Resolutions, an answer, and a winner!

Thanks for all your entries to my Pick and Mix Book Giveaway - I've really enjoyed reading your comments, your thoughts about the books, and the resolutions that you've mentioned. Some have gone so far as to do their own resolutions post! Thanks for all your interest and involvement. I thought I'd give you a bit of a run-down on my resolutions so far - I like the fact that posting resolutions here means that I am accountable! Otherwise, I really do forget...

So, my first visit to the Library in a good long while has resulted in some good books:

I have three books in French - on Bastide towns (these are medieval planned checker-board towns and we live in one), on the pastel (or woad) trade in the area and one on birds of the region. There's also a rather lightweight book in English with pretty pictures of Toulouse and its heritage, but sometimes I just want the luxury of reading in English...

The news is becoming more accessible now that we have free digital TV. There are several French 24/7 news channels and Ben and I are both determined to watch a cycle of news per day. It makes a real difference instead of having to sit down too early (8pm) or too late (up to 11pm) for the terrestrial news channels. And I think it's really good to watch the French news, instead of just reading the BBC news website as I've done up until now. I feel more connected to France and the French when I follow the news from the national perspective. Possibly, if I listen to enough 'standard' French, I might even get rid of a bit of my local accent? Or possibly not...Here is just a peek at my two scrapbooks. I cannot tell you how much pleasure I am getting out of putting them together. They're just cuttings albums, the kind I used to keep when I was a child... and I think that might be part of the fun. A full post to follow...

And yes, you were right, it was the enamel coffee jug that was perjoratively labelled 'old'! It's true I wouldn't put coffee in it, but think of filling it with woodland treasures, as Betty the Wood Fairy suggested... It certainly has a future, as well as a past.

It cost me 1€, same as nearly everything else in Sunday's haul. The whole lot cost me 10€, and got me some good aerobic exercise into the bargain! (Steep hill up to the village.) The exercise resolution is coming on OK, BTW, but you really don't want photos... And enjoying life is indeed a habit to be learnt - I can see I'm making some progress there - you know I do such great things, and it's only a case of switching off the worry button in order to enjoy them fully...

... anyway, on to the winner! I'm just off to close down the giveaway and will come back with news of the winning comment...

Done!

The winner is Nikki, which is great as she is a self-professed bibliophile! I'm going to read more of her book blog, and have already enjoyed her wonderful photo-diary of walks and visits in her part of Northern Ireland. I do like the way that running giveaways gives you a chance to meet new bloggers! Nikki (who I guess found out about me through Serenata, as they have a fellow enthusiasm for Shasha dolls) has chosen Flea Market Style and How Green are my Wellies? as her two prizes. Congratulations Nikki - would you email me with your address, please?