January 24, 2009
I found this funny, a $250 fine for a $13 book…and she still has to pay for the book in addition?
Hmm
By The Associated Press | Friday, January 23, 2009
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa — An Independence woman who police say failed to return a library book has been arrested.
Thirty-nine-year-old Shelly Koontz was arrested Thursday night on a fifth-degree theft charge. She is accused of keeping “The Freedom Writers Diary,” which she checked out from the Jesup Public Library in April 2008.
Police say the book was valued at $13.95.
Court records show library employees tried repeatedly by telephone and mail to contact Koontz about the book. A police officer visited her home in September 2008 and told Koontz’s teenage daughter that her mother needed to pay for the book or return it.
Officials at the Buchanan County jail say Koontz was released after posting $250 bond.
No telephone listing for Koontz could be found in the Independence area
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2009/01/23/news/iowa/doc4979f1910d1a5534435417.txt?sPos=2
January 20, 2009
President Obama!
On this historic day, I’d like to congratulate our new President, and wish him protection, wisdom, and resolve of will. Regardless of how we all feel about the change of power, it is still a historic and wonderful day.
So in keeping with the moment, perhaps you’d like to read some words of his, or perhaps wise words about the office he now holds.
Happy Inauguration day!
January 6, 2009
My destiny is with books.
Allow me to explain. About once every few years, I cannot explain how or why, I have dreams that come true. It’s rare, maybe once every two years and mostly the dreams are of routine things that later happen….call it coincidence or call me deluded, but they do come to pass.
Case in point: My fiance died in June of 2001…he was only 29 and in good health. A few weeks before he passed away, I dreamed of his death…and these aren’t ordinary dreams. In each dream I can touch, taste and smell….it is as real to me as my waking reality. Although I am now married to a wonderful man who is the light of my life, the ghosts of my past still visit me. Yes, my fiance died just two weeks after my dream.
Fast forward to last year. Blissfully unaware, I went to bed as usual, same routine as always.As I drifted into deep sleep, a dream washed over me like a wave of warm ocean water, everything was real…I could once again feel each action in my dream.
As far as dreaming goes, it was quite tame.
I was clearly ending my day and closing up a shop, locking the doors and walking up to the home that awaited me. I knew I lived there of course and was just finishing up a day at a tiny bookstore on my property. Turning to the right, I walked toward this lovely home ( oddly enough if I had a ‘dream’ home, it would look like a Tuscan villa, this was certainly not that, but still lovely).
And with that, I woke up…my dream was just locking a door to a tiny bookshop and turning toward my house.
Fast forward a few weeks. I had told my husband nothing of my dream, certain he’d humor me but think I was silly. We had been on a quest to find some flowers for our garden that my husband thought were perfect, but he could not remember the name of, but having an odd memory that only recollects things useless, I knew the name of the flower: Wisteria. I set off on a quest to find pictures for him so we could locate the exact flower and variety he wanted, with unexpected results.
There, on the 4th page of images was an EXACT picture of the home in my dream, named “The Wisteria”.
Dreaming
I was so excited and immediately told my husband of my dream, the house, and the tiny bookstore off to it’s side. Strangely enough, he believes my dreams!
I obtained the house plans for the home from the MOST amazingly nice real estate developer (okay, so I stalked him online).
My husband and I now share the dream of this house. Not only is it perfect, it suits our needs, it’s even wheelchair accessible.
So my plan for my life now is simple: work as hard as I can to make my dream a reality. After all, I know it will come true.
The bookstore next door that I plan on is it’s crown jewel. I have it all mapped out, all childrens books are free. Why? Libraries are the most wonderful institutions, but nothing is more magical to a child who cannot afford it then a book they can call their own and never have to give back. As a child, I read “A Wrinkle in time” at least 10 times!
I can just picture myself with a big gray haired bun of hair on my head, greeting customers, and welcoming families to my second home. Book ownership should be not just for the few, but for the masses.
My life will end with a few people who remember “That nice book lady”…and for me, that is enough.
The gift of reading is the perfect end to a life well lived.
January 6, 2009
Happy new year!
My resolution,one of many, is to actually update this site and bring more exciting features forth for my readers to enjoy!
May you all have a wonderful new year…
I have 4 reviews to write, back to work for me!
