Sean awesomely surprised me with a Kindle Touch for my birthday in December.  I’d always said I didn’t want one, especially here (Oh, hi, Georgians!  I know many of you struggle to make ends meet, but look – I have a touchscreen computer just for books!) but Sean was totally right in getting it for me.  I’m in love.

I'm on a Russian history kick and just downloaded a book about Stalin (we are going to visit his birthplace next month - he was Georgian, you know!) and one about Catherine the Great. We don't have wireless here but the cord method is still pretty slick.

It was a good experiment for my first year here to have to read what I could find – what was passed around from volunteer to volunteer, would I could find at the Peace Corps lounge, what was at our local American Corner.  I read a lot of stuff I wouldn’t have otherwise.  But I am so thankful that I can now read up on whatever topic I’m interested in while I have ample time to do so.  (For example, I laid in bed for three days straight and read the Hunger Games trilogy, during the down time between New Year’s and back to work.  Lovely!)

And best of all?  I can lay in bed, totally wrapped up in blankets, and only reach a pinky out into the cold air to turn pages.  A great its-freezing-in-our-room activity.

(Sean gave me a great birthday present last year, too.  I’m a lucky girl.)