with all my packages. Sometimes, when it's really cold, I can't breathe because of my asthma. (Have you seen those Symbicort ads where the person doesn't acknowledge their asthma is a problem? That's me to a T. And my Symbicort makes me feel a little jittery.)

We do walk down there a lot. Luke has even been known to purchase furniture and borrow a dolly to push it up to the house.

But we definitely don't walk down to the Lakefront to Clyde's very often. And if we do shop a little at Whole Foods when it opens later this year, which is questionable because it's so expensive, I'm going to drive.

My British chum Claire over at UK Desperate Housewife has noted that one of the differences between the UK & the US is that we drive EVERYWHERE. Buses are for people that can't afford cars. (Not that I agree with that exactly, but the Howard County government study below says that essentially.) I love driving my car...I listen to books on tape and I love being in control. And my car doubles as another branch of the Howard County Library...

But I am looking forward to the Columbia Town Center development because of one item in particular. The plan mentions "multi-modal transportation," which seems to include a downtown circulator. When this comes to fruition, I will commit to using it!

#HoCoBlogs