** UPDATED JANUARY 2020**

** YOU *MUST* BE VERIFIED AND ALSO HAVE AN UPDATED PHOTO OF YOURSELF. **

BE SURE TO READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM BEFORE SENDING A REQUEST. BE SURE TO READ THE GUEST RULES. THERE IS A **SECRET CLUE** THAT YOU WILL FIND.***

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THIS IS A *DRUG-FREE *SMOKE-FREE *ALCOHOL-FREE* HOME. NO EXCEPTION. NO TOLERANCE.

#1 - Guest Room -
I have a Queen bed in our guest room. This means space for two (only) MARRIED people. There is a chair provided for sitting and checking your email.

#2. - Location:
It is your responsibility to learn the location. Check the map. We live in the N.E. side of town, one mile from I-59/exit 134, (look on map) located in a quiet, older neighborhood with lots of trees and flowering shrubs. We have off-street parking.

#3. - Getting Around
I recommend having YOUR OWN VEHICLE - or - you may want to use a taxi/uber. The bus stop is only a couple of blocks away but it may take 45 minutes with all the stops along the route. With a vehicle we are only 15 minutes to downtown.

#4. - Area Shopping.
The area has a shopping area is less than a mile from our home and easily accessible. This area offers many restaurants, fast-food places, churches, Walmart, grocery stores, banks, library, and a laundry mat - everything you need within easy reach. It's a wonderful residential area.

#5. - When to Visit
Most any day of the week will do, but as in most people's lives, it may vary according to our busy schedule at that time. We can talk.
One or two nights make a good length of stay.

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GUEST RULES:

1. Check in between 5:00 - 8:30 pm
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2. Check out by 10:00 am. daily.
(we are working people)
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3. Guests need to email/text me their expected ETA
(I like open communication)
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4. Quiet time is 10:00 pm - 7:00 am
If you want to party late, please get a hotel.
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We retire to our room early, but you are more than welcome to use the TV in your sleeping area. You are also welcome to put your own food/drink in our refrigerator and may use the microwave to warm up something.

One or two nights make a good visit. However, IF you need an additional night for something special going on, we can always talk about it.

Please remember - Hosts are people - not a free Hotel to be taken advantage of.

Now that you have read all this please put *I WANT TO VISIT BIRMINGHAM* in your request form so that I know you have read the Guest Rules. Thank you.

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WEB SITES TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR TRIP

1.Alabama Adventure Water Park - www.alabamaadventure.com.
2.Alabama Theater - http://alabamatheatre.com. ....................................
3. Arlington Antebellum Home -http://www.informationbirmingham.com/arlington/index.htm.
4.Birmingham Zoo - www.birminghamzoo.com (FEE)........................
6.Birmingham Botanical Gardens - www.bbgardens.org (FREE)......
7.Birmingham Museum of Art - www.artsbma.org (FREE)..................
8.Barons Baseball - http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t247..........
9.Barber Motorsports Museum - www.barbermuseum.org...............
10.Civil Rights Institute - www.bcri.org......................................................
11. Galleria - shoppers paradise - www.riverchasegalleria.com......
12.Oak Mt.State Park - www.alapark.com/OakMountain ($3.00).
13.Railroad Park - http://www.railroadpark.org (FREE)....................
14.The Sports Hall of Fame - www.ashof.org.........................................
15.Talladega 500 Speedway - www.talladegasuperspeedway.com.
16.Vulcan Park - www.visitvulcan.com........................................................
...plus a whole lot more.

Occasionally we may be available to take you to some of the sites around town. We love our town and love to show it off. We are good at giving directions and tips for things to see and do around. Just ask.

MISSION IN LIFE

To travel and meet people from various cultures and backgrounds, getting to know them and sharing stories of different experiences. It's our hopes to be able to travel and see "what's over the hill" and make new friends along the way. A stranger is just a new friend you haven't met, yet.

