Auntie Kathy's book club

When I was in Florida recently I was looking through my mom's books for something to read. I picked one up and my mom said, "that was Kathy's. I think you'd like that one."

Kathy was Auntie Kathy, my mom's sister. She passed away a few years ago, far too soon, at the age of 60 from breast cancer. Auntie Kathy was a librarian, an aspiring writer and an overall book enthusiast and bibliophile. History, romance, adventure and science fiction, she loved it all. Kathy wasn't a book snob though, and wasn't embarrassed to be entertained by "fluffy" books or escapist fun. In fact, she introduced me to Clive Cussler, king of all adventure fluff.

Shortly after having my first baby, I was complaining to Kathy about how Noah took so long to nurse I felt like I was wasting time. (No bashing on me for not being the perfect mother enjoying our quiet nursing time... Noah seriously nursed for HOURS. One nursing session would often take an hour from start to finish! Of course, he was my first and I didn't know what the heck I was doing, so maybe that was part of it!) Kathy asked why I wasn't reading when I nursed. When I said I didn't have time to poke around at the library, or read book reviews, or find out what was good, she simply said "get a pen." She proceeded to rattle off her list of favorite books and authors. A few I had read, but most I had not. It was like someone had done the hard work for me. I wrote it all down in a little notebook I carried in my purse at the time (I had pregnancy brain then and couldn't remember anything so Jason bought me a little notebook to jot down things like "buy light bulbs" and "bathroom needs a rug".) I still have it. For ten years it has bounced around from car to junk drawer to my desk. I rarely add to it, but every time I go to throw it away I find Kathy's list in the back and I tuck that little notebook away again.

Jump ahead ten years and my pregnancy brain is now more aptly called busy mommy brain and I still find it frustrating to find good books. So there I stood in Florida, holding a book that was Kathy's. Ok, maybe this wasn't the book she actually held in her hands, it could be for all I know, but as I stood there I remembered my little red notebook from a decade earlier. Staring at the cover of the book I felt a strange stirring in my heart, a strange connection to Kathy. To think I could read a book she had read, one she had loved. I started reading the book, and my mom was right, I do love it. I just went digging through my kitchen and found my little red notebook. There are 38 titles and/or authors just waiting for me. A gift to me from her. It's a little book club for one... Auntie Kathy's Book Club.