My most precious thing, that fills me with most joy, is my library.
In fact it is our library. Religiously we go to the Hastings Library on the Mornington Peninsula where the friendly staff welcome us. It’s a small library by city standards. Books can be ordered from the bigger libraries, and the books get recycled between four libraries.
When I am not blogging, yes, I do have another life. Gardening, cooking, ironing, allow me to listen to audio books. Chris listens to stories as he paints. We are then able to discuss which ones we think are successful and why the others don’t come up to scratch.
We have discovered many genres previously unexplored. If we don’t like them we just start another. Popular choices are often crime fiction, from the gentle Donna Leon stories set in Venice, to popular Patricia Cornwell and many in between. Books of course are a separate bedtime activity. We read till we can’t keep our eyes open and allow the soporific effect to take us to an exciting dream world that we both fully participate in.
Without books our world would be quite colourless. (sorry, we Australians still like to use ‘u’ in some of our words).
Barbara Pyett 
Pingback: Daily Prompt: Pride and Joy | Nola Roots, Texas Heart
Thanks for your pingback.
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🙂
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It breaks my heart to think of libraries closing. I love everything about htm, including the librarians/media specialists. The ones in our county have had the hours cut back some, but are still open most of the time. They are on big budget cuts, I’m sure. Anyway, I love to hear about people enjoying the library!
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Thanks Dixie, for your response. Yes, let’s hope libraries are not closed in our communities, as is happening at some of the universities!!
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When I saw the daily prompt for “pride and joy” I gave it a pass. Couldn’t think of a thing. But you are so right, Barbara… I do value the public library. Ours is also one of five in a network. In neighbouring (go away spell check, I’m keeping the “u”!) counties, similar branches are closing or under threat of same, and the constituents are rightfully up in arms.
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Maggie, so good to hear from you. Sad to hear your libraries are threatened. hope you are having a better day today!
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Oh, thanks, Barbara. I must re-work that post – the slip up that sprained my ankle was three years ago. You are not the only one to think it was just the other day.
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No, I thought you wrote that you were feeling ‘off’, that’s all! Glad you are OK!
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British libraries are closing faster than at any other time. Of those that remain either hours are reduced or they have been handed over to be run voluntarily. I feel sad and about this and not a little angry. “u” looks good in colour and you sholdn’t feel guilty about its use. I agree entirely about the importance of getting the right reader for talking books. I love Pete McCarthy’s books. On audio the reader doesn’t seem aware that they are meant to be funny.
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Pingback: The Daily Prompt: Pride and Joy in Person | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss
Thank you Anglo Swiss, I have looked at 365 days… and really loved her blog too.
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That is a real concern Simon, I guess we will follow suit. Yes, the wrong reader can ruin the story! Humour just disappears.
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Helen, your point about spelling is true! I shouldn’t apologise. Did you read the P. Cornwell book about Sickert? It was too long and maybe the writing wasn’t fantastic, but the content was fascinating. Walter Sickert was a hero of ours at art school and she sets out to prove that he was Jack the Ripper. It sounded quite convincing!
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Why apologise for the u? QI observation: Oz books realeased in the US have ‘footpath’ changed to ‘sidewalk’ etc. Same doesn’t happen in reverse. What conclusions should we draw?
I love crime fiction, but do NOT love Patricia Cornwell’s. IMO, she writes so badly she should be ashamed. But then again, she sells.
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In all the words that require them ! 😉 So you listen to audiobooks, too, Ba ? – I’m kind of hung up on them. In fact, I’m finding it very hard to actually read, and this worries me. I listen to my audiobooks and crochet, or cook, or whatever, and I’m happy. Currently working my way through all the Miss Fishers, and cursing when a new one turns out to be the woman who doesn’t know how to pronounce Hispano Suiza. On my current one, she has NO IDEA how to pronounce the ‘Ruthven’ in ‘Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd’: obviously is not a G&S fan, and certainly not a ‘Ruddigore’ fan.
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The readers do make a tremendous difference. Some have humourless voices, whereas others I borrow for the sound of the voice, as much as for the story! Biographies of late have been an interest. Have you come across Donna Leon? Her readers vary, I think it might be her earlier ones with the reader we like. Wonderful Italian accent, and the food, takes you to Venice.
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Not in audiobooks (I have all the books themselves). I don’t think I’d go there: I have too keen a sense of how Paola and Guido would sound. 🙂
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Yes, you are right, only one man could do it beautifully!
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