Yesterday was what Jane would call an ordinary day. She and I agreed that ordinary days, where everything goes smoothly, begins and ends nicely, is an ordinary day. In fact, an ordinary day is extraordinary, the very best kind of day.
Do you ever look back at the day or week and count the changes, the things you’ve done, whether they’ve turned out well or not? It’s as good as counting sheep to put a person into a relaxed, sleepy mode.
Funny thing–this morning, someone put a picture on Facebook of an old mimeograph machine. If you worked in an office or taught school a few years ago, you know this was the thing that made those copies that seemed essential. Then, I started thinking about the olden days and how things have changed–not only in teaching, but in many other ways.
I remember an elementary school I attended as a child. I’m not sure which school it was, but it was in Oklahoma and it had things that were mysterious to a youngster. It had what we called a cloak room. No, not a coat room; a cloak room. Now, how long has it been since anyone said to a youngster, “Put on your cloak; it’s cold outside.” Anyway, this was a dark, narrow, mysterious room with metal hooks along the wall where children hung their coats or sweaters. The room housed our lunch boxes or lunch sacks too. There was a small cabinet in that room where the teacher kept her things, like the old mimeograph machine.
Those long ago school days were ordinary in many ways, but to me, they were strange and exciting. Books lined the shelves outside that cloak room. Wonderful, bright books. I learned to read with Dick, Jane, Baby Sally, Spot, Puff, Father and Mother. I think most of that family’s days were ordinary, but to me, they were exciting. I loved those people! Then, after Dick and Jane came Alice and Jerry. Does anybody remember those days of yore? (The word “cloak” has put me into a Medieval mood.) In those days, children learned to read by the look and say method. That made sense to me. Maybe that’s why I never cared for phonics. Why dissect a word when I already knew how to pronounce it and what it meant?
Are ordinary days humdrum? Not at all. Are they boring? Nay! And again, I say Nay and forsooth! (still Medieval). However, they do provide a wonderful backdrop to a mystery and letting my mind wander to what ifs and other questions that need answers. In this way, books are born, especially cozy mysteries. So, today, I wish for you an ordinary day filled with the extraordinary excitement of a good cozy mystery and the start of a happy weekend.
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