To New Beginnings!

Dear friends in the blogging ether-hi!  I've missed you! It's been a crazy few weeks since my last post. Although we haven't been as Winter-ravaged as some of you, it's been more of a Winter here than I've seen in many years.

That photo was taken back in December, but we have had several more, including a storm this past week that resulted in a perfectly timed snow day. And it's been cold! I honestly don't recall having as many below zero nights and single digit days as we've had this season. We thank the powers that be daily for the wonders of the pellet stove, as do the furred ones in the household.

Got through my busiest time of work, finally emerging from the 13 hour workdays weary and frustrated. And then...it happened! A call I really didn't expect, the culmination of 3 1/2 months of waiting and interviews, process and thought, wishful thinking and mental seesawing. My office phone rang, and on the other end was the voice of my future boss, offering me the hoped-for position! After 7 1/2 years, I'm returning to library work! Some of the work will be familiar and some is branching out in new and exciting directions...working with youth planning, and eventually some community outreach. I've done outreach work before, back in my festival days, but this is will be a different sort. 

I owe alot of love and gratitude to Linda who listened to my angst about what I might be giving up if I was offered and accepted the job; let's face it, libraries have different economic realities than where I've been the last few years, and I've enjoyed a freakish amount of time off at the job I'm leaving behind, between the extended holidays, standard vacation time, Summer Fridays off, and the comp time that came from those 13 hour work days. But Linda--and my family & friends--supported me and reminded me that all those good things came at an exorbitant emotional price that had taken its toll, and that I've missed library work all these years And when that call came, I was stunned and honored, and barely hesitated.

I'm truly excited; the dedication of the army of volunteers is amazing, and I'm mightily impressed by the drive, vision and determination of the library staff and board to serve its small rural community as fully and completely as possible. It may be I've never confessed to you my passion for libraries, the way they put the world at the fingertips of anyone walking through the doors, regardless of income, 'class', social stature, ethnicity, religious or political beliefs. Libraries are both magical and as critical to a functioning society as schools. This will most assuredly be an adventure that lets me feel good about what I do at the end of every day. The new job starts in early March, and I'm working hard to leave my current job ready for someone else to step in.

So that's my big news; I so look forward to checking in on all my favorite bloggers...stay warm; Spring's coming, I promise!