I say our because I had to share her with my sister, brother, and sometimes with cousins. My family lived in Corbin the same town as Grandmother did. Today for some reason I was thinking about her and want to share. She was an amazing woman for her times.
Grandmother was born on a farm in the Bluegrass part of Kentucky in 1890. Her father was a fairly prosperous farmer and had tenant farmers as workers. She told me one time she wasn't allowed to wear shoes to school until after a killing frost. That was because the tenant farmers' didn't buy shoes for their children until winter. Grandmother said she would run through the pastures and walk where the cattle had slept the night before, the land was warmer there.
Grandmother was an excellent horsewoman and she had her own buggy. Once her buggy caught on the train rails and tipped over. The men around the area pulled the damaged buggy off the tracks. One of the men was going to take her home, because she was a "frail" woman. Not my Grandmother. She pulled her horse out of the traces, jumped on him bareback and rode home.
She met my grandfather in school. He was her teacher and at least 10 years older. He waited for her to grow up and they married when she was 22. During her growing up period, he went to medical school at the University of Louisville. He took a practice in Corbin and they moved from the Bluegrass to the Mountains of Kentucky. There were no roads in part of the way and they drove on the railroad track to cross rivers and creeks. I don't know if this was by car or horse and wagon.
Grandmother graduated from high school and then became self taught. She was well versed in many areas. She wanted to go to college but that didn't happen. But she was learning until she died.
One of the greatest gifts my grandmother gave me was a love of books. She read to us everyday. Not just fairy tales sometimes grown up books. Every year she placed a huge order with a bookstore in Louisville for that year's supply of books.. They were Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, and some were saved for when we were sick. Then books came out to occupy the sick cranky child. I was the bad child who so loved getting those books that I held the thermometer against the light bulb. I would have recovered but I wanted more of those wonderful books. I was smart enough to only go to 100, more than that and they would know I was faking and send me back to school.
She believed if we could read it, then it was okay for us to have. She knew we would ask questions about parts that were difficult. That caused a problem in the library. Our library had a children's side and an adult's side. You could only check out maybe two books at a time. I would devour the books and walk to the library every two or three days. I eventually ran out of books on my side. So I went to the adult side. NO children allowed. Go back to the other side. I told Grandmother and she walked to the library and explained I loved to read. And if the books were not fit for an advanced child to read, it should not be in the library. I got to check out anything I wanted after that.
Grandmother was a lady raised in the Victorian era. If she walked to the grocery, bank, drug store, where ever, she wore a hat and white gloves. We were taught proper lady/gentlmen rules. We were taken to church every time the doors opened. We could set a formal table, walk with a book on our head, only crossed our ankles (away from home the knees were crossed much sexier) how to get in and out of a car, how to walk in our first pair of heels (if you wobbled you could not wear them out of the house) and much more.
This lovely woman basically raised me, my sister, and my brother. My father was ill from the time I was 5 and died when I was 10. Mother was busy with his care the early years. After his death she was in and out of our lives. Grandmother was always there.
We were lucky to have her the short time we had. She died when I was 17. She is still missed and loved.
Showing posts with label library. Show all posts
Showing posts with label library. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Favorite Places
We all have favorite places, places that make us feel happy, safe, contented, at peace, makes us smile . . . Lots of reasons are out there for some place to become a favorite place. Today is about one of my very favorite places, The San Leandro Main Library. The link is for the whole library system. And I am happy in any library, San Diego, Concord, Walnut Creek, Rockridge, any library makes me happy.
A little background about me, books, and libraries. I had my own library card before I was in second grade. When I was in second grade I was old enough walk alone to the Corbin Library. I had to cross the streets and roads (Major HWY US 25 ran through town) to get to the library. Once there I could check out any book I wanted. And if it wasn't finished by bedtime, I would read it under the covers with a flashlight. I hated not having a book available to replace the one I was reading. I still am that way, panic attack if no books are waiting to be read. Really, panic attacks.
Today was my stock up on books day. Usually I get 99% mysteries. But today I have biographies, non fictions, novels, and a couple of mysteries. A smorgasbord of books.
