A Reading Haven.

I'm sitting in the local library writing this podcast, and honestly, it is one of my favorite places to be. There are so many reasons to feel this way too. The Wenatchee library is situated in the center of town, close to the court house, the jail, and the other older, significant buildings. The south side of the library (1)overlooks Memorial Park. I wrote a podcast once which you might remember, about a spectacular tree in that park. It is truly an elegant green space. Even though there is a constant flow of traffic around it, the mature trees and their shady spaces provide an instant sense of refreshment and comfort. During Covid the library shut down, but underwent a full renovation. It was built in 1959, and, as you can imagine (2)reeked of the details of that era: orange/ brown carpets, yellowish countertops, and very boxy architecture. Now it is uptodate and bright, with a natural, modern palette, a wall of white windows, and an impressive choice of books to read and listen to. They offer book, film, and chess clubs, workshops of all different kinds, and of course kids programs. If any of my friends ever complain about taxes, I say to them, "Go to the library! You helped to pay for it!" I shudder to think how much the renovation cost, (3)judging by my brief experience with renovating. But having said that, this building is here to stay, and is certainly used by many patrons. I'll never forget the first book that inspired me to be a life-long reader: The Rats by James Herbert. I was twelve at the time when a friend of mine recommended it. I got it from the local library which had a series of his books. Horror, for some reason, was the genre that appealed to me at that age. I couldn't put the book down, and when I finished it, I immediately went back to the library and got another: The Fog. So, I have a soft spot for libraries; I think they are indispensible for a community. You never know who might try out the library, read a book, and because of it, set off on a direction of inspiration or adventure.   To overlook has two meanings. One is to physically look over or upon something. The second meaning is to ignore or forget about something or someone. a. Their apartment overlooks the lake. They sit there in the evening watching the yachts come and go. b. I usually overlook his rudeness, but I couldn't yesterday. His behavior was too much!   2. To reek also has a basic meaning and an idiomatic one. The first is to smell awful. The second is to give a definite, strong impression of something. a. The old garbage reeked. It should have been taken out a long time ago! b. Her attitude reeked of arrogance. She thought she knew better than everyone else.   3. Judging by + noun is another way of saying, "According to my experience/ knowledge." a. Judging by our past experience with this airline, the flight should be fine. b. Judging by his comments, he will probably lose his job sooner than he thinks.