I'm ratfan and I buy books

I think the only way for me to control my book-buying is to get myself banned from every bookshop in town, the way junk-food addicts have been known to ask KFC etc to refuse them service!

I wasn't always this addicted, or rather, I was, but money was so low I was used to making do with library books or secondhand copies. Since regular employment, it's been at least one a fortnight, often more! Friends are no help. They put books in your hand, suggest others you might like, particularly friends who own bookshops!

Work has suddenly dropped off, as it tends to do in school holidays. Last week must've been the frantic rush before lawyers and other court workers took time off. I was kicked out of the office yesterday, maybe 40 minutes early, with the doleful news that I could sleep in tomorrow. I had planned to work it, Monday being cancelled for reason of migraine.

Usually I'm pretty good with budgeting but it seems when I'm feeling low, retail therapy in the form of just one or two more books makes me feel better. Until retail guilt sets in! What do people think is a *reasonable* book budget, for someone on an adequate but not-too-wonderful pay packet? Not you, fantastic_planet persons, I know you'd like me to keep right on. And most likely I will. Sigh.