Simply Knitting Snafu

Look! How exciting! A free audio book of Persuasion! Unabridged, too!

See all the great freebies this month?? Of course, Persuasion is the BEST! From the description, I thought it might be on an enclosed CD ...

I'm so depressed.
Yes, quite.
Here I was, getting all prepared to finally clean out the "computer room," which has really become my stash room ... and I was all excited because the latest issue of Britain's Simply Knitting magazine came in today's mail ... and guess what was a freebie?? A BBC audio "book" of my favorite Jane Austen book Persuasion!
I thought, "WOW! Now I can clean my stash while listening to my favorite book! What a stroke of luck!"
So, at first, I thought it might be on an enclosed CD. They've done that before ... like the other month when they sent a sample CD of The Bumper Book of Knitting (which locked up my computer the first time I tried to use it, by the way ... but it was free, you know). Anyhow, I turned the magazine upside down and shook it a bit. I checked inside the plastic casing in which it arrives each month. Nothing. There was no CD enclosed. I then turned to page 9, as I was directed to do on the first page of the magazine, and discovered that it was an audio download. Well, that was still o.k. I was, after all, going to clean the "computer" room and, as the name suggests, there is a working computer in there. So, still bristling with excitement, I quickly logged onto the website address they provide and there, I was met with the fateful words, "Must be a resident of the UK."
I selected "United States" from the drop-down menu anyhow, just in case, I mean ... maybe they wouldn't notice. US ... UK ... it's kind of the same ... Alas. They did notice, after all, and directed me to the US website which had no such free download at all.
I could always join the site for $14.95 a month, I read ... I was even given an opportunity for a discount for the first three months ... but I don't want to do that. So, instead, I'll listen to Sophie Kinsella's The Undomestic Goddess, which I bought on eBay last summer and was saving for wintertime ... sigh. It's a good book, but it's definitely not Persuasion.
This is merely one of the disappointments I've had at not being a resident of the UK when it comes to fabulous offers in Simply Knitting. Don't get me wrong: I'm glad to be a US citizen born and bred, but gosh! We don't have any knitting magazines like Simply Knitting. I think more people must knit over there than over here.
All our magazines are stuffed with the usual amount of sweaters, scarves and did I mention sweaters? Yes, there are shawls and neck warmers, too. (*yawn) There's hardly a mention of toys ... ever! If you thought Knit Simple was going to be the US version of Simply Knitting, well, just take a look at it before you subscribe. I think you'll be as sadly disappointed as I.
*sniff ... sniff. At least I got the stitch markers.
Back to cleaning.