manders2280

Updated June 25, 2017

I love the woods and mountains and the ocean. I live in Minnesota (I'm not from here) and winter is too long. My spouse is a professor and busy with research so I'm often finding adventure on my own. I don't have children 😢 and dote on my nieces and nephews.

My kitchen is my craft room. Someone said I'm fearless in the kitchen and that's true: I enjoy trying new recipes of all sorts. I'm making quick breads for a little sweet in our lunches and learning the science of baking bread. In March I made lemon cake roll and, when the filling oozed out of the sides, I turned it into a lovely trifle. Dessert for my book club in April was a huge hit and simple to make: DIY profiteroles. I made pâté à choux and butterscotch sauce. I put these and vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and high quality store-bought chocolate sauce on the dining room table, and everyone served themselves.

✈ I love to travel. I am fortunate to have had opportunities to travel to many parts of the world. I lived in France and worked and lived in India and Israel. When I’m away from home, I try new foods, explore markets, and meet local people as well as seeing museums and historic and natural UNESCO sites. With Airbnb accommodations I go on and beyond the usual tourist haunts.

• 2017: Chicago, and Madison and Stevens Point, WI to help my in-laws. 🚘 Boston, New York and Morristown, NJ to meet Pattie in person.
• 2016: 🚘 Dallas and Houston; 🚘 Boston and New York City; 🚘 Chicago
• 2015: a road trip to Texas and back with a stop to see sights in KC, MO
• 2014: Prague, Czech Republic; Weiden in der Oberpfalz, Munich and Berlin, Germany
• 2013: New York, Toronto, Chicago, Thanksgiving in Texas
• and Canada, China, Japan, Korea, London (with a side trip to Bath and Stonehenge), Madrid and Salamanca, Spain, Switzerland, ...
• Where I want to go: New Zealand and Yellowstone

I read (mostly fiction by women) and work outside in our well-shaded garden. Alas, shade means lovely spring flowers and no vegetables. I watch films and TV programs on Netflix and Amazon.

My postcrossing profile

Art and architecture, ethnic, famous people, local characters, markets, mountains, oceans, and vintage postcards are among my favorites. I love receiving vintage cards found in flea markets as much as I loved finding great ones (now all sent) at First Monday Trade Days in Canton, TX. Sorry, Zazzle and Christian legend postcards won't get hearts from me. Most others will.

More kinds of postcards on my wish list:

• Airplanes, robots, rockets and lighter-than-air aircraft. I took flying lessons so I could fly airships. I never took the Practical Knowledge Test. And I wasn't sure how I'd raise enough money to buy an airship. Because you can't rent one. Unless someone gave me a job flying one. Except I need to log many hours flying to get a job.
  
• Arts & Crafts design; William Morris patterns
• Day of the Dead art
• Elephants, giraffes, puffins and penguins
• Gnomes, fairies, elves and hedgehogs
• Joseph Cornell boxes
• Maps
• Modern art like abstract expressionism & Andy Warhol
• Totoro, gotochi, and anime cards from Japan

I am an appreciator of kawaii more than a collector. I use sheets from kawaii letter sets and memo pads for lists and notes around the house as well as the letters I send. I use lots of washi tape too.

I deleted my list of favorite characters because I enjoy most, especially San-X. Two exceptions: poo and dogs' rear ends.

I'm looking for kawaii books 📚 with faces. And puffins. How could all the kawaii artists have never thought to draw puffins?

The loose sticker flakes I receive go into a bowl on my desk. I decorate outgoing envelopes with these stickers: the sticker flakes you send me may head back to you. I use bone or teflon folders to rub sticker flakes flat on (empty) envelopes and postcards so they travel safely in the mail.

• A personal note or letter
• Blank notecards and envelopes
• Blank postcards, new or vintage, to send
• Handmade envelopes, large enough for postcards please
• Magnetic bookmarks
• Quick bread recipes
• Slow cooker recipes that don't include a can of soup or ranch dressing: we cook from scratch
• Pressed pennies for my brother who collects them

Message me for more suggestions.

See Please do not send below.

• Cell phone charms: There's no place to hang them on an iPhone.
• Confetti and glitter
• Christian items and comments: I'm Jewish
• Christmas and Easter stuff: I'm Jewish
• Disney
• Dollar store/dollar bin items
• Hello Kitty that's not Hello Kitty Original
• Kawaii pictures of poo and dogs' rear ends
• Magnets (our refrigerator is stainless steel)
• Rubber stamps (I have plenty)
• Stickers that are not kawaii
• Tatty or tacky (exception for over-the-top tacky)
• X-rated items
• Washi or deco tape samples (I have lots)
• zazzle postcards (no hearts, sorry)