RiverTopanga

Hi, I'm Leslie.

11/20/18: I'm back.

11/3/18 - Hello everyone. I just want you to know that I am taking a little time off from the swapping. I am going to visit my son in California and will have no access to things to use to create a swap. I am going to try to get everything ready for my current swaps before I leave. Will be back in December or possibly after Thanksgiving... Thanks for understanding!

If you have not received a swap from me, please let me know before you rate. I very rarely miss a swap deadline, and will always message you if I think it will be late.

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO RATE ANY OF YOUR SWAP COORDINATORS -They work hard for you ☺ 💜

REGARDING HOME MADE POSTCARDS OR CARDS: I know I have no right to ask for this.... but I wanted to request that if you are sending to me, please do not make larger than 7 1/4 x 4 1/4. I keep my swaps in a decorated "shoe" box from Michael's.. so I would like to make sure that it fits in there! :-) Thank you :-)

Also, please note: My swap ID is one word- RiverTopanga.

8/25/18: Today is my mother's 87th birthday! Party! I will take her to breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts. I have a lot on my plate today, but at least I can start her day right :-) I may stop and buy her a ton of chocolate on my way home from an interview too... She is a TRUE chocoholic!

8/20/18: I swear, this ankle thing is NEVER going to end! Went for my follow up to my follow up, to my follow up.. well, you get the picture... NOW I have to cut little 2 inch squares of a pain patch and wear one every day for the next 25-30 days. Then, guess what?? Right you are! Another follow up! Hooray! Good thing I like the doctor :-) I see enough of him!!

7/28/18: So, I went back to Physical Therapy for a month (8 sessions). There was no change at all in the range of motion for my ankle. The doctor gave me a cortisone shot (well, 2) in the ankle and now we will see if it helps with swelling and breaking down the scar tissue. - so far, it's been a week, and there is still no change. Yes, I promise, I am still doing my exercises at home (and at work!) :-)

7/26/18: My friend was only in the hospital for 3 days. He is home and and back at work now. His lifestyle will be changing a bit, but he is okay. Thank you everyone for your prayers. -//-//- 7/18/18: Will be jumping on and off for a few days. - - I received a call last night from one of my friends, another one of our friends is in the hospital. He was having trouble breathing and brought by ambulance. He found out he has congestive heart failure. I will be on and off of the internet, but will not take a lot of time to read messages - just for the next few days until I am sure he is out of the woods for now. He is only 54 yrs old. and has many other health problems as well. If you are a praying friend, please pray for him. His name is John.

7/16/18: Sorry if you have not been rated yet. We have a new postal person. I believe they are leaving things at someone else's house... I actuallly got mail on Sunday! No mail deliveries in Nebraska on Sunday... unless someone was hoarding mis-directed mail!

7/15/18: I'm back in Physical Therapy for my ankle. I've done 6 already, and I do not feel any difference. The physical therapist said that it's not that it didn't heal, it's that it healed too well!! Fingers crossed the extra PT will help... it costs a fortune, would hate to waste the money. No matter how much I like my therapist!! lol

6/7/18: Hello! Finally getting a bit caught up on my correspondence after being gone for a week. IF you haven't from me yet, I may not have received your swap while I was gone.. or, I may not have found it in my pile of mail yet! Be patient! I'm working on it... I promise! Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer.. stay safe.

5/26/18: Hello everyone! I will be out of town for a little while. So, if you are waiting for a rating, please be patient. Will be more than happy to rate when I return. I hope you are all enjoying your summer. :-) Ciao for now.

UPDATE. 4/19/18: Sorry if I responded to ratings a bit late recently. A very dear friend passed away suddenly on Monday. It's been hard to wrap my mind around the fact that I won't be seeing her again. 21 years of wonderful friendship and fellow Red Hatter. I hope she is watching us all and is at peace.

3/22/18: Ankle still not back to normal. I talked to someone that had ankle surgery many years ago, and she said hers still isn't 100% normal. I wonder if that will be the case with mine?? I sure hope not.

1/28/18: Huzzah! I have been released from the Doctor's care for my ankle! Hooray! He advised the swelling will continue for a few more months... but I definitely have strength back in it. What a Long Strange Trip it's Been having ankle surgery :-)

3/22/18: Gave up on the Traveler's Diary. I didn't like having to be tied down to a diary every day. But, more importantly, it's heavy and cumbersome. I still have it, and will write in it when the mood hits. // 1/28/19 - Bought my first Traveler's Diary today. Just an inexpensive one from Michaels. Not sure if I am really keen on spending most of my days writing in a book... I also have a beautiful Dylusions Art Journal that I started 2 years ago when I took classes from her. I only do about 1 page a month! So the Traveler's Diary is an experiment.....

