LIBRARY DAY

One of my greatest pleasures,as a child was the fortnightly visits of the Mobile Library,especially during the long summer break from school. Having chosen my books I would disappear for hours, with a bottle of water, into patch of long grass or a certain Sycamore tree which ,near the top divided into three,making a convenient and well hidden seat. There,free from my young brothers attentions and unavailable for chores I would spend the sunny afternoon reading of Kings and Queens or Gods and Monsters,I floated down the Mississippi with Huckleberry Finn or trekked through thick jungle in search of ruined temples, or strange animals.

More often than not my absence resulted in a scolding but my enjoyment of those magical hours made it well worth while.

Now I have rediscovered this forgotten pleasure and look forward to the Mobile Library's visits with the all the old excitement .

With the onset of winter the hours spent curled up on a huge armchair in our own library are as welcome a distraction from chores as ever,the bottle of water replaced now with a glass of Whisky or a cup of coffee....bliss.

There is something about this quiet time, disturbed only by the crackle of burning logs or the somnolent sound of the ticking clock, I must confess that these days I often fall asleep so it is a good thing that I no longer have to perch high in a tree to enjoy this pleasure.

As darkness descends earlier and I find such occupation more than compensates for the loss of out door pursuits. There is something quite different about winter in the country,the pace of life slows as the nights draw in and there is time for reading,games of cards or dominoes,story telling or writing.

All here are great readers and collectors of books,hence the need for a library to keep our treasured volumes safe and to hand,it is a far cry from the small bookshelf in the bedroom of my childhood home ,and a luxury for which I am profoundly thankful.

As a child I often felt confined by the cold rainy winter days,preferring the freedom to wander through the woods and fields near my home. Now in later life I have learned to see winter as a respite from the busy summer months

Of course there are still many tasks peculiar to this time of year,the baking of harvest loaves, Halloween, bonfire night and of course preparations for Christmas which  looms closer each day. For me these events mark the changing seasons and each is welcomed as an old friend and enjoyed ,but the quiet hours spent among my books will always be precious and I look forward to many such peaceful hours in the months to come.