Ettoad

Hello!

My name is Erin, living outside of Vancouver, BC, Canada.

I’m a firm believer that it is the simple pleasures that make life the most meaningful and enjoyable.

A few of my favourite simple pleasures include:

Time spent outside in nature - living in Beautiful British Columbia, Canada, I am blessed to have breath taking mountain views, hiking trails, parks and lakes, forests and ocean views to breath in and relax in.

Reading a good book. I enjoy most genres, with historical fiction being my favourite. While I am not a huge fan of science fiction, romance or chic lit., I will give any book or author a try, so please don't hesitate to recommend something you have loved - I just might feel the same!

My favourite authors are Pat Conroy and Timothy Findley, my favourite books The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and Beach Music by Pat Conroy.

My current read is The Reckoning by John Grisham - I always find him an easy and comfortable read when I’m struggling to choose from my many piles of eagerly anticipated TBR books!!

Favourite reads of 2024 include The Family Upstairs and it’s sequel The Family Remains by Lisa Jewel, The Beach Trees by Karen White, and - finally! - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (can not recommend this enough!!)

Cooking and baking, especially with locally sourced ingredients found at my local farmers markets.

I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years and find the simplest meals are often the most enjoyable and that good food is always best enjoyed with great company!!

The arrival of fall and cooler weather has me happy to be back in the kitchen full force - my most recent newly tried recipe was butternut squash, sweet potato and apple soup.

I also enjoy exploring the world of craft beer.

Colouring!! A few years ago I spent a summer colouring with my young niece and nephew, and I’ve been hooked since! I find it very relaxing and an easy way to explore my developing artistic talents lol

My favourite colours are cobalt blue and emerald green, and I am overall drawn to all the jewel tones.

Listening to podcasts - most of which are paranormal in topic - while sharing snuggles with my two cats, Floyd and Johnie, both 7 year old tabbies.

I often also have music on as I go about my day, both at home and at work - I dislike rap and heavy metal, but will listen to at least a little bit of every other style. Favourite artists include Ray LaMontagne, Spirit of the West, Tom Landa and The Paperboys, Jann Arden, Tracey Chapman, Allman Brown and Paul Simon.

2024 found me making some big changes! I left the 40+ hours a week job in a music store that I had been at for 4 1/2 years and returned to school. I spent a very intense summer semester training to teach English as an Additional Language. I’m now facing the challenge of securing work in the field but am optimistic and excited for a future in the field. I am temporarily working as a receptionist at a local tax service, to have a few months of income as I continue to pursue my new career.

Writing and exchanging snail mail with friends old and new - something I have recently begun again, having so loved it in my younger years. I love the intimacy of the connections made thru putting pen to paper, and the opportunity to express ourselves in the mail we create.

I have recently been introduced to the concept of Happy Mail and am slowly trying my hand at creating mail that is art along with a thoughtful and enjoyable letter.

I am always open to sharing some non-swap mail with anyone interested!

Enjoying the company of close friends and family - my family and I are very connected, sharing our daily lives together.

Travel has always been a passion and I look forward to re-visiting places I have already experienced as well as discovering those I have not yet visited.

I grew up with annual road trips to Southern California to visit family, and have been fortunate enough to experience some international travel. London feels like home away from home to me, and Greece is the place I can not wait to return to.

The more I see and experience, the more I realize there is so much more waiting for me to discover.

Being of curious mind and heart, I welcome any and every opportunity to learn something new.

I look forward to meeting people from anywhere in the world, of any age and every background. I hope to share fun and interesting, and deep and meaningful, conversation about our lives and individual surroundings. Let us enjoy whatever we might have in common, and introduce each other to our respective thoughts, ideas and lifestyles.

A few notes on swaps and ratings:

I am very careful about joining swaps that I am confident I can complete fully and on time - I have withdrawn from swaps due to circumstances changing my confidence in doing so.

If something happens to change once partners have been assigned, I will let my partners know the circumstances, with assurances that I will complete and post their items ASAP.

I hope that we can all be very patient with our respective postal systems, especially in light of the pandemic, and allow extra time for mail to arrive!!

Should a very extraordinary amount of time pass and you still haven't received something from me that you should have, PLEASE contact me before rating me a 1, and I will very happily send you another mail.

My swaps have and will always be posted by the swap end date, unless I have contacted you to let you know of unexpected reasons why I have to post something late.

Also - if what you receive isn't exactly what it should be according to the swap directions, PLEASE let me know before you rate me a 3. I can only imagine that if this happens, I have innocently misunderstood the directions, and I will happily create or write you something that meets the swap requirements.

I promise to do all of the above in regards to the swaps you are sending out to me!

We have all joined Swap Bot to enjoy creating and exchanging mail, and the experience should be a fun, happy, exciting and stress free one - there is no reason at all that it should be anything different.

Happy Swapping - I can't wait to hear from you!