Booknessss

After endless months – actually, years – of credit card repayments, saving plans and other such uncharacteristically adult behaviour, my husband and I are finally Out Of Debt. It is a glorious feeling, and what’s more, thanks to Toby’s taking on extra work this semester, we even have some savings. Not that we’ve lived an entirely abstemious existence since moving to Melbourne – which was when The Debt first reared its head, due to the necessities of truck rental, bond payments, airfares and so on, and which was then compounded at every attempt to decrease it by sudden vet bills, overseas travel and yet more moving/bond-related payments – but in recent times, we’ve certainly tried to rein things in a bit. When my most recent advance came in, for instance, every last cent went straight on the credit cards. 2010 has been a momentous year, and as it draws to a close, the sudden windfall of a tax rebate has made both our eyes light up like candles.

For the first time in four years, we can each afford to go a little bit nuts. There’s a wildness to this feeling: a sense of joy and possibility made all the sweeter by how long it’s been in coming and how rare it is regardless. Thus, on Saturday, some expenditure will occur. Toby is getting an iPad – something he’s been craving with puppyish hope for months now, and which will bring honour to our household.

I will be buying books.

That is to say, books, plural.

Here is the immediate list:

Secrets of the Fire Sea, by Stephen Hunt

Tongues of Serpents, by Naomi Novik

I Shall Wear Midnight, by Terry Pratchett

Dead and Gone, by Charlaine Harris

Curse of the Wolf Girl, by Martin Millar

Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins

Jealousy, by Lili St. Crow

Clockwork Angel, by Cassandra Clare

And that, my friends, is just the beginning.

Squee!