FROZEN BOOKS

Hi! Ruth Ann here.

I’m sure you’ve never dropped a book in the bathtub.

You have? You mean I’m not the only one who reads in the bathtub? For an hour or more?

Dropping your book into the water is one of the hazards of reading while you soak and relax in the bubbles. The last time I dunked a book, I sun-dried it and then spent hours ironing it page by page. It’s still legible, but has a decidedly puffy look, so I was overjoyed when I found a tip on reviving a book which has almost drowned. The writer of the tip advocated sealing the sodden book in a plastic bag and then freezing it.

Hmmmm, how could this work? I didn’t know but decided it was worth giving it a try. I took an old book that was earmarked for paper recycling and dipped it in warm water. I shook off the excess water and then used a nifty kitchen gadget to vacuum seal it in plastic. I left the enrobed book in my deep freeze for a couple of days to ensure it was thoroughly frozen.

When the time for testing came, I cut the plastic bag and slid the book out. I tried to open it, but it disintegrated into several frozen sections. I left them to thaw, and later in the day I no longer had frozen pages. I had soggy pages.

I still wonder what I did wrong. If you know, or can suggest an alternative solution, please leave a comment below.

All this set me wondering about places where books are read. As a child growing up in Africa, I climbed the trees in my yard and pulled up my books on a specially devised pulley system. The mulberry tree was especially handy as I could snack on fruit in season. When we visited my grandparents in England I loved sitting upstairs with a book in the window seat of their two hundred year old house.

A friend relates with a smile how, as a child, she read on a platform under the water tank on the roof of her house. Another friend’s teenage son read in the shower- he braced his back against one side on the shower, his legs on the other and stuck his head, one arm and book out of the shower.

A new friend in South Africa describes Kaapsehoop, one of her favorite reading spots. "There's a natural rock formation and the Kaapsehoop wild horses. I drive up the mountain and sit in the rocks and if you go early enough the wild horses come out of the forest through the mist. They almost look like ghosts. It is an amazing sight . . .  This place is a little part of Heaven on Earth.

When you leave, a part of your heart and soul is left behind to roam across the canvas of His master piece, wrapped up in the rich soil, peace and tranquility. There’s no doubt; you’re woven into His tapestry of beauty."  

Don't you long to join her there? I do.

I’ve compiled a list of favorite spots from readers all over the world.

·        at a red stoplight

·        next to a roaring log fire in winter

·        on an exercise cycle or treadmill at the gym

·        in the kitchen while cooking a meal (please note, librarians are not happy when you return burnt books!)

·        at the computer while waiting for internet pages to download

·        in front of a mirror while blow drying hair

·        in  the wind free zone behind the driver of a motor bike while on a ride

·        in a tent using a flashlight

·        in the bathroom while brushing your teeth

·        by a river or lake with a fishing pole in one hand, book in the other

·        in a closet with the door closed using a flashlight

·        in a funeral home

·        in a car stuck in a traffic jam

·        next to a campfire

·        in the emergency room awaiting treatment

·        on the beach

·        on a blanket or bench at the botanical gardens

·        in a studio while getting a tattoo

·        on the roof of a shed

·        at the top of the  Eiffel tower

·        outside in a hammock

·        on the stairs in a sunbeam

·        backstage at the theatre during rehearsal

·        propped against an old oak tree

·        at the bottom of a ski slope with skiers gliding round you

·        on a hiking trail on a patch of grass or a boulder with a view

·        in bed with a storm raging outside

·        next to a window when it’s raining or snowing outside

·         in the grocery checkout line, the queue at the bank, the doctor’s surgery- anywhere that requires waiting

·        in a car, train, tram, plane, boat- any form of transport

Please leave a comment in the section below and tell me about your favorite or most unusual reading haunt.

Enjoy reading in your favorite spot today!

Ruth Ann Dell writes children's stories and international Christian fiction from her home in a sunny South African suburb. She is a member of several writing groups including the American Christian Fiction Writers and Writer's Ink. Her desire is to craft gripping stories which draw her readers into a closer relationship with God.
Ruth Ann and her husband have lived in several countries and are renovating a cottage in the heart of Ireland.