THANKS for VERMONT WRITES DAY!

Happy Birthday Charles, Laura, and Sinclair!

Today is Charles Dickens birthday.  

My first memory of anything by Dickens was watching a Christmas Carol when I was four, and being frightened.  So, mom changed it to Mickey's Christmas Carol.  Same general concept, but Donald Duck as Mr. Scrooge is far more likeable.  

When I was 5, on my third trip to England,  we spent several weeks there. We went to many, many places, including two Dickens Museums, and saw his original manuscipts.at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

It wasn't until the school year I turned 7, that I would actually really learn about Charles Dickens.  See, my mom has some strange traditions that she started when I was little.  Every year she puts together a new 'Menu Calendar".  She starts working on it in June, and by the first of August it is usually done.  She plans all meals for each day beginning August 1 through July 31.  Since the school year starts sometime in August, she makes August the start of this school year calendar.  So, each  year, she found out what things the teachers were planning on teaching me more about.  So, she decided based on what she was told to expand on it. She included the usual historical figures birthdays, Columbus Day, Presidents Day - which she changed back to Lincoln's Birthday and Washington's Birthday, and added each President's birthday, Famous Writers, Artists, and Musicians.  

So, 7 years ago today, was the first time I actually celebrated Charles Dickens birthday. When had a traditional English breakfast - baked beans, black pudding, mushrooms, eggs, and sausage.  She packed my lunch with a Sarnie and Chips, and fresh fruit salad. She had tea and crumpets waiting for me after school.  Dinner that night was Yorkshire Pudding with Roasted Potatoes. After dinner, we sat near the fire, and she read The Cricket on the Hearth to me. 

Years have passed, and I remember so many weird little details from that years calendar that we did together.  I still watch Mickey's Christmas Carol, but also every version of a Christmas Carol during the holidays. 

A year ago September,  we had 3 family funerals in under a week. At one of them, my mom was given a book. The person giving it to her said, "Nobody here wants this old book, we never heard of it, and it's got a religious title".

My mom, looked at the book that was given to her, and said, "Thank you so much!".  She was really happy and shared it with me. The others stood around asking her "so what's the deal? You've heard of this book?" She replied, "no."

But she was still happy, as she flipped through the first couple of pages. She then said to them, "Do you know what this book is?" They replied almost in unison, "No, it's old".  She told then it was the first printing of Charles Dickens stories, stories he wrote for his own children from 1846-49. They were children's Bible stories. Since then, we read a selection from this book. One day, I know it will be mine, but for now it's Dickens gift to my mom.

This summer, I independently read two Dickens novels, The Adventures of Oliver Twist, and Tale of Two Cities. I understood Oliver, but read Two Cities in 4 different versions, and still don't quite get it.

Happy Birthday Charles Dickens!

I remember going to Borders indowntown Burlington just before summer vacation when I was eight.  Mom was buying books for my summer reading. I wanted Junie B books. Mom bought me several of those, but also picked up the Little House on the Prairie collection.

I read all my Junie B books over and over. never once opening the Little House books. They stayed on my shelf. Mom offered to read them with me, you know, Ishe read a paragraph, then me. I told her no. She asked me if I wanted to see an episode of the TV show, so that maybe I would have something to relate to. Again, I said no.

The collection stayed on my shelves unread for another two years. Then, in May,  they got packed up with my other books, and put into storage,

Mom and I travelled. We spent time in the midwest. We wandered, and helped out with disaster relief from mudslides and flooding. But, we also went to many historical places, throughout Illinois and Missouri. We left Cape Girardeau, and was heading to Springfiel and Joplin, but mom insisted we stop in several places in between. One of the stops was Mansfield.  It's a really small town, about the size of Johnson, VT.

I am now beginning to wonder if I have to see or feel actual belongings of now dead writers before I read them.

A year later, all my books came out of storage, and were put on my book shelves. Yes, I reread my Junie B's, and my Lizzie McGuires, and my Raven books, but I finally read my Little House collection.

I still have never seen the TV show or movies. I'm not sure I want to, it may spoil the fun.

Happy Birthday Laura Ingalls Wilder!

I'm sorry. I never heard of Sinclair Lewis until the post went up on this site about today's writing event.

I am not sure I am ready to read a Nobel Prize winner for Literature yet either.

I had to look him up.

I found out he was from Minnesota.  Been there.

He went to Oberlin Prep (part of Oberlin College).  Been there.

He went to Yale University.  Been there many times, music, drama productions, football games, etc.

He worked for several newspapers in Carmel, CA.  Been there many times.

He spent time in a rehab center in Stockbridge, MA. Been to Stockbridge, not rehab!

He later moved to Washington DC.  Been there a lot too. Next summer for Teen Congress, I will make sure to go to his home.

He died in Rome. Been there.

For as many things as I have in common with this man, I knew nothing, absolutely nothing until a few days ago.

When I brought his name up to mom, she said Elmer Gantry. Yes, it is a novel he wrote, along with many others.

Maybe after next summer, and visiting his Washington DC home, I'll read some Sinclair Lewis.

Happy Birthday Sinclair Lewis! with my apologies.

I think you're getting better. Loved the not in rehab line. Nice comparisons between you and him. Like this!