Out for my daily bicycle ride I came across this little delight in my neighbourhood.

Yep, we’ve got a Li’l Library chockful of books.  Of course I had to stop and browse.  I’m one of those people who always checks the return cart first when I visit the library.  I’m convinced that other borrowers have already sussed out the best books and I can save myself some time and frustration by borrowing from the already-borrowed shelf.

This character trait manifests itself in my dislike of big box stores, as well.  I find them overwhelming.  When I enter those shopping extravaganzas my brain goes numb.  I can’t remember what I came for, I feel dizzy trying to read all the signs and end up leaving with green apples when I really came for purple plums.  I like boutiques and markets where I can see all the wares in a few minutes, then spend my time dithering over whether I want lavender scented soap or lemon scented.

So, the little library tucked under the tree branches is perfect for me.  I picked up a handful of Golden Books — you remember those charming little stories for children — because I have a friend with a fondness for them.  I found a couple by Sophie Kinsella that I’d never read and, on a whim, I brought home The House I Loved,  by Tatiana de Rosnay.   I chose it because I liked the title and I liked the cover but I read it because I was fascinated by the story.  Between 1852 and 1870 Paris was rebuilt. A little piece of history I’d never known. Little streets and neighbourhoods were razed to make way for the long, wide, straight boulevards of modern Paris.  The House I Loved is about a woman who lived in one of those condemned streets, in a house she loved.

I’m thrilled to have found this little treasure in my neighbourhood.  I look forward to discovering more gems like The House I Loved, while I take a breather from my bike ride!

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