My library is fairly new and homey. Lots of chairs, art exhibits, huge selection of books, and it is open 7 days a weeks, and many nights. I love my library.
A little background about me, books, and libraries. I had my own library card before I was in second grade. When I was in second grade I was old enough walk alone to the Corbin Library. I had to cross the streets and roads (Major HWY US 25 ran through town) to get to the library. Once there I could check out any book I wanted. And if it wasn't finished by bedtime, I would read it under the covers with a flashlight. I hated not having a book available to replace the one I was reading. I still am that way, panic attack if no books are waiting to be read. Really, panic attacks.
Today was my stock up on books day. Usually I get 99% mysteries. But today I have biographies, non fictions, novels, and a couple of mysteries. A smorgasbord of books.
My library is fairly new and homey. Lots of chairs, art exhibits, huge selection of books, and it is open 7 days a weeks, and many nights. I love my library.
Walking up to the front door
These two pictures show the main floor. On the left are DVDs, 90% of them are free. Look up and on the floor are fiction stacks, study tables, a museum, and magazine room.
The entrance to the Children's Library. Children love to use their little entrances. And the statue of the woman reading to children is wonderful Every time I first see it, I think it is real. Behind the statue is a wall of new books.
As you come out the door, this is a partial view of the free parking lot. One of the prettiest lots around. Lot of trees to shade your car during the hot part of the day.
Yes, I do love this library. It is big, open, friendly staff, and thousands of books. What more could a book lover want?
Friday, January 17, 2014
Tuesday
Tuesday was busy. I left home at 8:00 A.M. to work at Kaiser School in Oakland, then drove to Pleasant Hill for a hair appointment, then to Walnut Creek to Kaiser Permanente for a retinal screening. At this point the plan was I would then drive back to San Leandro, eat supper, drive back to Oakland for Book Group and finally drive back to San Leandro and get home around 10:00 P.M.
After my retinal screening (every thing is fine) I thought, I am crazy. I am backtracking, burning gas, I have several more hours before I will get home, I am tired. Marty was at a church meeting in Concord, close to Walnut Creek. He had done his bus/ BART/bus thing. I met him there, sat through his meeting, let him take me out to supper and do all the driving. Sometimes you have to listen to your body and just not do all you want to do.
School was good. One sweet thing happened and I wasn't even with the first graders. There is a change of librarians, the past one is gone and the new one hasn't started yet. Volunteers are running the library until the change over is done. Ms. H asked me to take the children's checked out book to the library and have them teach me how to scan in/out books in order for the class to get new books. No volunteer in the library, so I went to the office to see if someone there could help me.
A kindergartener was in the office and heard me say I needed to learn how to check out books. He became all helpful. The conversation went something like this.
Him: My teacher knows how, she will teach you.
Me: But she has to take care of her class.
Him: She will be glad to show you, she knows all about checking in books.
Me: She can't leave her class to help me.
Him: Yes she can. She'll teach you.
Me: I don't think they want her to leave the class alone and come help me.
Him: You should stay after school and she can show you then.
Me: She probably needs to go home after school.
Him: Go Home???
Little children do not realize teachers ever leave the building. It stuns them if they run into their teacher in a store.
After my retinal screening (every thing is fine) I thought, I am crazy. I am backtracking, burning gas, I have several more hours before I will get home, I am tired. Marty was at a church meeting in Concord, close to Walnut Creek. He had done his bus/ BART/bus thing. I met him there, sat through his meeting, let him take me out to supper and do all the driving. Sometimes you have to listen to your body and just not do all you want to do.
School was good. One sweet thing happened and I wasn't even with the first graders. There is a change of librarians, the past one is gone and the new one hasn't started yet. Volunteers are running the library until the change over is done. Ms. H asked me to take the children's checked out book to the library and have them teach me how to scan in/out books in order for the class to get new books. No volunteer in the library, so I went to the office to see if someone there could help me.
A kindergartener was in the office and heard me say I needed to learn how to check out books. He became all helpful. The conversation went something like this.
Him: My teacher knows how, she will teach you.
Me: But she has to take care of her class.
Him: She will be glad to show you, she knows all about checking in books.
