Biffo1963

Hi Folks!

I'm Bev and I live in a very old house in the countryside, near Worcester in the UK with my husband and two ginger cats called Riley & Spike. My 2 kids have recently graduated from college and left home.

I grew up in the suburbs of Birmingham, UK with my younger sister, then went to college and studied history. I went on to be an accountant which was the worst decision ever! I soon realised my mistake :) I should have been a singer.

I love stationery, art, music and books. I will read most things - I have read Harry Potter, Jane Austen, Margaret Atwood and Rose Tremain amonst many. I am a member of a reading group in my village, where we chat about books but also share food. I love Renaissance and Pre-Raphaelite paintings and regularly visit galleries. [This is a painting by Rossetti]

I also garden quite a lot. I grow some of my own fruit and vegetables and cook regularly for my family. Favourite flower? That's difficult. I love roses, dahlias and foxgloves.

Music - definitely jazz first, then disco, then everything else! I love Jamie Cullum, Ella Fitzgerald, Melody Gardot, Madeleine Peyroux. And if I can dance to a track, all the better.

I collect replica netsuke - small Japanese carved figures. [Replicas because the originals are too expensive!] I love oriental art and I have a few Buddha figures around the house.

My favourite city in the world is Venice - I love the buildings, the water and boats, the people, the food and the art. I would love to speak Italian but my language skills aren't the best.

My favourite films are Sleepless in Seattle [I always cry!], Toy Story, White Christmas and Sense & Sensibility. I watch cookery programmes, history documentaries and dramas on TV.

I love the colours blue & green; I doodle; love the snow, hate the sun; like drinking coffee in street cafes and watching people; love drinking tea and vodka and eating ice cream; I sing in the shower; and I dream of writing a novel and living by the sea.

So what do I want to find in my mail - art, things to make me laugh, images of places, maps, inspirational quotes, stickers, vintage stuff especially about travel, recipes, and poems & stories. Most importantly, surprise me. [I don't really like overly commercial stuff, nor cutesy/pink/girly stuff

I have joined Swap-bot to receive and send more snail mail. I still get excited when I hear the postman at the door and I want to exercise my creative muscles, dormant so long whilst bringing up my family.[ Note - I always send my swaps on time so contact me if there is a problem :)]

So hello, Swap-bot people! I'm ready :)