This morning's Scattering Joy Story Time in my yard was wonderful! Olivia and Lily, two little ones from around the block, came over with their mama. My next door neighbor, Della, came for a bit (as 2 year olds will do), and her friend Cat joined is for a minute, too. Interacting with these preschoolers was heavenly. 

Andrea and I each read two books, played with the play dough Andrea made a month ago for our first scheduled story time, and escorted the girls onto my sunporch to pick out a book. They gleefully found what they wanted, and promised to come another time. 

There's nothing like reading to kids when they're totally focused on the story. You can just see the wheels churning, with them taking in this new "world" and seeing how it fits into the world they already know. Much like adults do when reading, except adults are rarely as transparent in their emotions.

Heat and I don't mix well, so after reading I came inside and grabbed ice packs for an hour or so. As I started feeling better, I realized I didn't regret my current discomfort. It was totally worth it. But I'll be happy to continue the reading to kids inside this fall, at Happier Now Cafe and Market. I believe we already have kids signed up, but always room for more. Yay!!! Can't wait!

As a teacher, I loved  it when I created a lesson that excited the students, the times when their excitement was so contagious we couldn’t wait for the next day to keep the learning going. I was so lucky to get to spend my days doing what I loved, with whom I loved. Kids.

But what I miss most about teaching is reading to kids. Preparing just the right picture book to get across the lesson I was trying to introduce brought me into the classroom early and kept me late. Carving out daily time for the class chapter book, so we had a chance to come together as a classroom community was a priority. The best was when they begged for “just one more chapter”,  and more times than not, we found a few more minutes before the spell of a good book had to be broken and we went on with our day.

Now that I’m figuring out what retirement looks like for me, I’ve decided carving out time to read aloud to kids needs to be part of my life again. I can tell it’s going to be a challenge to weave that in. I’m still not comfortable going back into the schools. I retired during Covid and being exposed to several hundred lovely, but germy, kids doesn’t feel safe for me. Me, who catches everything the kids had, every year. You would have thought after 30 plus years in the classroom my immune system would be robust. No such luck.

So instead I need to find a smaller audience. First I tried my yard. Well, no takers yet. Each date my husband greeted me with a sad smile and big hug as I came in from the yard where I waited for possible neighborhood children to stop by for a story and to take home a book. I haven't lost faith yet… there are still two dates scheduled (See  the “special events” tab). We’ll see.

But Andrea Slivka from Happier Now Cafe and Market, the second Scattering Joy library I set up, got in touch with me about doing a monthly read aloud. So beginning in September, the second Sunday of the month will be a storytime at the cafe. I’m excited and a bit nervous. My fellow retired teacher friend Andrea Hadley will be joining me. She, too, misses reading to children and is the perfect companion for this adventure. 

So tell your friends and family who have young children, come on over for a story and book to take home. I’m trying to get word out through social media, but word of mouth is always best. 

Time for me to go pick up a good book.

​