Not an April Fool's Joke

So last night Kate bursts into our room breathless and excited, yelling, "Mom! Guess what!" I lurched awake, looked at the clock, determined that it was still April 1st, and informed her that if this was an April Fool's joke I'd wring her neck,... in Christian love, of course.

Flash back many years to my fifth grade year, when I spent much time in the library... The book I checked out most often- 11 times that year, as a matter of fact, was The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge. A dear story, written for children, of an orphaned girl, her Governess, and the new life she finds awaiting her with distant relatives on a country estate somewhere in England. Long out of print, I was unable to find a copy of my own, so my name was written in the book, along with my Grandmother's phone number, should the library ever discard it.

Years later, while I was in High School, they called and offered me the book for the sum of $1- sold!

I have since shared the precious volume with my daughters and purchased several other copies from rare book dealers found through online searches. Someday my girls will grow up and leave the nest, and while I want them each to take a copy with them, I want to retain one myself as well.

Last night while tooling around the internet, Kate discovered that they are making the book into a movie, starring Ioan Gruffudd, (yes, that's how it's spelled) in one of the title roles. You may have seen him as William Wilberforce in Amazing Grace. Tim Curry will be the "bad guy"; he is a genius as an antagonist! While seeing this onscreen may prove disappointing, The release of my favorite book as a movie may well result in the reprinting of it, and therefore a new ease in acquiring copies.

Upon this discovery, Kate was moved to run to me with the news, time of night being irrelevant. I therefore did not wring her neck.

That was a close one!