Me: She can't leave her class to help me.
Him: Yes she can. She'll teach you.
Me: I don't think they want her to leave the class alone and come help me.
Him: You should stay after school and she can show you then.
Me: She probably needs to go home after school.
Him: Go Home???
Little children do not realize teachers ever leave the building. It stuns them if they run into their teacher in a store.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
No Ms. H
Tuesday, yes I am a little slow getting to this, Ms. H was out for a meeting. So we had a sub. I really didn't want to get up early Tuesday, but I had promised to show up. Ms. H had asked me to check all the homework packets and to help out the sub. So I went.
I hadn't met this sub before and she was new to Ms. H. I watched her closely (to report back to Ms. H). The sub was pretty good. She gave clear instructions, had control of the class, and kept them busy.
The class had library for the first time on Tuesday. I stayed in the library to help control the kids, and to help them find books. The sub did do something that tickled me just a little. While the librarian was explaining how to use the library, the sub took the only chair (in that part of the library) and sat down. The twenty something sat and the 70 year old stood.
I hadn't met this sub before and she was new to Ms. H. I watched her closely (to report back to Ms. H). The sub was pretty good. She gave clear instructions, had control of the class, and kept them busy.
The class had library for the first time on Tuesday. I stayed in the library to help control the kids, and to help them find books. The sub did do something that tickled me just a little. While the librarian was explaining how to use the library, the sub took the only chair (in that part of the library) and sat down. The twenty something sat and the 70 year old stood.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
In the stacks
San Diego County must have had, and maybe still has, pots of money. I have been in two of the libraries, and driven by a couple more. There are I think 32 branches. These buildings are huge, beautiful, and have an incredible check in and out system. They have large parking lots and street parking which is free. Take that Oakland.
To return books you go to a window, press check in, slide the book hard onto the conveyor belt, and it reads who checked it out and prints a receipt when you press done. But the check out is crazy. They have several stations around the library. You scan your library card, and stack several books on a pad. As you place them it reads them, when all books are read, press done, and a receipt is printed. I stacked mine all at once and it read half of them. I lifted those off and before I could place them in my book bag, it had read the rest. It doesn't matter which way you place the books, it reads the ID strip inside the book. It took less than 30 seconds to check out 13 books. Other systems I have used, you place a book, wait and wait, then place the next one. Very slow, better than waiting in line for a person, but still slow.
In the stacks they will have 4 or 5 copies of books. But, there is always a but, I hate the way the stacks are organized. Everything that is sorted by the Dewey Decimal system is fine. But Fiction, awful. Most libraries I have used through the years sort fiction by: New books, Large print, Older books. These categories are broken down then into sub categories: Romance, Science Fiction, Mysteries, Novels, Short Stories, Graphic Novels. Paperbacks are sorted by the previous categories. All of these are shelved by the author's last name.
Not San Diego. Every fictional book goes on the shelf by author's name. Paperback next to mystery, next to romance, next to scenic fiction. . . They do have stickers on the spine to show mystery and science fiction. That helps, but you have to go through every row to find what you are looking for. I can't remember many authors' names. I have to look for the mystery sticker, take it down, and see if it is someone I read, or want to read. It takes a long long time to find books. If the mystery books are all together, I find favorites and discover new favorites quickly.
I know this is a petty complaint. I understand it is much easier for them to shelf books one big group by last name. No this one here, that one in that row, this one in the next room, that one goes on the spinning holder thingy. I just don't like the system.
But it is free, I can check out as many as I want, I can have 200 holds a year, and it is free. I do love libraries.
To return books you go to a window, press check in, slide the book hard onto the conveyor belt, and it reads who checked it out and prints a receipt when you press done. But the check out is crazy. They have several stations around the library. You scan your library card, and stack several books on a pad. As you place them it reads them, when all books are read, press done, and a receipt is printed. I stacked mine all at once and it read half of them. I lifted those off and before I could place them in my book bag, it had read the rest. It doesn't matter which way you place the books, it reads the ID strip inside the book. It took less than 30 seconds to check out 13 books. Other systems I have used, you place a book, wait and wait, then place the next one. Very slow, better than waiting in line for a person, but still slow.
