AprilShowers

Hello!

(Updated July 1, 2013) I love all things snail mail! Random surprises, a long letter from a new friend, a homemade postcard, a quick note from a close friend. If it speaks from the sender's heart, then it's sure to touch mine.

I'm a sincere believer in random acts of kindness and I send out lots of "happy mail" to folks in the military and random strangers. I'm 56 years old, happily married, have 2 grown daughters and 2 large dogs. (I apologize for any random dog fur that may end up in your package. I hate the stuff so I try hard not to force it on others!) We live out in the country in a log cabin we built ourselves. I work in the Children's Room of our local library and run a women's book discussion group.

I suffer from depression and I'm trying hard to gain control of my life. I recently started a blog to chart my progress.

Things that I would love to receive: black tea (plain or flavored, in wrappers), small, pierced earrings, and address labels.

I was very active in Swap-bot a few years ago and had lots of fun. Then I lost my internet connection due to computer issues and some swaps went out late. I tried very hard to make good on every swap I signed up for but a few people have since left Swap-Bot and haven't responded to my inquiries. I even went so far as to contact them through their websites, but got no response. In good faith, I didn't mark those swaps as sent. Now that I can do nothing about them, I've decided to archive them. It was not -and never will be - my intention to flake on a swap.

Other than reading, swapping, and snail mail, my main hobby is geocaching, although I like letterboxing more. (Unfortunately there aren't very many letterboxes in my area.) I enjoy writing and journaling, doodling and other forms of self-expression. I like doing Sudoku puzzles but I stink at crosswords. I love nature and living out in the country! I also enjoy walking, gardening, cooking, and birdwatching. I took ballroom dancing lessons until the instructor moved away. I like to think and daydream but I also like to spend time with friends.

I love to read, though a lot of my reading these days is online. The last few years I've challenged myself to read 50 books a year. (I would probably read more if I weren't such a slow reader.) Contemporary literature, mysteries, young adult novels, creative nonfiction, historical fiction, if it’s interesting, I’ll read it! Some recent favorites include Room, by Emma Donoghue, The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett, Winter Garden, by Kristen Hannah, and Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. I like books that are memorable or make me think.

Magazines! I love magazines. I'm still searching for one that encompasses all my interests. Until I find it, I read articles from a wide assortment of publications: Writer's Digest, Outside, More, Discover, AARP the Magazine, Hobby Farm Home, Men's Journal,Smithsonian.... I tend not to like women's mags as they focus too much on fashion, hair, makeup, and dieting. Tell me something I don't know. Expand my horizons.

I used to have many penpals but then life got busy and I had to give it up. I miss those letters! Life is still busy but I've compromised by joining a Yahoo group that exchanges postcards. I've discovered that the focus for many of my postcard pals is the view on the card. They are collecting views. My focus is on connecting with people. Yes, the view can be interesting, but I'm more concerned with what you have to say. How do you express yourself? An extension of this is homemade postcards. The sender uses both words and images to give the recipient a peek into who they are. I think homemade postcards are very interesting and would love to find some in my mailbox.

Hmmm.... What do I say here? I used to be a Girl Scout leader and working in the Children's Room I have done many crafts over the years. I'm working on a memory book (sort of like a scrapbook) for my youngest daughter. I have boxes and bins FULL of craft supplies but I really don't do any crafts on my own. I LOVE all the specialty papers that are out there and compulsively buy them. Likewise with markers and gel pens. Recently I bought strings of beads that were on sale; maybe I'll get together with a friend and eventually make earrings with her. Colors & textures are definitely my weakness! I don't knit or crochet so I avoid the yarn aisles!