Pam's Daily Wave...

Hello and Welcome to Sunday from my Atlantic Life in Hatteras 😊

Stormy Hatteras Beach...

Well, today it's super stormy - high winds and rain.... most definitely a day to relax and stay inn ("The Atlantic Inn", that is...🥰).

Knowing this weather is rolling in, I already had my day planned.... I’m going to sequester myself on the 2nd floor library lounge. It has a particularly large and comfy sofa, and I can be surrounded by books - what more could I ask for on a stormy day.

Books, Books, Glorious Books....😊

.....And more books 💗

I've always wanted to have a library in my home.... although I haven't always had an actual room dedicated to books. But, in all of my homes through the years, I ensured that I had a reading nook - even if it was just a tiny corner of my bedroom. Yes, it's one of my cozy spaces (https://www.myatlanticlife.com/post/finding-your-space), which are super important for me to have, but the difference from my other spaces is that this area has to have lots of books. Big books, small books, hardcover, paperback, fiction, factual, picture books (the large "coffee table" type ones), tiny print books (most definitely need my reading glasses for these), atlases…different genres......all books!

Comfort is also paramount – A big squishy chair or sofa, (even better if I can stretch out when I want to), a small table or surface that I can keep my mug of coffee, cup of tea….or glass of red wine dependent on the time of day 😉, great view is nice, but as I use this space to lose myself in a book, it’s not that important, and ideally the space will be quiet. I don’t need to have peace and quiet to read, in fact I’m super lucky, and can usually zone out into “bookland” even in the busiest of places, which is most useful when I’m stuck waiting in an airport lounge etc.

Digression Alert:

Many years ago, I moved from Scotland down to England, where I had an awesome job in Harley Street, which is right in the center of London…..At that time though, I had moved to a place called RAF Manston in Kent, which was close to Whitstable, and was a 2 hour train ride away from London (then I had to take an underground train to Piccadilly Circus, and then a 10 minute walk, before I actually reached my workplace!!). This job was an incredible opportunity…. hence the willingness to have an almost 6 hour commute each day. The wonderful upside to my long train commutes each day, was I got to read a huge amount of books…. I loved it!!!!! With all the hustle and bustle of a city like London, I would board my train every night (of course with a coffee) and no matter how crowded it was, I would get comfy, and lose myself in whatever literary marvel I was reading at the time.

Royal Airforce Manston, where I lived is now closed and has been converted to an Aviation Museum...

Whitstable, Kent

Piccadilly Circus in London, where I used to travel to by Underground every weekday

Harley Street in London, where I worked for 5 years

Digression over 😊

The point I was trying to make was... that I’ve always had the ability to “escape” into my books. I have an extremely vivid imagination, which lends itself to “losing myself” when reading a well-written book.

Now, back to this morning…. Having an actual room that’s devoted to books is one of my dreams come true. There is a large flat screen TV on the wall, which is rarely ever on (it’s more for guests to use) and certainly won’t be on today, as I’d much rather listen to the storm. There is a glass door that takes me out onto the covered upper deck (where I often sit on my rocking chair to write), so, if I want to bundle up and sit outside and watch the rain without getting soaked, I can.

My library gnome guarding the door...

Library Lounge

Love my maps....

The room itself really does feel cozy, with multiple bookshelves – one of which we found in the inn, when we bought it, my huge game of scrabble that I brought down to the inn when we sold our farm, and several throws for even more comfort (I told you that providing comfort is important to me). On one of the walls, I decided to put some of my favorite book quotes in frames, so I can see them anytime…they always make me smile. There is even a little area with a desk, a computer if you feel the urge to check something online, paper and pens….and some postcards and little cards for sending to friends and family. There is even a drawer full of maps that we’ve collected through the years…. I also love maps – Geography was one of my favorite subjects in High School. Studying not only about my own beautiful country of Scotland, but countries all over the world…. learning about the topography, climate, language, population, zoology, cuisine and culture of so many different places. In fact, this is where I fell in love with America 💗

No matter where I call home though, I will always have a special place for books, whether that’s a library, or a tiny corner of a room…. a place I can “lose myself” in my “bookworld” for a little while.

Here are some pics I've saved for ideas....(Pinterest is a wonderful thing😁)

Sometime ago, I saw an awesome quote that was first read in a 1981 speech to the Ohio Arts Council by Toni Morrison (1931-2019) – writer and professor, and the first African American woman to win a Nobel Prize for Literature. She also went on to receive the "Presidential Medal of Freedom", the "National Humanities Medal" and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction":

“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”

And it’s with this in mind, I decided to give writing books a go.....so along with copious amounts of reading today, I'll hopefully be feeling creative…. who knows maybe one day, one of my favorite dreams will come true – to be a bestselling author…. well, I can Dream 💭

Until Next Time,

Take care, Stay safe.......and if like much of the country, you're having wintry weather today....why not get cozy and "lose yourself" in a good book 💗

Love and Hugs,

Pam

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