What a coincidence, that re is before the word tired, as in retired. Those who are tired retire. This does not mean to put a new set of tires on a car.

I know many people now who are retired. It appears to be difficult for some, because of the stigma that goes with it. You retire, it means you are old. You are no longer a member of the workforce. You are essentially a useless individual who is sucking off payroll dole – even if this is money you set aside in the form of Social Security. It’s still not yours. It belongs to the government and should go into the tax base, or so some feel.

Winter ride on Raudi

Me, this is totally odd – I am working on a volunteer basis, putting in many, many hours. If I bow out, my hard work will be for naught. I am not a paid employee, doing a trendy job, like those who work for recycling centers or food banks. Trendy keeps such individuals from retiring. They are the ones who most fear retirement.

I am working as hard getting books into the hands of appreciative readers as those who are selling them for $2.00 a bag at recycling center open houses. This is good work, and most of the time I enjoy it. There is no shortage of good books. And I, better than anyone else, know what a good book contains.

And every time I get a book into the hands of an appreciative reader, I think, well, it has some shelf life left. To turn a book into mixed paper before its time is totally irresponsible.

I often wonder what would have happened had those at our local recycling center agreed to continue to work with us. I also wonder if they wonder. I keep telling myself that change is both a constant and a given, and that in time they will recognize the good work that we are doing and suggest ways that we can again partner.

In the meantime, I keep doing what I do. Nearly double duty, first going to the Palmer Senior Center and parting with books and then to the Palmer Lions Club where I let it be known that Bill is going to be replacing the doors of the Buggee Park Library. The members are older, and very conservative. They see me for what I am, and I suspect are puzzled. Yeah, I’m a one trick pony, promoting literacy. They do not yet see promoting literacy as a part of their mission. They will.

I spent the afternoon categorizing children’s books because the person who generally does this said that she had a cold. I saw her this evening, at the Palmer City Council meeting. This was like being in the Twilight Zone, me scrunched in a chair while people were first given awards and then the city attorney babbled on and on and on in an incomprehensible fashion.

Will Palmer get a new library? I left at half time, so I have no idea.

Next: 113. 4/24/24: Tis (Almost) Spring