My Childhood Reading
Saying for the day: Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. ~Charles W. Eliot
Having read Josie's Blog yesterday it set me to thinking about my own childhood reading. I loved to read and starting in the second grade I was always checking books out of the school library.
I read every one of Frank Baum’s Oz books that the library had. He wrote fourteen counting the Wizard of Oz. I loved his characters.
Then I read all the Tarzan books . I saw myself swinging through trees and riding elephants. I’m lucky I didn’t break an arm or a leg as I tried swinging from a limb of our apple tree.
Tarzan was followed by the Hardy Boys. I loved a good mystery. I bought a lot of those books. I knew every plot by heart.
After that came my scientific period. I believed science was going to save the world. I believed we would have flying cars in a world with no disease. So I read everything I could find that had to do with science. I even read the medical journals my dad brought home from the hospital. He wanted me to become a doctor.
As I think back on it books enriched my childhood in so many ways.
I feel sorry for today’s children who spend so much time watching television they don’t get the thrill of reading .
At least Harry Potter changed that a bit.
####News from Pigeon Falls-The little town in my basement where the trains still run, dragons fly, and life is back to normal. The Hoa’s and the Knights are at it again. They have a long running dispute over their property line. The Knight’s claim that the Hoas have stolen ten feet of their property. The Hoas , of course, say that’s nonsense and point to the surveying markers. But the Knights claim the Hoas moved the markers. Last night at the Fly Inn , after a few drinks, the Charlie Hoa took a swing at Fred Knight. Then a real fight broke out. Two tables got smashed and a mirror. Fred ended up with a black eye. Both men are now in the Iron County Jail as the County Sheriff got called in. Each is blaming the other for starting the fight.
One would think that they could bring in a surveyor and just settle this. But the Hoa house is one foot over into the property that Knight is claiming as their own. The Hoas don’t want to take a chance on the Knights being right.
They have been to Court and the judge has ordered the property to be surveyed by a surveyor acceptable to both parties. There in lies the problem . The surveyor acceptable to the Knights is not acceptable to the Hoas. The surveyor acceptable to the Hoas ( their cousin Al) is not acceptable to the Knights.
The Knights have offered to sell the ten feet to the Hoas at an outrageous price but less than the cost of moving the house. The Hoas have offered to give the Knights seven feet if they would just give up the nonsense. That is not acceptable to the Knights.
Almost certainly when they get out of jail they will be back in court.
********
Today's Link-Imagination Madness- Another look at scales.
Today was a much better day. My oxygen was back in the low normal range so I went most of the day without the tank. Betty went to Bible Study. I worked on my computer in the morning and in the basement in the afternoon. Some time this week we are going to do our taxes. Now I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA
posted by Dr.John at 4:49 AM
7 Comments:
Surely Petrovich has a driblet about the Knights and the Hoas dispute.
I know we are less read as a country, but I really dont understand why the Barnes & Nobles and the Borders bookstores are always swamped when we are there.
I also love books and read at least 3 a week.I love libraries so much that I now do voluntary work there.My son and grandson read and I send them books from the states.They love the smell and feel of a brand new book.I thank God that we got this gift and love of words from my father.
Have a good day Dr John.
I am happy to inform you your granddaughter loves to read...she would rather play teacher in her room and read than watch tv or play on the computer.
Not sure about the grandson yet but he is enjoying reading labels on the boxes of food. The other night it was "To open, slide finger and gently lift" (box of Nilla wafers) then he read "to close, insert tab here". Guess which box is the only one that is closed in the whole pantry???
I've been devouring books at a feverish pace since the day I learned to read. I read so many as a kid, but the ones that stick out were The Black Stallion series, The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon. It kills me that my daughter will not read. At least my son finally turned into a reader after he graduated.
I, too, read all the Frank Baum OZ books ... all the Black Stallion books, My Friend Flicka books ...
Our family always had a huge library of books right at home.
LOIS
It is a shame that children don't read as much as before.. I remember being an ultimate bookworm when I was younger. I still am.. when my schedule permits!
Two of my childhood joys were reading and playing outside. Today's youth are missing so much by sitting in front of that box watching TV or playing video games.
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