Yes, it’s true, as any of you who read this blog might have already guessed from the lack of entries lately: I’m a bit burnt out.  Just a bit – not dreadfully, horribly so, but a bit.

The summer reading program has been going fantastically well, which means that I’ve been fantastically busy.  Lots and lots of children and adults have been coming in to the children’s room to check in with me about their summer reading, and I’ve also had lots of conversations with library patrons about summer in general.  I’ve definitely noticed that many more families stayed in town this summer than in the past three summers, and as a consequence the library has been significantly more busy than ever before.

I love people, and I love talking with people, but I am definitely an introvert: I regain my mental energy from time spent alone, even though I love being social, too.  Yesterday evening I got home about 7 PM, and at first I was disappointed that Jim wasn’t home yet (mostly ’cause I was really hungry, but also ’cause I kind of like Jim).  And then I settled down belly-first on our bed, next to the open window, with the freshly-delivered newest copy of This Old House magazine, and realized that what I needed more than anything was a little bit of quiet time after nine hours of busyness at the library.  It was great (that and the junk food dinner that I talked Jim into once he got home) and I felt more refreshed than I have in a while.

But I’m definitely ready for a vacation – and summer vacation starts for me next Friday.  I’ll be taking two weeks off in a row for the first time ever in my working life, I think, and I can’t wait to restore, rejuvenate, and refresh over those two weeks.  And as my whim dictates, I’ll be posting summer reading entries to this blog, filling in those gaps that I’ve missed over the past few weeks: summaries of great performances at the library, comments on the books I’ve read, updates on the book groups that met over the summer, and any summer anecdotes that come to mind.

And now I’m going to indulge in the ultimate antidote for a burnt-out children’s librarian: I’m going to take a nice, long walk on this stunningly gorgeous day.  By myself, of course!