Book Notes

• I went into two bookstores this afternoon.  In the first I bought a gift card and made a quick circuit of the new books tables.  I actually didn't feel an overwhelming desire to buy anything, but then I didn't really give myself enough time to browse.  I'll save that for after the Christmas holiday and while I'm on vacation and can enjoy it. 
• Does anyone have a Borders reward card?  Do you ever actually get a reward?  What am I doing wrong.  I always show my card, but they never send me a discount coupon or give me store credit.  Maybe that's why the card is free?
• Okay, so at the second bookstore I bought the most recent Bookmarks Magazine.  The cover story is on historical fiction, so I've been looking forward to buying it.  I also bought, and this was planned, three books for my niece, and one for my sister-in-law.  My niece is a 'sort of' reader.  I'm not sure if she would read at night had not her teacher required 15 minutes daily at-home-reading.  She also reads aloud when she does read.  I'm not sure how she got into that habit (at school?), but whatever works.  I wish she loved reading, but I think she only does it because she has to.  My SIL is also not a reader, but that doesn't stop me from occasionally buying her a book.  I sometimes think I buy gifts for people that I would want to receive.  Am I going about it the wrong way?  I'll still get  my SIL a gift card and my niece something she 'really wants'.  This year I fear it will somehow involve Hannah Montana.  Oh well.   
• I checked the mystery shelves for books by Margery Allingham.  Zip at both stores.  Those A's are really close to the C's.  I bought a copy of Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile.  Oops.  It was only a small slip.  You see, it's frigidly cold out right now.  I mean seriously cold.  I need something set in a warm, sultry climate.  Not that I couldn't find something on my bookshelves, but what's the fun in that?  besides, I'm not alone in this!  
• Speaking of cold.  I'm thinking that winter is not the time to listen to audio books while walking outside.  I finally decided on Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to listen to.  I've heard many good things about it.  This morning I piled on coat, scarf, gloves, got the earphones tucked under my ear muffs and set out.  When I leave it's dark, and today it was bitterly cold and windy.  Alas, no falling earphones, but the cold was so attention getting that after I listened to the introduction (sort of kind of) the story started in earnest, and with a date.  Totally missed it.  It threw me off and now I think I had better start over.  Maybe I should go back to Christmas tunes?
• The good news, though.  I'm nearly finished with my Christmas shopping.  And as long as I don't go crazy over my few remaining purchases I will actually have stayed within budget.  Definitely a good thing this year.