CURRENT MISSION

To try things I've not done before. To say 'I haven't tried that before' rather than 'that's not my sort of thing'.

ABOUT ME

My body is middle-aged but my mind is much younger.
I'm quite an independent personality and happy with (actually need) my own company from time to time. However, I am also a very social animal and like to spend time chatting with people, both new people and those I've known for years. I like learning new things as well, either from people or more formally by attending classes or taking courses. I like to cook and to eat. I like trying new things.
I'm quite easy-going but I don't like to be taken advantage off. It's always nice to be appreciated.

PHILOSOPHY

I like to look on the bright side. I'm a 'glass half full' person usually. I like to assume the best about people while being cautious enough to avoid tricky or embarrassing situations (well that's the plan).
I try to be fairly 'green' - recycling where I can and using energy saving bulbs, but I don't let it rule my life.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have hosted twice.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have not yet stayed with anyone.

Interests

Photography, travel, reading, scribbling (ie, trying to write!), Meetup.com, cooking, eating, meeting new people, pub quizes, occasionally into dressmaking and cross stitch or knitting and crochet.

• animals
• photography
• cooking
• walking
• pub crawls
• reading
• traveling
• crochet
• knitting
• history

Music, Movies, and Books

Favourite films: Contact, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Harvey, Some Like It Hot, Gone With The Wind, The St Trinians' franchise (mostly the early ones), Ealing Comedies.
Favourite books: Pride and Prejudice (it's so funny), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Tales of the City series, Sue Grafton's Alphabet series (Kinsey Milhone), most of Thomas Hardy (but not Jude the Obscure, too sad).
Music - into a wide range of stuff: Alice Cooper, David Bowie, Aled Jones, some Lily Allen, Carmen (the opera), the music of Irving Berlin and Cole Porter.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Walking on Fox Glacier.
Walking in the Grand Canyon.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm not an expert in anything, but I do know (and can pass on) a little bit about using UK public records (birth marriage and death) to trace family history.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cook Islands, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

New Zealand, United Kingdom