basykes

Sedentary type (because I am large sized!), who loves TV, reading, writing, internet, movies. Love writing letters. Have kept a daily blog since 2000, with mirror entries on Blogspot since 2007.

Raised 5 children and have two granddaughters, born in 2008 and 2011. I sponsor several children around the world with Compassion International

Live with husband of 47 years and 3 dogs, who let us think we are in charge until they can develop opposable thumbs. We are all (humans and dogs) retired.

Walt saved for travel in our retirement and we have traveled a bit in the last few years. France & Italy, Russia, and China and a recent cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. I spent six wonderful weeks in Australia in 2003. We will be going to the Ukraine this summer and I still want to take the inland passage to Alaska and a train ride across the Canadian Rockies.

Love seeing new places and meeting new people!

• "East of Eden" (and all Steinbeck)
• "Prince of Tides" (Pat Conroy

• "The Mother Tongue" (Bill Bryson)

• Any Michael Connelly, Tess Gerritsen, Patricia Cornwell (when she was good), David Baldacci and the like.

• Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series

• I like biographies and autobiographies and really any good story.

The Daily Show, Jeopardy, NCIS, Criminal Minds, White Collar, Royal Pains, Grey's Anatomy (and any good medical drama), Survivor, Amazing Race

Shows I miss: The West Wing, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Northern Exposure, Whose Line is it Anyway? and so many others.

• Animals, especially dogs, horses, elephants, whales.
• Inge Look
• Babies (human or animal)
• Australian scenes
• African scenes
• Russia scenes
• China Scenes
• Van Gogh
• Mary Cassatt
• Smiley faces
• Ocean scenes
• Judy Garland
• Anything showing books, writing, or typewriters
• Anything that makes you go "awww"
• funny cards
• "message" cards

• The color red
• Diana Gabalson
• Irish and Scottish things
• All animals, especially dogs, horses, elephants and whales
• Fuzzy socks
• Patterned socks (not anklets or socks with toes in them)
• Washi tape
• Rainbows
• Vintage music & movies (40s and 50s)
• World music
• Stickers, any kind
• Peanuts stuff (love Snoopy)
• books
• audio books
• strawberries (the fruit, the scent, the color)
• I'm addicted to oranges

• tea (it's ok, but not a favorite)
• licorice
• dark chocolate
• Anything Goth
• Religious stuff
• Violence of any kind
• tattoos
• jewelry (I don't wear it)
• make-up (I don't wear it)
• the color orange
• Heavy metal
• Prejudice of any kind, particularly homophobia