In the stacks they will have 4 or 5 copies of books. But, there is always a but, I hate the way the stacks are organized. Everything that is sorted by the Dewey Decimal system is fine. But Fiction, awful. Most libraries I have used through the years sort fiction by: New books, Large print, Older books. These categories are broken down then into sub categories: Romance, Science Fiction, Mysteries, Novels, Short Stories, Graphic Novels. Paperbacks are sorted by the previous categories. All of these are shelved by the author's last name.
Not San Diego. Every fictional book goes on the shelf by author's name. Paperback next to mystery, next to romance, next to scenic fiction. . . They do have stickers on the spine to show mystery and science fiction. That helps, but you have to go through every row to find what you are looking for. I can't remember many authors' names. I have to look for the mystery sticker, take it down, and see if it is someone I read, or want to read. It takes a long long time to find books. If the mystery books are all together, I find favorites and discover new favorites quickly.
I know this is a petty complaint. I understand it is much easier for them to shelf books one big group by last name. No this one here, that one in that row, this one in the next room, that one goes on the spinning holder thingy. I just don't like the system.
But it is free, I can check out as many as I want, I can have 200 holds a year, and it is free. I do love libraries.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
I love you more than honey
Yesterday was my last day volunteering with the first graders until Fall. I am getting over a terrible cold with a cough and really did not want to drag myself out of bed. But I wanted to tell them goodbye.
The children were working on memory pages. They glued a picture taken during the year and wrote about that particular event. They also wrote and drew a picture about their favorite place at school. You would think the playground would be the number one place. No, it was the library. How that tickled me. Books and reading won!
Then we did the end of the year testing for math. As I walked around making sure they were on the right problem I was pleased how well most of them were doing. This test is really hard: clocks, money, number families, reading problems, graphs, adding and subtraction, patterns, geometric shapes, and more. Ms. H had taught them well.
I read a couple of chapters of Stuart Little to them and then Ms. H came up to me with a gift bag. They had made a book of letters and pictures thanking me for helping them all year. Well, that alone had me emotional. And then she asked if anyone wanted to say anything to me. The first little boy looks at me and says, "I love you more than honey." Then nearly every child told me how much they loved me and how I had helped them. I was in tears when I told them how I loved them and that they are the highlight of my week. We were all so emotional by then that Ms. H said they needed to sing to me to cheer me up. So they sang and danced the Chicken song. This is the best link to hearing some of the words. Then Ms. H and I taught them Do Your Ears Hang Low.
By then we are laughing like crazy. The kids are dancing around the room. I am getting hugs from kids and from Ms. H. It was a lovely ending to a school year. I have promised Ms. H that I'll be back in the Fall. What will I do with my Tuesdays until then?
The children were working on memory pages. They glued a picture taken during the year and wrote about that particular event. They also wrote and drew a picture about their favorite place at school. You would think the playground would be the number one place. No, it was the library. How that tickled me. Books and reading won!
Then we did the end of the year testing for math. As I walked around making sure they were on the right problem I was pleased how well most of them were doing. This test is really hard: clocks, money, number families, reading problems, graphs, adding and subtraction, patterns, geometric shapes, and more. Ms. H had taught them well.
I read a couple of chapters of Stuart Little to them and then Ms. H came up to me with a gift bag. They had made a book of letters and pictures thanking me for helping them all year. Well, that alone had me emotional. And then she asked if anyone wanted to say anything to me. The first little boy looks at me and says, "I love you more than honey." Then nearly every child told me how much they loved me and how I had helped them. I was in tears when I told them how I loved them and that they are the highlight of my week. We were all so emotional by then that Ms. H said they needed to sing to me to cheer me up. So they sang and danced the Chicken song. This is the best link to hearing some of the words. Then Ms. H and I taught them Do Your Ears Hang Low.
By then we are laughing like crazy. The kids are dancing around the room. I am getting hugs from kids and from Ms. H. It was a lovely ending to a school year. I have promised Ms. H that I'll be back in the Fall. What will I do with my Tuesdays until then?
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