When I met my husband, January 2002, we had a little turmoil blending our families - 6 teenagers can make life. . .well, pleasant - NOT! And there were moments I was not sure we would be able to be together. We weren't sure the issues with the kids could be worked out. I'm happy to say they did work out and this May we will be married 7 years.
Now you may wonder what books have to do with any of this. The thing was that during those moments of stress and anguish, when we thought we might have to stop seeing each other I would assure him each time, that I would be ok "I still have my books". I've always been a reader, getting all the reading certificates all through grade school and junior high, earning my lifetime award - uh, yeah, who cares, right. But books have always been a very important part of my life and it was my way of telling him that I would live through it. I wouldn't like it but I would survive.
Eight years later books remain a little joke between us. Through the years I have read many and we have read many more. You see, I pulled him into my love of books and rather than listening to the radio in the car I read to him while he drives. I think I'm just as excited for our trips because of what places books will take us as I am about the places we're going.
He's very good about keeping me stocked in new books, so a few weeks ago when I mentioned my to-read pile was down to just a couple of books he promptly took me on a search to find some new ones. It took a few shopping expeditions but I acquired a nice pile to read alone and to share with him.
Before you ask, yes I have contemplated getting an electronic reader of sorts, it would diminish my need for a book light in bed I assume. But I couldn't take it in the tub with me, could I? Or to the beach, etc? Are they waterproof. Besides, there's something I like about holding it in my hands and turning the pages. The only time I hate my books is when we move, lugging 10+ plastic tubs of books is really not much fun, and our teenagers have since grown and moved out - except for Haden and he's pretty tired of moving my boxes of books around for me, lol.
Oh well, no matter what happens, I still have my books.
Enjoy all the books, Lisa!!! And hopefully you don't have to move them anytime soon....
ReplyDeleteI had all of the Kathy Reichs books (love them!) but donated them to a library. I got them at a second hand book store and read them twice. I figured anywhere I go, I will have a library, so I can easily go read them again. May not be the books I originally purchased, but, they weren't originally purchased by me anyway, lol.
ReplyDeleteSo glad the two of you made it, you're such a great couple!
ReplyDeleteI currently have a huge pile of books waiting to be read and I'm in the middle of reading an auto-biography. I've made a promise to myself this year tha I shouldn't buy any more books until I've got through most of the pile already waiting, but that promise has already been broken one or twice this year!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you're a member or not, but I highly recommend goodreads.com - There you can keep track of what books you've read, what you're reading and what you've got waiting to be read. There's a whole community there too, not just of readers, but of authors too. They also do give-aways and I won a book not long after entering one of the give-aways... all they ask in return is that you review the book, which I think is fair enough. It's a wonderful website :)
Love this post and am delighted that the two of you found one another ;-)
ReplyDeleteLike you, I have my books and although friends have tried to get me to switch to a 'reader' like a Kindle (and I've actually TRIED using a neighbor's) there's nothing quite like a REAL book in my hands. As is, I spend enough time at the computer ... but if I traveled, I might be tempted to invest in one because it's so much simpler to take many books along without the bulk or weight.
Hugs and blessings,
I also love books. Sadly my dh does not. The only books he ever gets me to read to him are usually about some sort of computer programming! Bores me to tears. He thinks Fiction is a waste of time. But thats ok. He loves TV and I don't! And even though he is not so fussed on my books, he never says anything about how much i spend on them...LOL. I try to throw in a few non-fiction ones to throw him off!
ReplyDeleteI've got an amazon kindle e-reader. Great fr bedtime (still need a reading light) because it's easier to press a button than turn a page lying down. It's easy to travel with. Having said that, I still read paper books :)
ReplyDeleteI like to hold the actual books in my hands too! There is something about paper and ink that I like..I finally donate my books pile to the library two years ago when I ran out of spaces in the house..
ReplyDeleteI hear ya. Just got the email from Amazon with the free Kindle download. Thinking of doing it just to see. I hear the real contraption works a charm, but those bath time and beach side moments have me nervous. And I love the pages, too.
ReplyDeleteI have mine too :-)
ReplyDeleteI got rid of almost all my books when we moved here six years ago. Last fall I put a table at the end of the driveway and in the course of a single day gave away over 100 books because I couldn't bear to sit there and charge people 25 or 50 cents. I just wanted them gone. I felt so good and virtuous. Recently I read a comment on a blog post where someone said that if a person doesn't save their books they hate to read. I was CRUSHED by that comment even though it wasn't my blog or my post, I was just reading. It's not true. You can love books and not keep them all. Having said that, I live close to the most excellent library I have ever set foot in, things might change if I ever move away. Tonight, sitting for 1.5 hours to cross back from our day cross-border into Canada I read five chapters of Phantom of the Opera on my Iphone. So, I would say Yes to the electronic reader but you'll still have books, they will still stack up around you and you'll still love them. An electronic reader will just enhance your reading. Whew ... all that from someone who doesn't even own a kindle or Ipad!!
ReplyDeleteI do have a Kindle and they are great for traveling ... but I don't think they are waterproof. How about audio books in bed?
ReplyDeleteYou know me, I love books. The readers are great, but you're right, it could be dangerous to use them in the bath. I think one would be great on a long trip, especially if your flying. Not having to lug books would be great, then.
ReplyDeleteFor now, I'm sticking to paper. I must say, all your books look great except Joe Hill and Ted Dekker. Let me know what you think.
You can fit all your books into ten or eleven tubs??? Wow ... that might cover the ones from the lounge, for us! But then, we've been married for over thirty years and are both almost pathologically unable to get rid of our books once we've read them. We literally have thousands, though from time to time we do bring ourselves to 'prune'. So I know exactly what you mean in this post, 'I still have my books' - that's crystal clear.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be able to read in the car, but what bliss it would be to be read to! I envy your husband!
wow you had 6 teens, i can't imagine!
ReplyDeleteI am a reader, too - and I LOVE books! I don't have any real reasons for not getting an electronic reader, except that they are expensive. Also, I like paperbacks. I just do. I'm sure you understand! ;o)
ReplyDeleteMr. Handsome brought me a new pile of books this weekend too! He is great for introducing me to new genres and authors that I might not otherwise be interested in.
Oh my, I just read the story on your accident. Wow, I'm so glad you are ok, must have really scared everyone! Geesh.
ReplyDeleteyou would love an e-reader :)
ReplyDeleteSo cool that the two of you can share those kinds of moments. And yes, no matter what happens...
ReplyDeleteI think that's about the best philosophy I've heard in ages: No matter what happens, I'll still have my books. Thank you, I'm going to have to use that one!
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