Steven’s parents wanted the kids this weekend, so Steven and I have had 2 date nights! We have two typical kinds of date nights: Dinner and a Movie, or Dinner and a Bookstore. Yes, I know. We’re so exciting. On Friday we couldn’t agree on a movie to see, so I suggested going to a used bookstore. “We could go check out the new McKays,” Steven said. This bookworm was thrilled. (If you have never heard of McKays – actually McKay, but we Southerners like to throw an s on the end of things sometimes – you know, like Krogers – it is an enormous and fabulous used bookstore. If you come to Nashville, you need to go.)

We started at a local Thai restaurant we had never been to. I noticed they had somtam (papaya salad) on the menu, which you don’t see much at American Thai restaurants since it’s actually more of a Laotian food (the Thais who like to eat it come from eastern Thailand close to the Laotian border), so I wanted to order it, but you have to eat somtam with sticky rice. No American Thai restaurants ever have sticky rice! (Sticky rice is a glutinous rice that sticks together and is eaten with your hands.) Guess what! They had sticky rice!!! And I ate it and my somtam with my hands, as you’re supposed to. I’m sure everyone in the restaurant thought I was unhygienic and primitive. Steven played it safe and had pad thai. Here’s a pic of our spread:

Afterwards, Steven suggested going to a used bookstore in the area, Book Attic, instead of McKays. “We can go to McKays on the way home from church tomorrow,” he said. I really wanted to go to McKays, but recognizing the beauty of compromise in a marriage, I said okay. Book Attic was closed. “Do you want to go to World Market?” Steven asked. What? World Market is not a bookstore, I thought. My positive compromising attitude was turning sour. “Whatever you want to do,” I said. We walked around World Market. Okay, Steven walked around World Market. I sulked around World Market. When we left, I think I gave him a bit of a growl. “I really wanted to go to McKays,” I complained. “Do you want to go to Barnes and Noble so you can at least have gone to a bookstore?” Steven asked. “Whatever!” I grouched. We went to Barnes and Noble. I saw lots of beautiful books that I wanted. But I didn’t buy one. Being around books appeased me, though, and I was much less grumpy by the time we got home.

On Saturday, we had to take the communion bread we’d I’d made to church, so Vespers was the first part of our date. Then we grabbed take-out from Qdoba and set off for McKays. Finally! The bookworm was going to be happy! 

Now I normally keep a list of books I want to read, but of course I never have that list with me when I am actually in a bookstore. So instead I just peruse shelf after shelf and see what catches my eye. I typically check out novels, poetry, creative non-fiction/memoirs (which McKay called “Non-Fiction Novels” – I think that’s kind of an oxymoron, but I’ll roll with it), and spirituality. Here’s a pic of my loot:

And here’s the detailed list:

I now have enough books to last me probably to the end of the school year. If I can finish them all by then. Needless to say, I was a happy girl by the end of this date! Oh, and Steven got 5 books and a Playstation game. Kudos to him for being slightly less nerdy that me. On our way home, though, he said, “I think I saw 4 or 5 couples in there like us. You know, having date night at McKays.” In other words, We’re cool. 🙂