Illness and Old Books

We had a rough week. Kahlil and I both got a little stuffed up right after New Years. My nose cleared in a couple days but Kahlil decided to go a different direction with his illness. Starting Wednesday night he started running a fever that got as high as 103. He was stuffed up and couldn't breath very well when he slept and just didn't feel good. I thought he was through the woods on Friday morning when he woke up with a normal temperature, but after his nap the fever was back and he just cried for 20 minutes. But after the medicine kicked in he was much happier. Today he was more himself and no fever. THANK GOODNESS!!

We went to see the Book of Kells today. It was a cool exhibit. I really enjoyed the information on how the book was made - the vellum, inks, binding, etc. The life of a monk in 800 ad was pretty tedious. The pictures they had of many of the pages were cool too. And the history of the book was pretty funny - accidental. That book survived invasions from Vikings, Danes, heathens, and "foreigners" and too many fires to list (although they did list 20 or so that covered the books first 300 years). I suppose that is one of the reasons it's such a special book. I'm pretty sure it, and the other books displayed with it, are the oldest books I've ever seen. It made me want to read "The Name of the Rose" again.

Your ticket to see the book also gets you in to see the Long Room. An amazing library that is about 65 yards long with a magnificent vaulted celling. Over 200,000 books are stored in row after row of tall stacks. Each row capped of with a marble bust. It was really beautiful. Heidi would have been especially proud to be a librarian in that room.

Speaking of Heidi and Mark, congratulations on the arrival of little Jack!

Here is a poem that was in the visitors guide for the Book of Kells. The exhibit is called 'Turning Darkness into Light' from this poem written by a 9th century Irish monk in St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Pangur Ban
I and Pangur Ban my cat
'Tis a like task we are at:
Hunting mice is his delight
Hunting words I sit all night.

Better far than praise of men
'Tis to sit with book and pen;
Pangur bears me no ill will
He too plies his simple skill

Oftentimes a mouse will stray
In the hero Pangur's way;
Oftentimes my keen thought set
Takes a meaning in its net.

'Gainst the wall he sets his eye
Full and fierce and sharp and sly;
'Gainst the wall of knowledge I
All my little wisdom try.

Practice every day has made
Pangur perfect in his trade;
I get wisdom day and night
Turning darkness into light