Yesterday was crazy at work. The high school science classes are about to check out books for winter reading, so we pulled books from several long lists we have about science-related subjects -- ecology, genetics, that kind of thing -- and put them on carts to roll up to that part of the school. By the time we were done we'd pulled and checked out more than 300 books!
And due to a technology glitch that is too tiresome to go into here, the lists the head librarian were working from were different from the lists I had, so I also had to go into our systems and manually correlate the lists, adding and subtracting books until they matched.
I wound up staying almost an hour late to get everything done and there's still a small amount to finish.
Some of the kids decorated our library Christmas tree, and I added some decorations of my own that I brought from home (remember these?). I think it looks pretty good, if not terribly distinctive.
And now, I am going to go read "Tales of Silver Lands." I am going to finish this awful book today if it's the last thing I do.
(Top photo: A wall at a construction site near Erith a few weeks ago.)
The tree looks great. I’m now singing “Where is the Love” and “Power to the People”... not very compatible rhythms.
ReplyDeleteI sang "Where Is the Love" all morning after posting that picture!
DeleteI give up on awful books these days. Time is too short.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could do that. I just have everlasting hope that the book will get better!
DeleteThe tree does look good. How nice that some of the kids decorated it. It will become a school memory they might write about someday.
ReplyDeleteIt's true -- things that to us are just chores are memorable events for little kids!
DeleteThat looks like a real tree (is it?) and looks nice and festive. And I do remember those little red and white people on a strand of twine - I stole that design and used it to make individual ornaments after you posted that! Sold them at the craft fair two years ago and kept one for myself :) I thought they were just so cute when you posted about them.
ReplyDeleteThree hundred books is a LOT of books to pull and schlep around! A whole fitness regime.
Yes, the tree is real! I love that you were inspired by that photo of the little dolls!
DeleteLove the Snowman tree topper.
ReplyDeleteI like it too. More secular than a star and thus better suited to an international school.
DeleteI think for Christmas you should give yourself the gift of never reading another horrible book again.
ReplyDeleteJust my opinion.
I do like that tree.
That would be a fantastic gift! I am almost to a point where I can make myself that promise. (Since I'm almost done with this Newbery project.)
DeleteThe hole or window to look through must be on around the corner.
ReplyDeleteLOL -- I didn't see one in this wall! This is a "mind your own business" construction site, I guess.
DeleteThat tree is looking very festive.
ReplyDeleteIt does brighten things up!
DeleteI think that tree looks terrific! I like that you recycled those found ornaments to this tree. Sounds like a children's Christmas story of the sad ornaments finding a happy new home! :)
ReplyDeleteI also feel good being able to put them to good use once again! I think I'll just keep them at school -- they're more likely to be used there.
DeleteIs that a real tree? And yes, busy here too.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's real!
DeleteThe library Christmas tree looks lovely. I think it's sweet that some of the kids decorated it.
ReplyDeleteIt's great when we can get the kids involved in something like that. As Colleen said above, it creates memories for them!
DeletePretty tree.
ReplyDeleteThank you! (On behalf of the kids!)
DeleteSo ell us why this is an awful book.
ReplyDeleteWell, I mentioned this in an earlier post (I think) and in my review on the school's web site -- basically, the book is a collection of folk tales from South America. But there's no real mention of the source of many of the stories, PLUS they're boring, PLUS the writing is bad. In a nutshell.
DeleteI think the tree looks lovely. I just found out this year, I'm 59, that some people pay other people to decorate their Christmas tree. How did I never know about this? And why would you do that? Hanging up the ornaments that you've accumulated over the years and that bring back memories is the best part.
ReplyDeleteReally?! I'm not sure I've ever heard of that phenomenon either -- though I'm not surprised. I'm sure some people want a very polished, professional (and characterless) tree.
DeleteWork, I Guess It Is Why We Call It Work - But Damn Those After Work Cocktails Are Refreshing
ReplyDeleteCheers
Ha! That's for sure! :)
DeleteI don't think my district allows Xmas decorations. That's a beautiful tree! I would have that for my house. I don't read terrible books unless they're for Book Club. I can't discuss them fairly if I don't finish. (in my opinion)
ReplyDeleteWe've never been given any guidance (as far as I'm aware) about decorations, but we tend to stick to secular ones. We do put up menorahs for Hannukah, though.
DeleteI have trouble quitting even a bad book. I'm always hopeful it will get better -- and sometimes it does.
I know everyone is saying that you shouldn't subject yourself to an awful book, but you have a GOAL and I know that I wouldn't be able to handle saying I'd finished all the Newbury books with an * for the terrible ones I didn't finish. So hopefully you can plow through it & the rest won't be as bad!
ReplyDeleteYes, exactly. I could never live with myself if I knew I didn't really read them all in their entirety.
DeleteThe tree is a festive addition to the library. The snowman on the top is cute. :)
ReplyDeleteI like that snowman too!
DeleteI am surprised that trees are allowed in school. Fire hazard, religious icons and all of that.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's a live tree, so it's not particularly flammable. (And it gets taken down in mid-December when school lets out, before it gets very dry.) And it's not a very religious tree. There's no religious imagery on it.
DeleteThe tree looks nice, a better effort than many.
ReplyDeleteI think the kids like it.
Delete"Where is the love?" is a good question.
ReplyDeleteThat's what struck me about the message -- how pertinent it is!
DeleteI agree with YP. And I think your tree looks pretty darned good!
ReplyDeleteI agree! The kids did a great job.
Delete