martinzoo

I have severe asthma. When I was a little child we would go visit my grandparents. Everybody goes to visit their grandparents, right? Well, my grandparents raised show dogs (my grandfather was a dog show judge, so he knew what to look for) ~ Golden Retrievers. These were the most beautiful dogs, and I really wanted to hug them so badly. But long-haired dogs, and cats, are treacherous for me.

So when we visited, I was “banished” to the third floor of their house (where the dogs were not allowed). My poor grandmother would spend days before I came, cleaning and trying desperately to get rid of the dog hair, but it was probably a waste of time. I couldn’t last 15 minutes before my breathing was a struggle. So up to the third floor I went, while everyone else enjoyed a visit. Everyone felt bad for me, I think. Having to be on my own, up in a refurbished attic space. But I LOVED it up there. It was the most delightful space on Earth. It was all wooden; the floors, the ceiling, the walls, and built-in beds and dressers. I felt like I was a captain on a boat, out to sea, and this was my cabin. The room had two closets that were filled with tons of children’s books that my grandmother would buy from the library in bulk.

I honestly don’t remember learning to read. I don’t remember ever sounding out words or being taught sight words. But I do remember sitting up in my “boat,” as a very little child, reading to my heart’s content. At first, it was literally the “Dick and Jane” books. She had them all! Then I would read fables and fairy tales, which led to lots of daydreaming. Then I would read all those wonderful chapter books.

My grandmother was an avid reader. And I’m not sure if she was trying to get me to love reading. But she provided such a rich resource, that I’m sure my love of reading traces it’s origins back to those moments in her third floor “boat.”

As an adult, with three children of my own, I have a huge weakness for books. We have books on every reading level and I have a very hard time parting with them. I have wonderful memories of reading those words. My shelves are crammed with books, and I’ve probably loaned out many more that I’ll never see, because I can’t remember what I’ve loaned out.

I will read ANYTHING; fiction, non-fiction, biographies, self-help books, magazines, and my latest obsession is other people’s blogs. It’s all interesting to me. My dh thinks I spend way too much on books. In fact when he is paying the bills, and he gets to the Doubleday Book Club bill, he refers to it as the *Double-pay Book Club.*

One of the joys of my parenthood, was teaching my children to read. I taught them all. By the time they went off to school, they were each begining to read. We read each day and it was a fun time of day for us. Of my three children, only two seem to be passionate for reading. But I’m still working on Jabem. Maybe someday a book will spark a passion in him. Oftentimes, it only takes one book.

Currently, I am reading Everything’s Eventual, by Steven King. And next on my list is A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini. I am also rereading Too Loud Too Bright Too Fast Too Tight, by Sharon Heller, because many in my family struggle with the issue of sensory defensiveness, including me.

As long as there is something to read in this world, I will never be bored. And for that I thank my Grandma, whom I loved very, very much!