KarenFife

TAKING A BREAK

THINGS ABOUT ME: Hello! I live in Michigan and love it, even the winters. I am an extreme introvert, but I care deeply about the people in my life.

MUSIC: Classical, New Age, and Easy Listening, 70's and 80's music, but I will listen to all types.

BOOKS: I read about 60 books a year (it was 100 before I retired!), mostly series mysteries such as Anne Perry’s Victorian mysteries, Peter Robinson, J. D. Robb, and many British detective series. My favorite recent book is American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins.

MOVIES: Happy endings like Gifted, McFarland USA, Rudy, Letters to Juliette, The Age of Adeline, and dark suspenseful thrillers like Suburbia, Sanctum, and Perfect Getaway. Recent movies I’ve been recommending are Just Mercy and Dark Waters. Both are powerful and moving.

TELEVISION: I rarely watch TV, but occasionally watch a series such as Downton Abbey or The Crown. Victoria was wonderful! My favorite older TV series were King of Queens and Cold Case. I’m addicted to Britbox and Acorn for British crime series. Currently enjoy watching The Chosen.

CRAFTS: Quilting (I’m currently working on a project making blankets and quilts for homeless vets, foster kids and pregnancy resource centers). One more year for me on that project! Finished some long-term quilt appliqué projects during COVID 19.

I love crocheting dishcloths (just for me) but I’m not very good at it. It keeps my arthritic fingers moving!

I make my own body and home care products with essential oils....
painting with acrylics (abstracts or just playing with color)...
making greeting cards occasionally... I also dabble in photography.

I am a retired preschool teacher (two-year-olds). I am married to a retired professor and we love going on road trips. In past summers we took Route 66 to California, toured Yosemite NP and all the major National parks out west. In September 2019 we drove Route 2 from Michigan to Seattle, and through Glacier National Park. From Seattle we took a fabulous cruise to Alaska. It was amazing! We planned more Route 66 and National Parks tour this summer, but had to cancel reservations due to some disabilities my husband has developed. Our wonderful road-touring days are most likely coming to an end. 😪

I love to make postcards now and then, but am trying to retire from paper-crafting and reduce the clutter of collected unused craft supplies that have become overwhelming.

POSTCARD LIKES: Where you live....
big city, small town or village and LARGE LETTER cities, ....
day or night city skylines.
Tourist type, especially if they are of uncommon places.
I would love to receive map postcards or any touristy postcards of Route 66, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Connecticut, and National Parks. I appreciate quirky tourist postcards and off-the-main-road places and towns. I prefer postcards not be handmade unless swap is specifically for homemade PCs. Same for greeting cards, but I will not rate down for nice handmade. I prefer a photo please, if possible instead of drawings or cartoons

I prefer my postcards NAKED unless the swap requires an envelope, but I’ll leave that up to the sender.

I read the Profile of everyone I send to before sending. I almost always give hearts because I appreciate the effort that goes into a swap. I spend time and effort on every swap I send, even postcards, and I try to make it something you will enjoy or will make you smile. I try to be loving, kind, and generous. Only rarely is that not reciprocated or appreciated, but it does happen, again rarely😢.

I swap mostly postcards. Please know that I respect what you have sent and consider it important that you know it has been received. I rate the day I receive or as soon as possible since postcards can easily be misplaced.

I’D RATHER NOT HAVE TO ADD THIS SECTION, BUT.... I’m puzzled by silent 5s and silent hearts. When you click on Rate Your Partner it says to leave a comment. Please do that. Just a brief comment. You can even say you didn’t like it! But I think it is important , and polite, that you acknowledge your partners willingness to take the time to do something for you.

I am very disappointed if I get postcards with worn edges and bent corners. Please save those for the appropriate “get-rid-of-it” Swaps. If you choose to send me worn postcards I will choose to not give a heart.

I’m asking that you please write more than a few words in big letters like (“Happy Swapping” “Hey there” “Be safe”) Please communicate instead. Tell me where you got your postcard. Why you like it. What you are doing today. About your family. Your current plans. Fill that message space up with heartfelt good stuff and you will most likely earn yourself a heart. A few general words and and an address is not heart-worthy to me.

Actually I would prefer Swap-bot get rid of the heart option. Just put the “specialness” in your comments. But since it’s not going away we have to deal with it.

COLORS: Love colors and colorful things. Blacks and grays are cool also. Pale pink will make me super happy.

GENERAL THEMES I LOVE:
squirrels...
sloths...
goats...
chickens...
gnomes...
flowers...
birds...
benches...
chairs...
windows...
doors...
lighthouses...
landscapes...
beaches...
mountains...
moon...
sun...
royalty...
your thoughts ...

TEAS: Any kind or brand, but prefer spicy. Not fond of green or Matcha.

LITTLE THINGS: I really don't need or want tuck-ins. I will not rate down if you don't send them, even if it's a requirement in a swap. I will be happy that you read my profile!!! However, If you feel you must...... Seasonal and holiday stickers are welcome (any time of year). Unused postcards, notecards, sheets of list pads will be used. I have no need for pieces of paper or junky items.

Being retired and losing a few marbles each day means it is easy to overlook something, so please contact me if a swap is not right. If you are sending from the USA and I have not received anything from you or have not been rated by two weeks after the send date, I will send a PM soon.
In this COVID year it sure seems like the postal system has a bad case of it. Mail is just not as dependable as it once was. I am learning waiting and patience through it, and forgiveness as well.

My mail is often picked up as late as 7:30 so the postmark on my mail date may show the following day. I probably will not check a postmark date unless there is something that seems questionable. I am always happy to find your mail in the mailbox.💖📬

Thank all of you great swappers for your nice notes, graciousness, kind comments, and hearts. You make my day and add much joy to my life!