I have a thing about bookmarks.
It would naturally follow having a fondness for books. If you like to read as much as I, then you
may have the same love and your own collection of these novel little items. Please don’t tell me you turn the corners
over to mark your place. Tsk! Tsk! I say to that.
Bookmarks are like little treasures to me. I buy bookmarks when I travel so that when I come
upon them memories of places I’ve been come flooding back. What else do you use when you cannot put your
hand on a proper book mark? On one of my
ventures I lost my train ticket. The
conductor patiently pointed to my book.
I must have treasured that ticket because treasures are the only
non-bookmarks I’ll use in my books.
CBC Radio Canada recently featured a story about
items found in old books. It was
fascinating. Of course, loads of money was
found. I’ve used money, too, but only
when I wanted to remember to put it safely away in my wallet at the first
opportunity. Having said that, I’ll be
flipping through my shelved books the next time I’m low on cash.
I assume other avid readers have the same love of
these little slips of memory and artwork.
I’ve given more bookmarks away than one can imagine. I’ve lost count of the number I’ve given to
my friend, Irene. She and I love to read
and share book recommendations … even books.
We like to meet for lunch too but, that’s another story. We meet on a bench outside a bookstore. Where else?
Here’s the
thing. Loving to read books, it was only
natural that Irene and I would move to electronic readers. So, what’s to become of all our little bookmark
gems? Does Irene have a special spot to
store her collection? I do! They are all tucked neatly away in my night
table drawer. I talked about this
recently with my sister, Gina. What can
I say, we’re sisters. In many ways we
are the same. Both avid readers, both
with bookmark collections and yes, we both keep our miniature markers in the
same spot – our night table drawers. I
expect, after Irene has read this, to hear where she keeps her private
collection. Irene?
Another thing we
sisters do when we’re together is to make what we call a “Same-same”[1],
purchase. The items we buy work like the
bookmarks, they remind us of our time together and each other when we’re apart. With a sister in Michigan and another in
Germany our sister’s ‘same-same’ takes some thought. They must be transportable. I’ve found something here on The Bruce
Peninsula that I can mail to Germany and to Michigan. It gives me great joy to know my sisters are
thinking about me as I hope they feel my many warm thoughts about them.
As much as I love
my electronic readers … yes, I have more than one. In fact I now number three since I’ve also discovered
the iPad has a reader as well; none of them can replace the smell of
paper. I still like to hold a hard copy
book in my hand. What’s absolutely
fabulous about a reader is that they hold hundreds of books. Great for travel! Great for reading in bed too, no rolling over
to turn pages on a heavy book. With
their own little light they’re great for the husband. No light shining in his eyes. They also do not attract bugs to their light
so, also great for summer reads in bed.
Finally, to my
same-same sisters, I have the item you will receive by mail, too. I’m already looking at it and thinking of the both of you
and October. We’ll be together again for
the Brigden Reunion. I wonder just what
will be added to our remembrance relics.
So, tell me dear reader, what treasures do you mark
your place with?
[1]
“Same-same” is my grandson’s invention.
He was in his twos when he noticed we were wearing similar jackets. His pudgy little hand pointed to mine,
“Same”, and then to his, “Same”. It’s
one of those sayings that stick for life.
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