I planned to start Hillbilly Elegy last night, but I left the book in the living room where Tommy was sleeping. So, I read the book I had in the bedroom--A Painted House by John Gresham. I love it and read 110 or more pages before I put it down and got to sleep at 7:30 am. There was a good reason.
We watched a movie--The Story of Will Rogers with Will Rogers, Jr. as his father. This was a conscious effort, a decision to stay up until 3:15 am. Since we have no place to go early, it is not a problem. But, my decision to read so long, while a decision, was not appropriate at 3:30 am!
However, I never regret time spent reading. I did sleep until about 10:30 am, got up, went back about 12:15 pm and slept until 4:30 pm. No complaints from anyone or suggestion as to what I should do. Okay? I just won't publish your comment. Got it?
When I was getting a degree in English, I took 3 upper level literature course one semester. People, other English majors thought I had lost my mind. I was not the person who read the text assigned and came to class. I read other books, passages, and did not have a computer to read online. So, I read, and read, and read. Now, I am back on track with that.
The stitches on my chest were removed Monday. For two weeks, it was bloody, red perimeter, and swollen and hurt it touched by my clothing. The doctor said it looked fine. Well, by Wednesday night, I can barely see where the stitches were located. This makes me happy since my clothing, purse, and seatbelt all hurt me. I am allergic to the tape on bandaids and did not have proper tape.
Yellow squash zucchini are now cooking in olive oil and garlic. There are other things we can eat--baked chicken, carrots, slaw, salad greens, grape tomatoes and things I cannot remember. Tommy can choose his as will I. We have cherries, apples, bananas, red grapes, white grapes, and black grapes. Tommy will not touch bananas, and I won't touch red grapes. And, there is a plethora of canned and frozen foods--fruits, vegetables, and proteins.
I may have to cook tomorrow...boo hoo. Okay, tonight, tommy wants a chicken Italian salami thing like a hot dog. That is a microwave job.
Who loves to read so much you read what other people think is too much or too long? How long have you loved to read? Did you mind reading textbooks in school? Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?
When I was a kid, our small town library was in two rooms in an apartment building. It was open from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I would stand outside the door at 2, waiting for it to open. We were permitted to take two books at a time. I would choose my books and start reading as fast as I could so that by 8 that evening I could return one, choose another so I would have two to last me until the library opened again.
ReplyDeleteWe had a long hallway leading to our bathroom. My father put a book case in the hall and put our encyclopedia set on it. All three kids would grab one on the way to the john and read in there. We were supposed to put them back but my brother and sister never did. My Saturday job was to find all the missing volumes and put them back in alphabetical order.
Did you read by the street lights? I did! When I had to have cataract surgery (at age 69) my 89 year old mother swore it was because of reading by the street light.
I would say you were an avid reader! That is interesting there was a library in the apartment building. How handy.
DeleteWe only had one bathroom, so there could be no dawdling in the bathroom. But, that was handy having the bookcase on the way. And, you got practice in alphabetizing every Saturday.
We had not street lights. But, I probably would have if we had street lights. Tommy said he had street lights but they were too dim and too high. Mothers always worry about losing sight, I suppose.
Thanks for the interesting stories!
I have loved reading my entire life, from really young, probably because we had a wonderful English teacher. I remember reading Dickens at age 11 and am often appalled at the "dumbing down" I hear of when kids of that age are now basically reading books appropriate for much younger children. But then I guess I'm biased because I love English! When I was still working I had a very long commute, part of which consisted of at least 90 minutes on a bus each day, so you can imagine I got a helluva lot of reading done there. And I remember a Chinese man coming to sit next to me one day and asking what I was reading because that was all he ever saw me do! Still, it was "dead" time anyway, so why not!
ReplyDeleteTreaders,
DeleteOh, I loved to read from the time I learned. I read The Last of the Mohicans when I was almost eleven. My son is 53. He hated to read and could not read! Finally, after the second grade, I decided he would read The Call of the Wild. He did. He hated the fact I was making him. But, he loved to read from that day on and to this day. I blamed the books he was given to read in school for his first bad experiences. He is now an English teacher and married an English teacher. Having to spend 90 minutes reading would be great! Of course, now I have the time...lol. Reading keeps me from being bored anywhere. I will read anything I can find if stuck somewhere.
A Painted House was made into a movie. You can watch it for free on YouTube. It was a good story. Stay well.
ReplyDeleteBarb
bun,
DeleteI was going to check that. After I finish the book, I will look it up. I wish I could hook my computer to the tv to see it with Tommy. I think I will figure that out. Thanks.
I spend most of my reading time reading blogs now. Sometimes I will read a book, but not like I used too. When I read a book, I find it very difficult to stop before I get to the end of it.
ReplyDeleteAll through high school I really enjoyed reading the books that were assigned, except for anything Shakespeare. I had to force myself to get through his writing. I remember being assigned The Iceman Cometh, Our Town, and I know there were others, but can't remember now. As a child I loved reading Pearl S. Buck books, and every Edna Ferber book I could find. These were from the bookmobile when I was in 5th or 6th grade. I had chosen the book The Good Earth to read, and when I went to check it out, they wouldn't permit me to. I didn't know they were for adults but I really liked books by those writers. My mom called the school principal to give permission for me to check those books out from the bookmobile. Once in a while I still love to pick up a Pearl S Buck book or Edna Ferber book (from my own bookshelves) and read them. When I was in 6th grade the adult material, like concubines in The Good Earth, just went right over my head, but I loved reading about the people and places in Ms Buck and Ms Ferber's books, and still do.
susie,
DeleteI remember that in the third grade, we had our own "library" in the room, a hundred books or more. I read one of those every night. I could not get enough of reading anything. I started reading the paper every night when I was in the second grade. I came across "rape" one day and Mama said it meant to get beaten up badly. It was years before I knew the meaning. When we went to the library in Jackson, MS, I checked out adult books and no one stopped me. All the stuff in them went over my head, too. Good for your mother! I like Ferber and Buck, too.
I've always loved to read. As a kid those monthly book magazines you could purchase through school were the best thing, LOL. Dh thinks I read too much, so I just reply back, well you sit in front of your computer just as much.
ReplyDeleteOne,
DeleteI am not sure what book magazines you mean. That must have been something after my time. I would rather see someone with a book than always on the computer. But, I suppose it depends on the subject matter in book or on the computer. But, since you do work a fulltime job and appear to keep house, I suppose you don't have enough free time to read too much.
Today I read on/off 4 books. I nibble at them rather than sit through one only.
ReplyDeleteUrspo,
DeleteI kept reading books in different reading places. Now, I only have one reading place, so only read one book at a time. I did keep one in the car for reading and waiting. Now, there is Tommy to talk with and birds to be seen.