As most of you know, crochet is my passion. I have crocheted for over 50 years, and do the simple to the sublime. There are still a few techniques that I haven't tried, some because they just don't interest me.
But, how many of you know that I have a passion even older and stronger than crochet? Want to hazard a guess?
Reading. I have had a love affair with books since before I started school. My mom was a teacher, so she instilled her love of reading and respect for books in me. I will read almost anything.
My real books collections include some of the classics, Silas Marner, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christy: a childhood favorite that I spent years trying to find, Nan of the Gypsies: a collection of books on Native Americans, both fact and fiction; and then there is the odd collection of stuff you just read and pass on, biographies, romance novels, a mystery or chiller.
In my pre-retirement days, I spent a lot of money on books. At one point in my life, I couldn't go grocery shopping without buying a new book. Depending on the book, of course, I can read 2 to 5 books a week. Do the math!
A couple of years ago, I was getting ready to take a 2 week train trip across country and was trying to figure out how to take enough books for that much train time with a 50 lb carry on limit. Not to mention my poor back, lugging all that around. So--I bought a Kindle. Just the plain ordinary Kindle, no bells, no whistles, just books. I loaded the latest Jack Reacher novel, some Sherlock Holmes and a few others for my trip.
I now have 500 books on my Kindle, thanks to the free readers services I found, or who found me, on Facebook. The first one I started with was Pixel of Ink. Then followed someone's post to Ereader News Today. Another of my friends subscribes to Must Read Mysteries. These services all give you heads up for free or low-cost books for the Kindle. I get notices on Facebook everyday and rarely does a day go by that I don't get at least one book.
My paper and ink books now come from yard sales, thrift stores, trading with others and the senior center. One of the ladies in my crochet group at the senior center trades books with me..
My advice for one these summer days when it's just too d--- hot to move, grab a tall glass of ice tea and a book. Lose yourself for a while in someone else's life, or another country, or another period of time.
But, how many of you know that I have a passion even older and stronger than crochet? Want to hazard a guess?
Reading. I have had a love affair with books since before I started school. My mom was a teacher, so she instilled her love of reading and respect for books in me. I will read almost anything.
My real books collections include some of the classics, Silas Marner, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christy: a childhood favorite that I spent years trying to find, Nan of the Gypsies: a collection of books on Native Americans, both fact and fiction; and then there is the odd collection of stuff you just read and pass on, biographies, romance novels, a mystery or chiller.
In my pre-retirement days, I spent a lot of money on books. At one point in my life, I couldn't go grocery shopping without buying a new book. Depending on the book, of course, I can read 2 to 5 books a week. Do the math!
A couple of years ago, I was getting ready to take a 2 week train trip across country and was trying to figure out how to take enough books for that much train time with a 50 lb carry on limit. Not to mention my poor back, lugging all that around. So--I bought a Kindle. Just the plain ordinary Kindle, no bells, no whistles, just books. I loaded the latest Jack Reacher novel, some Sherlock Holmes and a few others for my trip.
I now have 500 books on my Kindle, thanks to the free readers services I found, or who found me, on Facebook. The first one I started with was Pixel of Ink. Then followed someone's post to Ereader News Today. Another of my friends subscribes to Must Read Mysteries. These services all give you heads up for free or low-cost books for the Kindle. I get notices on Facebook everyday and rarely does a day go by that I don't get at least one book.
My paper and ink books now come from yard sales, thrift stores, trading with others and the senior center. One of the ladies in my crochet group at the senior center trades books with me..
My advice for one these summer days when it's just too d--- hot to move, grab a tall glass of ice tea and a book. Lose yourself for a while in someone else's life, or another country, or another period of time.
