My mate Rosie gets slightly miffed if I mention Mansfield’s ‘bookshop’.
Rosie: “Mansfield doesn’t have a book shop Jo, it has Whsmiths, which is not a bookshop.”
Me: “It has blumming books doesn’t it? So it’s a bookshop.”
Rosie just shakes her head in mock disgust and grins. You see, though she was born in sunny Mansfield, she lived for 15 years in Guildford, which is…, well, it has proper bookshops. Cough.
One of the hardest parts of coming home (there were good parts too), but one of the hardest parts for her, was leaving behind her beloved Borders. She claimed it was a magical place full of paperback pleasure, hardback happiness and other cool stuff that every girl should have. And I thought, “Yeah yeah, whatever, as long as I can get my books I don’t care where they’re from, I mean most of my books come from Schmesco, and a good few more come from charity shops. What do my surroundings matter as long as I can buy myself literary treats whenever I want them?”
But…
I was wrong.
You see, a couple of weeks ago when I went to visit another friend, she took me to Borders in Cardiff.
It blew my mind.
While Holl looked through kids books (as in, watched my kids), Mr B and I wandered. We browsed, we perused, we examined, we explored, we dug and we delved, we danced, we ran, we skipped, we cheered, we laughed, we flounced and we frolicked through the books.
It was heaven.
And I felt like ringing Rosie and saying, “I was wrong. I didn’t know. Can you forgive me?” But then I calmed down and returned to Holl with my pile of ’stuff’ and began to also look through the kids books because, you know, I have kids who like books.
And to my delight and pleasure I found these…
(Click on pictures if you want to buy them from Borders right now.)
Oh my Bob, it’s like an REM song, but for potty training…
When your nappy’s gone, and your mum,
Sits you oooon a plastic chair.
There’s a hole in it, and she says,
Poop in there.
Just let you’re self goooooooo.
And she’ll buy you a surprise
Cos everybody poooooooooooos.
Sometimes.
You sang it didn’t you?
Oh please say you did. 
It wasn’t any of my business either, I would never do that to a mole.
They really should stop giving him so much tripe, but I know my kids would love this. Ok, I would love it too.
I want this book. I want it with all my heart, even the bit that is generally reserved for chocolate. Sighhhhh.
Now, I know some of you might be tutting at this a little. I mean, of all the books I could have chosen I went for the ‘bottom’ orientated ones, but hey, I have a 3 year old who likes trump sandwiches, this is my life people.
But I think what my choices show even more is that I was in a bookshop where I felt comfortable enough to get down on the floor and flick through fabulous books on ANY subject. This shop encourages kids to be ok with poo, pants, the everyday stuff that my generation were kind of taught to leave behind closed doors. Nowhere in sight was the stuffy, don’t touch kind of atmosphere I have found in other ‘bookstores’, but instead the place was bright and inviting. It wanted you to touch the books, taste the books, smell the books. It was just a big hulk of book loving and I could quite easily live there.
So I’d like to say thanks.
Thanks Rosie, thanks Holly, thanks Borders Cardiff. Thanks especially to the lovely staff at Borders Cardiff who didn’t seem to mind Miss M and the Thrower charging round the kids area. Who were ok with us taking magazines we hadn’t yet paid for into the upstairs Starbucks to keep the kids entertained while we had coffee and cake, and who were so patient when I put the wrong number in on my card then got all scared that I couldn’t pay, then tried Mr B’s and realized it was just me.
Borders, you are fabulous. Now please, please build that Nottingham branch soon.
NEWS FLASH
I got a post accepted on Blogger’s Annex and it’s up today. Yay.
Blogger’s Annex is a new site that anyone can join and submit their best posts too. The idea is that it will be a place full of fantastic stuff on any subject from all over the blogosphere. It’s a real chance to showcase your writing, find new bloggers and well, just enjoy a good read. The posts so far have been sad, funny, informative, the works so I’m so chuffed they picked me. Pop over and leave me a comment if you get the chance, and if you see a post you love, tell the author to submit it or ask if you can. It’s kind of cool.
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August 22nd, 2008 at 4:45 am
I have half of those books from when we potty trained TFYO. We also had this great DVD of Bear in the Big Blue House (a Disney production) that talked all about using the potty. My fave song from that was a disco number with shadow puppets that talked about getting on “the potty train”. Best line: “C’mon people squat down low, even Eskimos gotta go.” We have Borders here, but also Barnes and Noble which I love just as much. It’s even better that they serve coffee, too.
August 22nd, 2008 at 5:18 am
Barnes & Noble is like that too … lovely helpful staff, enormous children’s section where there is story hour on weekends, a Starbucks, and all sorts of other not really book related but sort of stuff … Borders is the new kid on the block here and BN has had to step up its ‘other stuff’ to keep up with the times.
Come visit and I will take you to BOTH! How’s that for incentive?
August 22nd, 2008 at 5:22 am
ZOMG! I LOOOOVE me some Borders. Love, love, love love love. Really, it has been my home away from home from the time it was built near my parent’s house (about ten years ago maybe) until I moved to Europe. It is the most wonderful fairytale come true land for book lovers EVER. Although I went to Waterstone I think it was called, in Edinburgh and that was almost as nice, but it just didn’t have that comfortable feeling of Borders. Oh good luck on the potty training attempts, if that’s what you’re up to.
August 22nd, 2008 at 6:06 am
YES, Borders is the best. I spend far too much time there. I have actually flipped through most of the books you mention above. I hadn’t seen the dinosaur one and now I’m itching to go to Borders and pick it up.
Congrats on the Annex post-quite worthy of the spotlight!
