The Library Lady Rants

The Main Characters

The Man (of the House): The love of my life. Severely addicted to books (that take up WAYYYY too much space in our house) and raw garlic. We've been married 15 years, but involved for many more. Long story....

Our Kids:
SC: Age 14. Book addicted like both her parents. Serious, but with a nice sense of humor. Well mannered in the eyes of the world, but at home,it can be another story--she's a teenager(!)

JR: Age 10 I think of her as a Disney Princess's evil twin. All the eccentricity of both sides of the family wrapped up in a sweet little body and an adorable smile. People find her a darling. I do too, but I also find her exhausting!

The Beasts: Our 2 cats, both adopted from animal rescue. "Bart" is a big, solid black, total teddy bear of a cat. Our brown tabby queeen "Bella" is in love with The Man, though she seems to like me too!

Me: Children's librarian by day, tired keeper of all of the above by night. When I think of my life, I think of Nicole Hollander (Sylvia)'s immortal line about things that are easier than combining a family and a career. Like swimming the Amazon covered in peanut butter....

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October 2009

[Photo Album] The Pumpkin Song

Fri, 10/30/09 7:47 A GMT-05

All right, I'm going to let you hear my not-so-dulcet tones because I can't find a recording of this song anywhere.I sing this all month long in October (and into November) at my programs for kids 12-24 months, and in late October at the prog

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Comfort in Cumin

Thu, 10/29/09 7:54 P GMT-05

I have had a very long day today. I've been helping to discharge and sort the billions of books we've been unable to discharge for the last 3 days while we were transitioning from one circ system to the other. I've been helping othe

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Waiting To Exhale

Wed, 10/28/09 9:36 A GMT-05

JR is home with what is probably a stomach ache and no more--we've all had similar things over the last week or two. The Man is home with her because I had to come to work and do my "Halloween" programs.And truthfully, coming in for my

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"Baby Genius" Refunds

Mon, 10/26/09 1:25 P GMT-05

Bought any "Baby Einstein" DVDs since 2004?Well, if you have, according this NY Times article the Disney Corporation is now ready to admit that your child just might not have been turned into a genius through watching this stuff, and is of

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Floor Level Patrons

Sat, 10/24/09 2:36 P GMT-05

Yesterday we had a weird one who kept trying to lie down on the floor and read. Bad enough in the adult area, but on the floor in the children's room--right next to "Papa San" sofa?JR was with me at work and I kept her in my office unti

I Just Made President Obama A Library Card

Sat, 10/24/09 1:10 P GMT-05

Well, sort of--we're going on a new circulation system next week and have an off-line system to practice on.Kind of fun billing the POTUS for an overdue library book though.Certainly a lot more fun that it will be next week when we are off-line f

What Makes My Day

Thu, 10/22/09 3:55 P GMT-05

When one of my favorite 3 year olds interrupts me in the middle of my story.Not because she interrupted me, but because of what she wanted to say:"I love you, Miss L!"I love you too, Amelia.And even if someday I didn't have to work for

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Where Have All the Three Year Olds Gone?

Tue, 10/20/09 11:05 A GMT-05

My "ages 2 and up" programs are full of 2 year olds.Very new 2 year olds--26 months as opposed to 34 months.Wild, wiggly, still learning to sit down for a few minutes, minimal attention span 2 year olds.Plus several toddler siblings whose p

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Dear SC

Tue, 10/20/09 9:57 A GMT-05

I am pleased that you have removed the line on your blog's sidebard where you note that Mom says that you "don't have the common sense God gave a goat", especially since in it you refer to me as "dear OLD mom".I KNOW that

Copycat Brownies

Mon, 10/19/09 1:18 P GMT-05

These are specifically, a copy cat version of the surprisingly good "No Pudge" box mix we've been using at our house whenever the girls and I need a chocolate fix. We didn't have any in the house last night, so I tried this recipe t

What I've Been Doing This Week:

Thu, 10/15/09 6:26 P GMT-05

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Apples, Apples and More Apples

Tue, 10/13/09 9:34 P GMT-05

We went on our annual apple picking expedition in the Blue Ridge Mountains last Sunday and came back with 2 bags of apples--1 of Granny Smiths (the Man is SUPPOSED to bake pies) and one with Yorks. Not my favorite apple for cooking--I'm a New Yor

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REAL Pot Roast

Mon, 10/12/09 6:52 P GMT-05

My mom always called her beef stew "pot roast". But real pot roast is a roast cooked whole in the pot.And I've never cooked it that way until tonight.I had a large piece of boneless chuck roast and the time to cook it stove top. So I we

One Day When I'm Rich...

Sat, 10/10/09 3:39 P GMT-05

Instead of going to the beauty salon once every few months to get my hair cut I am going to go every week. Just to get my hair washed and styled.There are some things you do for yourself that feel even better when someone else does them.And if you wa

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This One Is Going On My Fridge

Thu, 10/08/09 12:00 A GMT-05

This woman keeps stealing my life:

That's Bad, But That's Good

Wed, 10/07/09 10:01 A GMT-05

The bad news is that "Magpie", age 5, my darling honorary niece, has pneumonia.The good news is that she's getting antibiotics and should be home from the hospital tomorrow, poor sweetie.The bad news is that I bashed another of my crapp

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Tuesday Afternoon At the Circulation Desk:

Tue, 10/06/09 4:42 P GMT-05

Library card registration, check ins and check outs and:Lovely elderly English grand dame who's a regular patron needs help with the copy card machine and then the copier.A gentleman checking out "The Crucible" recognizes me as SC's

Last of the Summer Corn

Sun, 10/04/09 9:26 P GMT-05

Growing up in NYC in the 60s/70s, fresh corn on the cob was a rare treat.Not only were there no local green markets, supermarkets didn't have links to local farms, so the corn they did sell in the store was likely to be days old. And unlike

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More On Homework

Sat, 10/03/09 12:00 A GMT-05

Landismom (she of Bumblebee and Sweet Potato) commented on my last post in terms of homework and the managing thereof.I am a hands-off parent in general when it comes to the girls homework. Their responsibility to do it--though I will see what they h

Penalty Laps

Fri, 10/02/09 1:10 P GMT-05

At bedtime last night JR suddenly said, "Oh, no, I forgot to do my spelling homework.""Well, you'll have to go in without it,"I said."Oh, I HAVE to do it. I don't want to have to do laps again."WHAAAAT?Apparently

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