I love to read books... actual physical books. There’s something about flipping through the pages, and using an actual bookmark... that can’t be achieved on a computer. I’m one of those oddballs, who still has bookshelves, with (gasp) BOOKS in them! And I’m a firm believer that there’s no scent in the world that can top the smell of a bookstore... except for babies and puppy breath.
Another favorite hobby of mine is garage sales. Love, love, LOVE them! Last Saturday, I hit the Lawrence Creek sales with a bang and a boom. This was an outing that Mama and I always looked forward to. Now, I go alone. It’s not the same, but I enjoy it, still. But we used to wake up early, every Saturday morning, with no idea of where we were going.
In the Summer, there were ALWAYS yard sales occurring every weekend. Not so much, anymore. Most folks prefer to have online sales. I tried that, unsuccessfully. But y’all, it’s just not the same.
For me, there’s just something exciting about the venture... spotting that big ‘yard sale’ sign, at the end of the driveway, turning in, doing a quick ‘scope’ of the tables, and then digging in.
I don’t feel that energy, behind a computer screen. I swear, if Lawrence Creek ever stops doing their community sales...I’ll have to check myself into a grief counseling group.
Even my home reflects my ‘out of style’ hobbies. Many of my friends have advanced into the ‘less is more’ motif, while I’m still stuck in a state of comfortable chaos. Their homes, while clean and easily maintainable, lack the coziness that my spirit craves. I need throw pillows, afghans, family pictures displayed, a half read book on the coffee table, and a pound cake on the kitchen counter. I love things that are vibrant and colorful, as well. Sunflowers, candles, and pretty throw rugs! I like my fake flowers too, y’all. I’m sure that most folks would think that my home resembles a funeral parlor, because of it... and that’s alright by me. I like what I like, and I don’t like ‘perfection’. Instead,
I prefer comfort.
And last, but certainly not least; I enjoy ‘real’ mail. You know... the kind that’s retrieved from an actual mailbox... not emails. I check my emails once a month... seriously. But I check that blasted mailbox daily. Nobody writes anymore. They type, instead. Even the most personal words seem like a business transaction. I’m stuck in another time... a time that is fading away. With that said: If you’re out of style like me, and one of your outdated hobbies is receiving snail mail... I’m sharing my mailing address. It’s PO Box 22, Mt. Hermon, La 70450. I’d love to hear from y’all, and I write back!
In style or out of style, I think hobbies are important. They provide warm shelter over a cold world.
In closing, I think that I’m about to catch up on some reading. Out of a book. With paper pages. Amid six fluffy throw pillows.