August 22nd, 2008 at 6:31 am
Jen, they are fabulous, and I don’t even have an excuse to buy them as we are past potty training, but Miss M is very much into, erm, toilet humour.
Daryl, one day I will get to New York. I need to make some dosh first, but then I will come and drag Holl along with me. (As if I’d have to drag her.)
Lilacs, that was it, it was so comfortable and homely and yet gorgeous as well. We’re passed the potty stage now, except nights, but I just love them anyway. Not sure what that saya about me, hee hee.
August 22nd, 2008 at 6:32 am
Heather it’s so good isn’t it? I plan on spending too much there when we et the Nottingham one. I can’t believe we don’t have one yet being a two University town. Weird. Thanks for the congrats on the annex post too.
August 22nd, 2008 at 7:33 am
He he he! I told you I was right!! I’m delighted to see you have seen the light. I forgive you this time – but remember I am always right! WHSmiths is not a bookshop!
PS Waterstones is pretty good too!
August 22nd, 2008 at 8:20 am
Rosie, I bow down to your superior book store knowledge. I’m just wondering whether to blog that scary moment with our children and the play dough fairies. What do you think?
August 22nd, 2008 at 8:22 am
Going to the bookstore with my family is one of my favorite things in the whole world. Congratulations on your post.
August 22nd, 2008 at 8:57 am
I love it too writer dad. Luckily Mr B is a reader too so our kids have always loved books. If they didn’t it’s possible I would have to swap them. ;D
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:30 am
I’d love to say that I prefer tiny charming bookshops, but Borders and the like are my happy places.
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:36 am
I love Borders too. And you can join their “club” (for free) and they send you coupons for 20-30% off ALL THE TIME.
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:43 am
you haven’t lived until you’ve been to Foyles in London
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:59 am
how sweetest Jo, someday when you come to Portland I am taking you to Powells… only then will you truly know the love of a good bookstore.
If I didn’t have Powells though I might love Borders a little more…
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Kim, me too. It was the shiny and the new and the freedom and the comfort AND the bargains.
Lori, I will join, I already signed up for their newsletter.
Judysteapot, now I have t go there too. I am so excited.
Cami, that would be heaven my lovely. I will google it.
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Wow, cool books. Pickle would love those. her top 3 all time books are 3. Bums 2. Pants. 1 More pants.
I’m so proud!!
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:54 pm
There’s not much that I think the US does better than Blighty (I’m biased), but bookstores are great. You can lounge for ages in armchairs, read books like you own them and then put them back on the shelf, have a coffee, take your preschoolers to storytime, bla bla bla. Hm, I think I’ve just described your Borders experience, actually (except the preschool storytime).
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:55 pm
The only thing is, the front of the store is so jam-packed with self-help books, that just reading the titles as you go by makes you realise you have all kinds of problems you didn’t know about.
August 22nd, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Are you kidding me? Anything about poo or bums or underwear and my kids insist on me buying it. I’m with Picklesmum, 1. Aliens Love Underpants (clearly a sequel to the dino version) 2. Pants 3. More Pants 4. Whose Bottom is This?
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:21 pm
I literally fell off my chair laughing when I got to the REM bit. You see, I sang that song (the original version, that is) last night whilst playing “Singstar” and as I read your post, I did sing along…I really did! Just for you! And then you said “Oh please say you did!” and I was all excited. Sigh. It’s been a long rainy day here. You just brightened it for me : )
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:43 pm
people, it’s true. they really really really did flounce. it was really weird. well, it *would* have been weird if i
a) wasn’t already used to jo; and
b) wasn’t also a flouncer at bookstores
welcome, honey, welcome to the world of borders.
August 23rd, 2008 at 1:59 am
Picklesmum, it’s all about excretions of some kind at this age isn’t it? Whether it be gaseous, or um, solids. And let’s face it, it doesn’t change much as they grow up either. ;D
Iota, that was our experience. I could have stayed there all day, and Miss M and the Thrower would have loved the storytime I’m sure. I didn’t notice a self help section but I bet there was one. I’ll remember to avoid that section in future, I don’t need anymore hang ups.
Holl, thanks babe. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart, (you know, the poo part. I loved that post.:D)
August 23rd, 2008 at 7:03 am
Thanks for the book reviews and heads up on blogggers annex does it cost because I’m soooooo broke.sk
August 23rd, 2008 at 8:06 am
Walter the Farting Dog – LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:01 am
Tara, sorry I missed you sweetie. It must be their age…although it was me that found them so, maybe it’s my age too.
Erin, don’t know how I missed you babe, but I am so glad you sang. The time and effort I put into it, hee hee.
Sandy, it’s a pleasure, and Bloggers Annex is free and a great read.
August 23rd, 2008 at 1:44 pm
I am pleased to say that I have seen all of those books before. great choices jo!
August 25th, 2008 at 7:38 am
OOh! We have Walter, the Farting Dog and Everybody Poos!
Great books!
i love Borders, too. You can spend a whole day in there. I don’t even like Starbucks but I love the smell of coffee (which I also don’t drink) and you’re right – the whole atmosphere… aahhhh…
August 26th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Oh Jo honey, you do make me laugh! EVERY TIME!!! And yes, I sang along, lol…I haven’t been to a Whsmith’s in years…since we left Beaconsfield, as a matter of fact…I miss it…and it is too a bookstore!
hugs
Sandi
August 26th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
great post!
Laughed my head off at the book titles! Love Borders too {sadly, I do not live close to enjoy one either!} Yes, of course, I sang!
Congrats on making David’s post of the day list!