She is not a materialistic person, so it is very hard to choose something suitable for her. I, on the other hand am really easy to please
just get me something for my PC or my photography and I am happy enough. She is aware of this, but being a real technophobe she will often just give me some money and say "I was not sure what to get you so here is the money, get something you would like" Now I have no problem with that and usually do buy something for myself, I am a great believer in getting something with the money that you would really like, but would not normally treat yourself to. I also make a point of saying to the said present giver "Here is what I bought with your present money" as that way they can feel good that they bought you something you wanted.The problem with Mrs H is that I give her the money, but she never really spends it on herself, but will instead use it for something that I would not consider to be a present, like taxing her car with money she has accrued, when that could just as easily come out of the bank as normal family outgoings. In essence she is a very unselfish person and will spend on something other than on herself.
She is an avid reader and always has a book in her hand, so I had hinted at her having an e-reader and extolled the virtues of such things, but she is as I said a real technophobe and I could see she was not keen, maybe because she fears the technology and thinks she will break something or worse still not be able to use it properly. She is also a great supporter of her local library and says that she enjoys going there and having a chat with Mary & Co the librarians. so there is another reason for her not to have one.
Anyhow, yesterday I decided to bite the bullet and have already bought her a Kindle, just the bog standard Wi-fi model without keypad, but still very nice. I have it all set up and working and also have her a Kindle account ready to access on my PC. I have already downloaded a selection of her favourite authors and just obtained another 11,000 books on a CD for her to select from as and when required. So it will be “slowly, slowly, catchee monkey” when it comes to Christmas day in the hope that she warms to the idea of using it. I do have one good ally in the form of a neighbours wife who is also an avid reader and she is all primed to make suitable comments along the line of “Wow! aren’t you lucky to get that” and “Ooh isn’t it nice and light to use, better than a heavy book”
So wish me luck, or there may well be Kindle going cheap in the New Year.
. This year though, we decided that they are grown up enough to cope and we are awarding each other a weekend in Barcelona in the new year 