I love Snail Mail! It's so fun to come home from a long day at work and find some wonderful Happy Mail! I am so happy that I was told about Swap-Bot by a snail mail friend! I am really having fun swapping with everyone

My likes: (these are not in any particular order): Travel, Coffee - Not Keurig, I have a real coffee pot! Love flavored coffees too :-) - Please no Instant coffee. I dislike the taste of "powdered" coffees., Polar Bears, Bento lunch boxes, Cardinals/birds, the colors purple, teal, Red Hatters, England-Scotland/ France/Belgium/Japan/Hawaii /California-San Francisco, Boston, Gilmore Girls, Big Bang Theory, John Denver, Jimmy Buffet, Dr. Who, Butterflies, Lady bugs, Flowers, ALL animals, the SUN, making bento lunches, the Paranormal, good wine, card making, scrap booking, mini pocket letters, Pokemon, Scooby Doo, Godzilla, the unusual and whacky.

Would love to have a collection of Postcards from every state and as many countries as possible.

A NOTE about TEAS: Nothing containing Chamomile or Echinacea please, I am allergic to the daisy family. Also, I do not like the taste of Licorice. So please no teas with licorice or anise in them. Another note: I love teasanes, flavored black teas, and David's Tea. Caffeine is my friend :-)

Update on my son. He has gone back to school - hooray! and has decided that instead of being a Neurosurgeon or Neuro-scientist, he wants to be an astro physicist. He's intelligent enough. I hope he sticks to the schooling this time and gets his degree... in anything! He is currently living in Sacramento, CA. and has a wonderful, sweet, beautiful girlfriend. Her father passed away at Christmas time, so she and her mother have been having a rough time.

My mother also lives with me. She is 86. She still drives, and has made friends with everyone in town, Literally.. EVERYONE!

For Crafts, I am a long-time stamper and scrapbooker. I have stopped making full size Pocket Letters- they are very time consuming. But I do make mini pocket letters, and I am very excited a friend told me about Swap Bot! I can do most crafts, however, I have not yet been able to get the hang of sewing, crocheting, or knitting... but I would still like to learn.

I have found an inner artist me from being on swap sites. It's exciting to be challenged like this!

My all time favorite books...

1. Martians Go Home

2. The Disc World series by Terry Prachett

3. The Harry Potter Series

4. A book from childhood... The Diamond in the Window.

5. Little Men by Louisa May Alcott

6. The Golden Compass trilogy

Favorite Movies... hmmm So Many!

I love old movies: Examples: Singing in the Rain, Bringing up Baby, Oklahoma, Carousel, The Philadelphia Story, American Graffiti, Back to the Future (the first is the best! and yes, it IS a classic!), Dirty Dancing... and the list goes on.

I saw La La Land before Christmas 2017, it was Fantastic!

If you like classic movies check out this website... http://www.omahafilmevent.com. My friend Bruce puts on these events, and I am a volunteer at the bi-annual events. A fabulous evening!

Also, I love all things Dyan Reaveley/Dylusions. I use the Dylusions paints and inks in a lot of my Swaps. The colors are so vibrant, and the Dyan Reaveley stamps are so funky and fun, I love them! So receiving anything you create with these would be fabulous!

I recently took some classes from Dina Wakley. She is a beautiful, warm, talented woman! I learned how to use a gelli plate, and I love it! Never thought I would want to learn something else, but Gelli printing is awesome.. try it if you have a chance. Loved, loved, loved the Dina Classes!

And, I really love Smash Books. They are what I have been using on my trips for the past year. Anything to be used in a Smash Book would be great!

Swap On!!

..Thank you!

PET PEEVES:

SMOKEY OR STRONG SMELLING ODORS. I have severe allergies and any smokey, moldy, or other strong smelling odors will be thrown in the trash before I even open them.

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING SWAPPING WITH ME: Please don't take offense if this does not apply to you. If you are going to be late, NOTIFY ME. Even if it's only going to be 1-2 days late. I would do the same for you. Nothing ticks me off more than someone that doesn't follow the rules. I follow them when I send to you, you should follow them when sending to me. 99.9% of the time we know If we will be late completing a swap. If your mail date says you mailed AFTER the deadline, then it obviously was NOT a postal problem... it was your problem. I'm sure everyone would appreciate the truth more than some lame excuse we all know isn't true.