No slamming
Today’s happy list is three keeper moments from my boys.
1. Huck, wistfully: “I wish no one in this family would have more birthdays. I like everyone the way we are.”
2. A story my friend Patti told me. Last Friday afternoon, Patti organized a wonderful St. Valentine’s Day party in the park for the kids in our homeschooling group. It fell during my work time, so Patti offered to keep an eye on Huck and Rilla for me so they could attend the party. So nice! Today she told me that in the thick of the festivities, Huck came up to her with a pine cone. “This is for you,” he said, “because that’s how much I love you.”
So basically this kid just has me melting all over the place these days. And I know how he feels—I wouldn’t mind having a six-year-old around at all times.
3. Wonderboy has a recurring kind of email he likes to send to family and close friends, describing what he wants to be when he grows up. Sometimes it’s a teacher or a “pet shop man” or a UPS driver. Today it was a librarian. As always, he included a long and detailed list of holiday hours—you wouldn’t believe how many holidays his library has special hours of operation for. After the list come the ground rules. If you want to visit his branch, here’s what you should know:
1. Please do not talk on the phone as you come in.
2. Do not run.
3. No yelling.
4. Please check out book.
5. Please return your library book as you are done.
6. No gum.
7. No slamming.
8. No child should be bringing toys.
9. Please bring your key and library card.
10. Use the computer if you want.
11. As it closing time, just quietly leave.
12. No iPod or iPad or Computer, or DS or WII.
13. Bring a bag if you have so many books.
14. Bring a bag if you return so much.
15. Please Park somewhere near the library.
16. Please lock your car if someone gonna steal it.
17. No animal noises.
18. No hitting and eating books.
19. No ripping books.
20. No crashing.
Got that? You’d all better behave yourselves.
Jessica says:
How do I get on Wonderboy’s listserve?!?
On February 18, 2015 at 9:35 pm
Melissa Wiley says:
🙂
On February 19, 2015 at 7:39 pm
sarah says:
Adorable!!
On February 18, 2015 at 9:53 pm
Ellie says:
Please tell Wonderboy that his library is totally my kind of library. Home life, too, come to think of it …. No crashing, no running, no yelling, don’t eat the books!
(I read number six as no gun, but no gum works too: I cannot understand people when they are chewing gum).
On February 19, 2015 at 6:21 am
Emily D. says:
No crashing? Aye aye sir.
And I would NEVER rip a book. Blasphemy!
On February 19, 2015 at 6:40 am
monica says:
a total riot. he is doing so great with his writing! I thought of him as I just read a great YA book Wonder. Not sure if I would give it to my son with special needs yet, some of the childrens meanness is just too mean to handle. But it is a wonderful book.
On February 19, 2015 at 10:06 am
maria says:
Stop, stop already! Too much heart melting wonderful see for one blog entry!
Love it! 🙂
On February 19, 2015 at 11:06 am
maria says:
*wonderfulness
(not wonder see….come on auto correct, keep up 😉
On February 19, 2015 at 11:07 am
tanita says:
What cracked me up the hardest was, “Park somewhere near the library.”
Honestly, people. Don’t be walking all across the city just to get here. There are PARKING LOTS ADJACENT for a REASON.
On February 19, 2015 at 11:29 am
Phoebe says:
I’m good with 4 but 5 always gets me!
On February 19, 2015 at 12:08 pm
Melissa Wiley says:
I think my favorite is “no animal noises.” All these years I’ve been mooing in the stacks—why didn’t anyone tell me?
On February 19, 2015 at 2:02 pm
Irene says:
I love this! The juxtaposition of #10 and #12 made me chuckle.
I spent a few hours at the library yesterday while one of my teens was in class at the community college nearby. The public schools were closed due to the snow, so tons of kids were there, unlike on a typical weekday. It was a complete zoo! Loud talking, laughing, yelling. I think I even heard some slamming. I think my county libraries could really use these rules to help those of us who really just want to work in peace and quiet.
Oh, and I could use that reminder to bring a bag if I have so many books. 🙂
On February 19, 2015 at 3:09 pm
Selvi says:
“just quietly leave” is my favorite. I nominate him for king of all libraries.
On February 19, 2015 at 4:09 pm
Alice Gunther says:
“No crashing”! The perfect button on the whole thing.
On February 19, 2015 at 9:08 pm
Karen Edmisten says:
I’m gonna have to stop eating books. Shoot.
On February 20, 2015 at 5:26 am
Elizabeth H. says:
Great list. Wonderboy writes very well.
On February 22, 2015 at 4:36 pm