Midweek Notes from the Bookshop
A QWIET WEDNESDAY
Hello! Not expecting a whole lot of my Wednesday. It’s very quiet in town and it’s very cold. One could argue that that’s perfect conditions for bookshopping, but we’ll see.
The coordinator of the gallery around the corner is the first to drop in. She’s here to discuss newsletters. The gallery is completely volunteer-run, and as I’m usually in my shop and can’t volunteer in person, my little way of helping is by writing the fortnightly newsletters. You can check out the gallery HERE, if you’re interested in art and artists from this part of the world.
It’s the U3A Auslan class today. And today the tutor has brought in her two children - one in a pram and a toddler. The toddler sits on the stage and reads books, the baby gurgles away in the pram. The quiet class goes on. The baby’s gurgling starts to become a little louder, and louder still, until it’s less a gurgle and more a demand. And just at the right moment, a fella walks in. He’s the dad, here to help out. He just needs the cape. There’s a round of applause and many comments of “What a great Dad! What excellent timing!” and the best of them all, several “Aren’t you lucky?”s. Just imagine if the juggling mothers got that kind of applause and support from the get-go…
An elderly fella comes in asking for a workshop manual for a specific car (make and model, I can't remember.) We don’t have any car manuals any more. We used to, when we first opened. But I realise that’s not very helpful now.
Book delivery! Including Homebody by Theo Parish, and Sarah Manguso's Liars.
As she’s leaving, the Auslan tutor asks if I'm now taking time off. I'm a bit confused. No, just changing the hours down a little for winter. But maybe I should be taking a break? Now I’m questioning all my decisions.
A visitor picks up Maurice & Maralyn: An Extraordinary True Story of Shipwreck, Survival and Love by Sophie Elmhurst.
Another visitor comments on the gorgeous lampshade we have on the desk, which is from the creative mind and hand of artist Shelley McDonald, who grew up around these parts but now lives in the warmer climes of Queensland.
A creative couple from "near Castlemaine", a jeweller and a photographer, pick up a copy of My Brother Jaz by Gideon Haigh. He brings over Cherrywood by Jock Serong and points to the author photo. He says, "That's my photo." And we discuss how Jock claims to be quite unphotogenic. Go on, look him up and see what you think.
Visitors from Warrnambool, who apparently haven't seen each other for seven days, are, in their words, “getting to know each other again” and having a day out in Port Fairy. They pick up a handful of cards by Ararat artist Janette Lucas. You can visit her website HERE.
A young couple in who ask for Brandon Sanderson titles leave with an edition of a preloved Tolkien that they hope will plug a hole in their collection. They have the books, of course they do, but maybe not that particular edition.
My retired bookselling friend popped in for a chat. And we chatted about books and authors and the mind-boggling proliferation of book festivals, until closing - during which time not another soul came in (surely she didn't lock the door behind her?) ... and that was my Wednesday. Not wild, not wacky, but qWiet.
You have managed to make me feel like I'm there in your bookshop - thank you for that! :-) I've never read anything by Sarah Manguso but have heard her name multiple times over the past week or so, which makes me think I need to pick one of her books up. Thanks for sharing your qwiet Wednesday with us!
I love that lampshade. I see there's a place called Castlemaine in Australia. There is a Castlemaine in Kerry too, South of Listowel. I wonder if there is an association between them. I recently read Liars, not the easiest read. I will be reviewing it on my Substack for June reads, end of month.