Thursday, September 24, 2020

The Library is Now an Adventure

I have three library books on my counter right now - T. Jefferson Parker, Lynda LaPlante, and Marcia Muller.  Yes, I like my mysteries and my (gentle) thrillers and I do favor certain authors.... and I think I may have read one of these books before.....but there's no convenient way to check.

Going to the library is a different experience these days.  There's no browsing the stacks, reading the fly leaf to see if the story seems familiar.  Their website has stored my Borrowing History, but it's 987 books long (990 counting today's additions) and unsearchable.  

I tried scrolling through; I got to the second page and gave up.  I was spending a lot of time remembering the plots, the twists, the language, the characters. It was fun, but it wasn't getting the job done.

When all the books I wanted were available, I got in The UV and followed my next door neighbor to the corner, where she turned right and so did I.... and then we changed lanes and turned and drove up the hill in the left lane, going an assertive but not aggressive 5 miles over the limit, neither of us losing speed as the ground rose before us.  Then she turned into the DMV/Sheriff/Library driveway and followed it around to the library's parking lot.

She dropped off her daughter to collect their bounty as I parked.  She rolled down her window as I walked by and waved.  From a safe distance, we agreed that it had been fun to drive over together.  It was the most social experience either of us had had all day, and we sighed the Pandemic sigh, I pulled up my mask, and walked on.

There were librarians toting books to tables and cars.  There were families waiting for Mystery Bundles in their favorite genres.  There was social distancing and masking and everyone was wary of everyone else.

I drove home with my treasures, made a late lunch, and wondered if reading a library book while eating a sandwich with my hands was a smart thing to do, turning the pages without washing my hands between bites.  

Reading was never this difficult.

I decided that if I didn't lick my fingers I'd be safe. 

I'd call the CDC and ask, but........


5 comments:

  1. I'm chuckling at your dilemma of washing hands. We actually ate out for lunch today and I remembered half way through my lunch that I had opened the outside door the the Panera when we came in and then didn't have any hand sanitizer. Well, too late now, as I picked up my apple wedges.
    It's good not to be scared all of the time, but then we still have the burden of diligence.

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    1. And so, are you, like me, counting the days until the threat of exposure is gone? I'm laughing at myself...I did it again today. I hate being scared all the time....
      a/b

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  2. I'm used to "counting the days" to a specific known event - the wedding, birth of the baby, retirement etc. How will we know when the threat of exposure is gone - especially with all the lies we're told? I hate being scared all the time too but I'm not at all optimistic that's going to change anytime soon although President Biden would help in that regard. God help us if there's not a President Biden! My apologies for my negative posting, I'm not sure what WAPO story I read today that has me feeling even more pessimistic than usual.

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    1. Oh, Carol, maybe it's something in the air. I'ts 4:41pm right now and I feel the same way. Read tomorrow's post and you'll see.
      The Johns Hopkins Contact Tracing course I took said 10 days after close contact, if that's any help.
      I would like to be counting the days forward instead of constantly counting backward..... 28 weeks ....
      And please don't apologize for sharing how you feel... bad moods are welcome here.
      a/b

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  3. I just know it is going to get worse, whatever IT is. I have said this for the past three years, that we have not seen the worse, and I am still saying it. So, I just enjoy the day I have, feeling grateful for every blessing bestowed on me for this time.

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Talk back to me! Word Verification is gone!