Our Bookstore

I don't know how the folks at Barnes & Noble feel about our gang claiming ownership of its most wonderful store a few towns away from our home. We take a deep breath when we pull open the tall heavy doors so that the scent of brewing coffee mixed with freshly inked pages doesn't rush past us without our appreciation. We enter the store on the children's side because we really do feel a deep kinship with the miniature chairs and benches there. The bookstore employees usually just turn the area over to us completely as soon as we arrive and it's just as well because we really do have things covered. We know where all of the books are, all of the toys, and all of the places that a three year old can hide, and just how many steps it takes us to reach the bathrooms.

If you were to join us for a romp through the local B&N, you'd likely find Kate reading a book or two to the children of complete strangers or playing with a group of young children at the Lego table while their wary parents look on in amazement trying to figure out where this young girl with the big blue eyes has come from. And wonder they do, because her father and I are usually a few aisles away with ears perked but with eyes on our own sort of books.

After you witness "Story Time with Kate", you'll probably move further into the store to find a growing boy deep in concentration seated in a chair that has not, over the years, grown with him, previewing a book which has piqued his curiosity or maybe he's reading a book that he already owns, but didn't want to stop reading even if it was for a visit to the bookstore.

Often on these trips I will overhear an adult ask one of the children for a book recommendation. Megan once helped a grandmother who had asked her for some ideas for her granddaughter whom she thought to be Megan's age. I was amazed later to see in the grandmother's arms in the checkout line, most of the books Meg had suggested.

Should you wish to locate Molly while you are shopping, you should look in the fairytale books or you could look toward the reference computer, placed in various locations throughout the store (including the poor tired one in the kids' section) to assist customers in locating specific books they seek. You'll find Molly perched on a bench she's dragged over to the computer typing away: M-O-I-I-Y, over and over again. She doesn't realize she's typing "I" instead of "L" yet, but don't tell her when you see her, we'll get it all straightened out later.

Before leaving our bookstore, we generally purchase something. Today it was this...

You're going to want to buy something too, I'm sure. It's just the kind of place it is, it just makes you want to bring a bit of itself home with you. We try never to disappoint!

"When I get a little money, I BUY BOOKS. If there is any left over I buy food and clothes."

~Erasmus~