ABOUT ME

*Love to laugh and make others feel good about themselves. I enjoy learning new things myself, teaching children, researching new ideas/concepts.
*Enjoy Music, Singing, Dance, Theater - Drama, Shakespeare, Opera, and Musicals .
*Also enjoy cooking/baking and sharing the goodies.

I do a LOT of volunteer work with our church, at the theater, the symphony orchestra, the museum of art - just the ARTS in general. In my "spare" time I enjoy traveling and seeing different sites, making new friends, camping, hiking, exploring, canoeing, antique shops, and much more.

PHILOSOPHY

A stranger is a friend you haven't met yet.
I think that all of us should extend a friendly hand to all - reach out and try to learn of others as we want others to learn of us. By learning of others, we narrow the gap of ignorance and broaden the paths of friendship. We can close the door to fear, and open the door to love.

Therefore, I try to be the kind of HOSTS that I would want to have for myself.... and try to be the kind of GUEST that I would want to have in my home.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

When we first learned of CS, we were amazed at the concept of the program, and joined up immediately. At that time, the program was more of a "reciprocal" kind of membership -- you host/you surf - you surf/you host.
It was never just one way. It was/is a good way of getting to know people from all over the world. We are pleased and proud to host. make new friends, and in return, be invited to visit them.

Unfortunately, there are many young ones who are joining the site only to get "free room & board" as they travel fancy free, without even giving a thought of returning the courtesy of hosting others. Why??

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

We have been blessed with some great guests from various places of the globe.

Interests

LIFE!!!
And all that it has to offer -- all that we can see and do and share!

• arts
• singing
• theater
• diy
• dancing
• civil rights
• dining
• cooking
• recipes
• coffee
• baking
• drinking
• shopping
• tv
• traveling
• volunteer work
• socializing
• music
• opera
• hiking
• canoeing
• camping
• sports
• baseball
• teaching
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

LIKE movies with "Heart & Soul" that has a good story .

DO NOT LIKE: war kind of movies - like "Pearl Harbor", or killing movies - "Silence/Lambs", etc.

LIKE ACTION/DRAMA: Pirates of Caribbean, Mission Impossible, Mummy, Indiana Jones, etc.

LIKE MUSICALS: Mama Mia, Sound of Music, Phantom of the Opera, etc.
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MUSIC - more "easy pop", or light classical, light jazz, new age, and smooth vocalists - things that could be set to background.

LITERATURE: Charles Dickens novels; Sir Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes); Victor Hugo; War & Peace; Shakespeare, etc. and light Christian material. Also - History related books/stories/articles and things about anthropology, like the diggings in Egypt and new discoveries about the Sphinx.

INTERNET: I consider the internet my "encyclopedia" for learning about the world around me and will do hours of research on a given topic.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've looked at the handiwork of God at the Grand Canyon, seeing the sun rays shine upon the myriad colors of the Canyon...and have flown in a plane over/into the Grand Canyon (WOW!)...!!!
I hiked up "Old Smokey" to view the setting of the sun from a mile up ---it's absolute breathtaking!! God's Awesome!!
Too many things to name - we'll share over coffee.
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Teach, Learn, Share

I enjoy learning just about anything, and enjoy doing things myself whenever I can.
Baking/cooking is also a delight to me, and I enjoy sharing my goodies and the recipes.
I have taught others about computer techniques,skills, etc, and taught English Composition to fellow students in college.
For about 12-15 years I was a regular substitute teacher from K-12 grade!! Love all grades; Each one is unique in itself!
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I enjoy learning to be "do-it-yourself" kind of people and enjoy hands-on experience.

My philosophy in life is summed up in three words - PASS IT ON. Meaning, whatever you have leaned in life- pass it on. Teach it to others.
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What I Can Share with Hosts

A home-away-from-home to a weary traveler, perhaps a shared dinner, not just a bed & bath.

A warm conversation sharing travel experiences with a hot cup of tea/cocoa, and sometimes if time allows, showing guests around town.

We look forward to having you visit us soon. :-)*