Friday with baby Gromit and 3 new challenges..

 Great nails - a purply, mauve, grey shade of calm

 How cute... :) you can't hide little G x

Onto my 3 challenges. I wanted to buy an audiobook to listen to in the car but having done some research, I decided they were far too expensive. Thinking about the work that goes into producing a audiobook, I'm not surprised. Someone has to be paid to read the book out loud and where I'm concerned, unless I like the voice of the person reading it, I won't buy it anyway. I try reading my books out loud sometimes (usually when there's no one around) and although it's nice to speak the words out loud, it does take ages. So I've binned the audiobook idea and instead, in my quest to buy one particular book, I wandered into town this week to buy 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'.

Did you know that you can't buy one book any more without having a guilt trip? I began at Waterstones and was faced with 3 for 2 or buy 1, get the 2nd half price. Before you say, why don't you buy the book cheaper online? You should know by now that I'm a paper junkie! I rarely buy anything online unless I've already seen it. It's a confidence thing. Where books are concerned, I'm a bit fussy and like to feel the paper and see the words on the page. Plus, if I can't see the words clearly with my glasses on, of course I won't buy it! There's also something satisfying about holding a book in my hand. They're real things with personalities - you think I'm joking! Pick up any book and you'll find that they're all different. If I'm going to spend quality time with an author I want the experience to be memorable. A book doesn't have to be new though, a fact has just dawned on me..  I should have tried the charity shop first, doh! Hey, next time.. it's too late for my New Year selection and hey, a new year so new books will go nicely together.

I've promised myself that I'll more find more time to read in 2011 so I've chosen my book for January, 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' though of course as I had to buy 3, I have 'One Moment, One Morning' for my February holiday and 'The Lost Symbol' for March!