NOTE: I ALWAYS RATE, USUALLY THE DAY I RECEIVE A SWAP. I hope others treat swaps received from me the same way. I usually mail very soon after partners are assigned, so if you haven't received a swap, PM me, I'll resend.

A New Yorker for over 25 years I retired to Cape Cod spring 2009. This is a beautiful part of the country with mostly good weather. I recommended it for a vacation. If you're going to be here, PM me, I'd love to meet you.

I'm am a traveler, a writer, a quilter and quite few other things we won't go into.

TO THRIFT STORE SWAP PARTNERS Love Thrift Shopping, especially scarves, cloth tote bags, fabrics I can use in quilting, blue and white dishes, and little vases, old jars of buttons, ribbons, braid and rickrack, nice placemats, napkins, potholders, eye glasses cases.

The list below is things I'm always happy to receive, whether thrift shop or other kinds of swaps:

Things I Like:

cotton fabrics suitable for quilting. I like all colors (black and whites, red, clear bright colors, batiks). I don't like novelty prints, especially don't like cartoony ones. Buttons and ribbons and other embellishments are appreciated.

I love all kinds of,chocolate, I also like caramels, nutty candies, and fruity ones, teas but not fruit flavors and I don't like chai very much. Coffee but not flavored.

I like useful things like pens, and markers, note cards, interesting post-its, swap labels, small blank books, arty postcards, interesting computer stationary, non-cartoony stickers.

I don't like kawai or hello Kitty stuff. I don't need little odds and ends; I don't scrapbook or do small crafts.

I'm a pretty serious person. I love the writing swaps and ones including poetry. Since I quilt passionately I love the fabrics especially those with some metallic in their patterns and also sky and landscape-y designs, also fabrics with trees and realistic birds or other animals.

I really appreciate notes that tell me about who you are and where you live. Knowing what makes people individual is the fun part of any correspondence, even on postcards. I'm sad when a swapper just gives her name and says nothing else.

Classical, the usual big names, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, and just about the whole mixed bunch. I play the piano and especially enjoy all sorts of piano music.

I prefer European movies to American, usually. Loved Lord of the Rings. Want good acting rather than entertainment or thrills or even laughs. Admire good script writing which occasionally happens in American movies, but not often. Like documentaries too.

Do not have a TV, consider most of it mind numbing drek. I read A LOT! I do not read genre books, as I said I'm pretty serious and especially about literature. I like books by important foreign authors, poetry, books about nature or people's travels and many kinds of non-fiction but not self-help or new age. Please don't send me books. I'm really picky.

The only books I'd like to receive are blank journals or nice little notebooks that I can carry in a purse.

Quilting! And writing of all sorts. I like other people's textiles but I can't knit or crochet and don't embroider or do needlepoint although I used to do both. I like and use all colors. I'm not into vintage. I rarely use lace or rick-rack but I love interesting buttons and ribbons. I sell my quilts and am open to personal swaps of my quilts for something you have or make.

All writing is craft; I write A LOT, love writing letters, as well as poetry, fiction, nonfiction and journals -- also my blogs. One is supposed to be about quilting but is also about what I'm reading or concerned about. My second blog is for my serious side and for occasional crabby rants. I'd love it if people who go to my blogs would leave a comment. I'd be thrilled if you liked it enough to recommend it or become a follower.

books [ see above] I'm VERY picky.

religious things from any religion and no fairies, witches, unicorns or other magic stuff

flavored coffees

anything Hello kitty or Kawai

Don't write to me in texting shorthand -- PLEASE! -- it makes my hair stand on end.