Adelaide’s at the Taylor Hotel by Jean Stamper

Our Friday night gathering was huge last night – one of those times when there were five or six conversations going all at once. The hostess in me was pleased; the participant in me was frustrated. So many interesting conversations; such a limited capacity for hearing them all!

However, before things got crowded, Cyndy Hayward asked the early-arrivers to do a little bit of brainstorming about Adelaide’s – in particular, the bookstore part. She, as the founder-and-still-owner of that portion of the shop, is eager to keep the bookstore intact. She was wondering if it couldn’t become a co-operative endeavor with people volunteering one day a week, for instance, and someone else taking over the management…

Lottie’s New Beach Towel by Petra Mathers

There was a lot of enthusiasm generated and lots of fanciful ideas. I like mine the best, of course, and here it is: Volunteers would each take charge of one genre – mysteries, romance, history, poetry, etc. I want the children’s section. I’d order the books, stock the shelves, do the PR and be there one day a week – probably Saturdays so I could have Saturday Morning Story Hour for children (and adults, too!)

I’d start with the “Lottie Books.” They are a series of books for young children set in this very area. Everyone, young and old, who lives here should be familiar with them! They are award-winning books and were written and illustrated by Petra Mathers who lives across the river. I think there are six in the series beginning with Lottie’s New Beach Towel in which we learn that Lottie and her friend Herbie live right here in Oysterville!

The Nickle-Plated Beauty by Patricia Beatty

And, I would definitely read, on a continuing basis, The Nickle-Plated Beauty by Patricia Beatty – the best introduction to local history for kids that I know of. I read it to every class I taught here – that makes 23 times! – and I never tire of the antics of the fictional Kimball family who lived in Ocean Park in the 1880s. I even recommend it to adults new to the area. I think it comes under that fanciful heading of ‘Books I Wish I’d Written’ – a sentiment I wrote to Mrs. Beatty many years ago.

Well… it’s all “pie in the sky” as my mom used to say – easy to dream about, difficult to put in place. We wish Cyndy well in her efforts to save both the Books and the Coffee aspects of Adelaide’s as Joel and Katie Uram move out next week and on to other things. I hope Cyndy can find just the right formula. She’s open to ideas so, if you have a bright one, contact her at cyndy.hayward@centurytel.net.