Summer Reading Program

This morning I got an email from Kobo Books - where I buy my ebooks from - that some lawsuit had lead to them sending all of their clients a settlement. Not sure why, they had sneaky overcharged for books or something - but I was not overly excited. Usually by the time they divide the spoils each and every customer ends up about 3 dollars richer. Imagine my squealy reaction to finding almost SIXTY dollars in my account this morning - and I instantly ordered the detective series I had wanted but was too expensive. I had to work this morning, so I got that done and headed home. I was thinking about a coversation Nancy and I had when she was here about the summer programs we had attended as kids. Now I can't believe we would get so excited about it - but we gladly and eagerly went, didn't we?

There was more than one program of course, we had swimming classes of course. Children that live on Eastern Long Island don't attend too long, after you learn the basics you're on your own. You start as a guppy sticking your face in the water, do a little dog paddle - and then you jump straight in the canal off the jetty and paddle like a mad thing back to the ladder, freaking out a bit because - well, if you've ever seen the canal it's self-explanatory. But I never remember anyone NOT finding the ladder back. The summer Arts And Crafts was much more fun, it was held at the elementary school and it was so weird going down the quiet, dark halls of summer. The whole school empty except for the art rooms where the program would be held, the only light coming through the windows as your sneakers and flip flops echoed. My mother and the neighbor's mother would sign everyone up at the beginning of summer. Us and the Palominos would spend a few weeks happily gluing the bananas out of stuff, decoupaging every cigar box we laid our tiny Modge Podge covered hands on, we paper mached balloons and then painted them with bright acrylic paints. We made candles all the time - they melted down squares of pafferin on hot plates with crayons tossed in for color, then we presented our empty milk cartons with a string tied to a pencils so we could make....square pafferin candles. Sand candles were next - bowl of sand you dug a hole in, wax poured and voila - you had a sand candle! This would be given to your parents to proudly display and  there would be a little puddle of sand everywhere they put it. Forever. 

But I truly loved the Library Summer Reading Program, I have no idea why, but I did. Once a week we walked down to the library, took out a book - and read it. I think you got a sticker or something, you had to read so many books before you got your certifcate that proudly proclaimed- you had read books. I know! Dorky, but as a reader from the time I could do Dick and Jane by myself I really enjoyed it, and still do today. Not to say I don't read for pleasure all year long, but the summer - it's one long crap festival of reading. Trolls, murder mystery, Dragons, epic battles and just plain old no point to it stories.Macabre history - I have a very cherished book on Typhoid Mary, the history of Syphillis, the Black Plague.  So, you can see why I got so excited over sixty bucks unexpectedly appearing in my account. I still have about 25 dollars left but I think I'll wait a bit before doing any more giddy spending. My ereader is always with me of course, if you had to physically own the books on it - it would literally fill a room or more. David has given up reviewing my ebook bill with me (as if that would make me gasp I Can't Believe I Spent All That On Books and announce I would Turning Over A New Leaf - nope, I just realize there's more money in my bank account and order some more) - unless he watches me every waking moment I will order at (least!) one a week. You can never have too many books and, if you have a good book, you'll never be alone.