Many thanks to those of you who replied by comment and email with suggestions to remedy the door stuck on one of my bookshelves.
The suggestions were all along the lines to remove the books on the shelf above, which was drooping just a bit, and to use some sort of soap or oil on the door where it hit the shelf. I used an abundance of spray wax, until the wood was coated with the white, slippy product. I then tried opening the door, but to no avail. The door would not open.
Disappointed, I left the shelf and books scattered all over the floor until the next day. I thought I would look for a woodworker, as one reader suggested.
However, the following afternoon, I decided to try one more time. And, ta-da, to my surprise the door opened with only a bit of a catch!
The realization popped into my mind that overnight the weather had changed, and the air had become much dryer. Humidity being the culprit had not occurred to me.
A friend sent me a pithy quote by famed writer E. B. White. Being who I am, I had to go look up the quote and then spend an inordinate amount of time (time I could be writing) searching out the original quote and reading dozens of wise and entertaining more by White.
“Every morning I awake torn between a desire to save the world and an inclination to savor it. This makes it hard to plan the day. But if we forget to savor the world, what possible reason do we have for saving it? In a way, the savoring must come first.” ~ E. B. White
I so get his point. How many times I awaken with a sense of duty, but I want to enjoy my world. How do I plan? Can’t I simply spend all the time I want reading E. B. White quotes and laughing and nodding? No, there is my world waiting for me to save it–the plants I bought waiting for me to water them and get them in the ground. The dishes to be washed. Porch to be cleaned.
E. B. White is best known as the author of Charlotte’s Web and as the editor who updated The Elements of Style, which for generations was the authority for rules of good writing.
Today this gem of a book is falling by the wayside. Many and varied authorities easily found on the web take it’s place. Language does change, yet like everything else, not always for the better. It is my private opinion that modern rules for writing are all about removing the writer’s voice. Making everyone sound the same, and spare and fast.
This little book let the writer’s voice shine and flow. It is in it’s 4th edition, and I’ve decided to read it cover to cover, again. It is part of my world, and I want to savor it.
And, in case you are interested, it is only 99 cents on Kindle.
For now I move on to saving my world. I have planted two tomato plants and must water them. I decided no more than two, and if I can learn how to keep these two plants alive and producing, next year I’ll try for more. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Grace and peace,
According to Carley Love
“a funny and heartwarming book about a woman facing midlife, marriage, and moving on.”
“Well, I have not slept but a few hours a night in weeks, and it shows. My eyes are like two burnt holes in a blanket. Making myself up tomorrow will require a big effort. When a woman is going to see her ex-husband, she wants to look so good that he will be sorry to have lost her.” ~ Carley Love
Curtiss Ann Matlock 
One response to “Ta-Da! Open Bookshelf!”
Wonderful result, CurtissAnn. And good luck with your tomato plants. 📚💕
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