There is more treasure in books, than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island
 -Walt Disney,

I have a confession – a shocker for some. Although I like to write & love to talk (really?), I’ve never been a reader; a pleasure-reader that is. I have indeed digested many a medical tome.  

During my nurse training the favourite party tale was about how I sustained a black eye while studying late into the night. The massive anatomy book that I had propped up on a pillow suddenly careened over just as I was momentarily checking my eyelids for cracks. I believe the term was Gray’s Anatomy did a full-frontal face-plant.

So ‘necessary’ reading – yes; for enjoyment – not so much. My parents never really encouraged it. The nomadic lifestyle of an army family was not conducive to shipping books around the world. I was content to spend my leisure time outside in true tomboy fashion.

But what about those required reading novels from high school English: The Grapes of Wrath, Wuthering Heights? Surely they should have tempted me, lured me in, made me think perhaps reading would be an enjoyable as well as useful pastime. Nope. I thanked my lucky stars that there were movies of many of the literary masterpieces, with special  kudos to my best buddy Mr. Cole and his Notes!

Maybe it all stemmed from the fact that I was a slowww reader (lack of practice no doubt). In class when asked to read a passage aloud it was pure torture – for everyone.

I  did give it the ol’ college try, encouraged by Laurie who was himself a voracious reader. The Hobbit. He finished it in a day. It took me 2 weeks. Lord of the Rings? Isn’t that really 3 books? Sheesh! I fared better with short stories, some sci-fi maybe like Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut. But only occasionally, just a smattering.

And now? Now that I’m retired? Well all I can say is I don’t know how I managed to nurse AND work this farm. But I’ve been promising myself that I’d slow down a mite, ya’ know smell the roses and all.

And then it happened, real sneaky-like, so as not to hardly notice…I found myself in the company of yet another avid reader. Got his first library card when he was probably about 5 years old and never looked back. And about a year ago we started watching the British network series All Creatures Great & Small, based on the real life experiences of country veterinarian James Herriot.  

I was glued to the boob tube, not missing an episode from either the old (1978) or the new version (2020). I was fascinated, spellbound.  Maybe it was a combination of anything medical, farming, and my childhood dream of becoming a vet (a no-pet home can do this to a child). But that’s another tale to be told.  

The comment only had to be made once – ‘oh Jackie, if you like the tv version you’d really love the books. They’re all short stories too. I was more than a little bit interested. No procrastinating this time for me.

Well it took almost a month before one of the slim editions became available at the library. Then on Valentines I was surprised with my own volumes. Hey, maybe that’s why the spring chores went by the wayside.

The real sad thing is that as much as I want to read non-stop chapter after chapter I’ve already finished All Creatures Great & Small, I’m two-thirds through All Things Bright & Beautiful, and the third and final book All Things Wise & Wonderful is not in the library system…Chapters says they’re all sold out. Yikes! Am I feeling the pangs of book withdrawal here?

Small segue here: My nurse friend Kathryn might just understand. The big difference here is I think she’s been a ‘reader’ all her life and I suspect she belongs to many many book clubs and reading groups.

When we did the night shift together she would read not sleep through her break, and often mention about a terrific novel she was into. Gotta admit I was kinda jealous. Recently she posted something from Once Upon A Time Book Club.

            I explained to my husband that I do not have too many books.

           They all fit in one box.

           He said I must stop calling our home a box!

I have boxes & boxes of books, of all kinds, collected from Uni days, Malaspina College days, early (& later) gardening days, collected by others throughout the years. The important word in that last sentence – boxes.

I’ve always loved the look of the grand home library, tall wall stacks stuffed with books, complete with one of those ladders on wheels, possibly a hidden room behind the corner shelf…hummmm.

Books – I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

Jackie Moad is attempting to balance farm work with relaxation, finding that she could be fast on her way to becoming a literary annelid, as she continues to farm that 20-acre organic slice of Paradise in Cedar.

Jackie Moad.
World Traveler.
Environmentalist.
Organic Farmer.

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