Keeping Busy by Bonnie Le Hamilton

Not too long ago there was a post on Facebook (probably a joke) about someone asking an avid reader what their favorite book was.

This did not go well, because as any avid reader would say, “You’re going to have to narrow it down a little.”

Just one look at my admittedly small library and you’ll see answering such a question is an impossible task.

I couldn’t even tell you my favorite author, and sometimes not even if you picked genre.

I mean, one look at the books in my bookcases and my reader’s library, and you’d figure it out, I like a lot of things, both non-fiction and fiction, and in several different genres. Everything from history and biographies to sci-fi/fantasy and romance with a large dose of mystery.

I have Linda Goodnight, Brenda Mitton, and Debbie McComber by the bucket load, but I also have Dick and Felix Francis, Agatha Christie, James Patterson (Alex Cross series), and a whole slew from the “Mrs. Polifax” series.

And let’s not forget “The Chronicles of Narnia,” The Wizard of OZ, the Harry Potter series including “The Cursed Child” though sadly only three Star Trek novels. I wish I had more.

And you want me to pick a favorite author out of all that?

Get real.

Another thing that happened recently is I finally acquired a helper. And one day not too long ago, she arrived just before I did, because I stopped to do some shopping at my favorite thrift store. Returning home with three new Naiveties and a stack of new books (new to me anyway). And my helper’s response was, “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”

She also tried to tell me I have no room for more. I have more room because I acquired even more just a few days ago. Both books and Nativities.

This brings up another incident.

I currently work at my favorite thrift store. I can’t shop while I’m at work, but I certainly shop there when I’m not on the clock, which is what I was doing the other night with my helper and my sister-in-law in tow.

And, as usual, I found several Nativities and a few books I wanted. As I was leaving the store my boss saw me and asked if I found anything good.

My reply? “Well, I found six new Nativities.”

“Oh, you collect Nativities? So, do I. I have about a hundred.”

“I have over a hundred just in my front room.”

He said, “That beats me.”

And my sister-in-law said, “Nobody beats Bonnie.”

Actually, I’m almost positive there is someone out there somewhere who can beat my total. After all, I’ve only got a two-bedroom apartment to fill and there isn’t a single Nativity (or book) in the bathroom.

But with my helper’s assistance, my house is becoming a lot more organized. This past Monday with her help, we unburied a corner in my living room only to discover several things I totally forgot I had including a Nativity and a lighthouse shaped clock.

Now my helper not only knows my sister-in-law, but she’s also been to her place several times. Ergo she knows that among other things, my sister-in-law collects clocks, so on seeing that lighthouse, she asked me if I’d intended to give that forgotten item to my sister-in-law since it is after all a clock.

Well, see, it is also on the very theme, I have for the décor in my bathroom. I might have forgotten I had it, but on seeing it, I clearly remembered why I bought it.

It is now in my bathroom.

I also now have more Nativities and books in my bedroom than I did a week ago.

Meaning I’ve been very busy directing my very energetic helper in all this reorganizing and cleaning. But I’ve also been doing a lot of reading in what little spare time I have, which isn’t much because I do volunteer work on two of the three days I have off from my job. Though I do only work part-time and volunteer work only adds up to another seven hours a week, so I guess the problem really is all my reading, because well I haven’t gotten much writing done (like any beyond posting), and I haven't started making Christmas gifts for this year unless the count the ones I never finished last year.

Though I did manage in the last couple of weeks to put together two floral arrangements. I posted them on Facebook and showed some coworkers the pictures and I’ve received several comments about how people can earn money arranging flowers and that I should sell floral arrangements.

Guys, I have done two, I am far from experienced, let alone being a pro.

Anyway, happy writing all!