A Year of Blogging: September 6, 2011

September 6 was 'Read a Book Day'. What can I say about this that I haven't already said? You know I'm a bookworm, and that I've always been one. I've been reading since I was three. And while my Grandpa Wager was also a bookworm, I was the unusual one in the immediate family. My father reads the newspapers, but he's not a book reader. I think I traumatized him when I was about four or five and he was trying to read a Winnie the Pooh book to me. Not up to speed on children's characters yet, he pronounced Tigger as Tiger. I corrected him, took the book, and read it to him. Had to be a little demoralizing for the guy. But actually, I don't think I did it. Dad's family isn't really big on reading. Grandma read the Harlequin romances, and Grandpa read the papers. Imagine our surprise, when, after Grandma passed away there was a large book about the Civil War. No one had ever known her to read books like that, and it wasn't left by anyone who had been visiting her. The book found its way to my shelf, because everyone figured I was the one who would read it. It's one of those unexplained things that makes you wonder if it was a sign from beyond. My sister was not big on reading when we were children. She liked to be read to, but she didn't like to actually do the reading. She associated it with school, and that was enough to keep her away! As an adult, she has started reading for fun, and she does find it fun now. Mom never had time to sit down and read; she still doesn't. I've tried passing books to her that I think she would enjoy, and a year later they are still piled neatly in the basket between their recliners in the living room. Mom goes in so many different directions, caring for everyone, that when she finally sits down at night she usually falls asleep. So I was the oddball. The one who could spend hours out of a day reading. I took books with me everywhere. Even to family parties. We used to go to Grandma Primeau's for Thanksgiving, or to exchange gifts the week before Christmas, or for New Year's Day which is Grandpa's birthday. Any time we were going to get together at Grandma's with the whole family, I grabbed a book and took it with me. I was always very shy, and my family terrified me. We are a large, boisterous family. I am not a boisterous person. I'm quiet (ok, until you get to know me or I'm comfortable with you). The thought of having to interact with all of these people whom I barely knew was overwhelming. I felt comfortable with my books. I would choose a corner of the couch and try to fade into the fabric, with the book in front of my face. I did speak to people if they spoke to me (there's something about a person reading a book that makes other people want to sit down next to you and start up a conversation). I'm sure the family thought I was either a real snob or just antisocial. I know most of them didn't realize I was just socially awkward and shy. Obviously, the best way to celebrate 'Read a Book' day is to just grab your favorite book and start reading!