Winter Coffee Swap Questionnaire

Coffee
What are your favorite kinds of coffee? (Brands, Roasts, anything at all you'd like to share!)
I don’t have a favourite brand, or a favourite roast. Nothing too, too strong, but a nice full body.
Do you prefer whole bean or ground coffee?
I usually buy ground beans simply because of convenience. I leave the house at 6:15am most morning, so I don’t have a lot of time to grind beans on most days. But I do own a grinder.
This time of year, there are often Holiday Blends available, and many flavored coffees - do you drink flavored coffee? Do you enjoy special blends?
I do drink flavoured coffee and really enjoy “Eggnog” coffee during the Holiday Season.
How do you take your coffee? Cream and Sugar? Straight up? Decaf?
With a little bit of milk, please… Decaf??? What is the point...?
Do you prefer drinking from a nice thick mug, or a matched cup and saucer?
I usually drink from a mug. Once again, this is a practicality thing. I don’t have time to wash fine china.

Winter and Holidays - PLEASE be descriptive! Your pal will need this information to be sure to put together a package you will enjoy!
What is your favorite part of Winter?
I really enjoy the first snowfall. Particularly with kids, this is an exciting event. If we're lucky, it is also the first snowman of the year. The only caveat is that I really hope that it happens on a weekend since people forget how to drive in the winter…
Do you celebrate a holiday in December, and if so, which holiday?
We celebrate Christmas, although I try to expose my children to other traditions and beliefs as well. We don’t live in a bubble!
If you celebrate Christmas, do you put up a tree?
Yes – usually at least 2 trees.
Would you enjoy items related to the holiday, or would you prefer a Winter themed package? Either would be lovely!
Do you collect anything? Are there any holiday or winter-themed items (Snowmen, Angels, Snoflakes, Santas, etc) that you collect?
If I consider my Christmas ornaments, one tree is completely Victorian style ornaments and the other is much more whimsical – you could read that as “his” tree and “my” tree, although part of the Victorian thing is that the house is Victorian, too.
Do you wear scarves? Mittens? Hats?
I live in Canada. Did you know that minus 30 is the same in both Celcius and Farenheit? I NEED scarves, mittens and hats just to survive!
What is your favorite holiday or winter treat?
Christmas cookies. My favourite is a cookie that has candied ginger in them. They have a nice little “bite” to them.
Please share a favorite Winter or Holiday memory.
My Mom is the second of five children. There are 21 years between oldest and youngest. The youngest is only 11 years older than I am, although he is 13 years younger than my Mom. When I was a child, my uncle used to babysit us occasionally. When I was about 6 or 7 years old, he came to take care of my sisters and I one sunny winter day. We had had a lot of snow so we had some terrific snow piles. We made the best snow forts that day. It was so much fun!

Yarn and Crafting
Do you Knit or Crochet? For how long?
I knit. I have been knitting for close to 30 years. I am a “lefty” so haven’t quite got the hang of crochet, although if those amigurumi books keep screaming at me, I guess I’m going to have to figure it out.
Do you like wooden, metal, or plastic needles\hooks? Circular or straight?
No preference… Whatever is the right size and material to “get gauge” and doesn’t already have a project on it.
What sort of projects do you enjoy making?
I find this question hard! I enjoy projects that will give me a challenge of some sort, but beyond that it is hard to narrow it down. Socks, sweaters, hats, mittens, blankets… Whatever…. Although I have never knit gloves. (Note to self: knit some gloves!)
What are your favorite types of yarn to work with?
I have a strong preference for natural fibres, although synthetics do have their uses as blending fibres for strength. And soft is good… Squishy!
Do you spin or dye?
No – although I’ve done a little bit of Kooaid dyeing…
Do you do other crafts such as scrapbooking or needlepoint or anything else?
I do a little bit of cross stitch, play with beads (I’m not good enough to claim I make jewellery) and I sew.

General
When is your birthday?
July 4th
Do you have any children? (Furry kind count!)
2 human sons and 1 cat “son”. Older Son is 11 and Younger Son is 7. Tiger will be 1 soon and will officially be a cat and no longer a kitten.
What are your favorite colors?
I don’t like brown or most yellows, but beyond that, I am pretty open. I tend to be drawn to pinks, purples, blues and greens. Cool colours…
Do you have any allergies?
Nothing relevant to a swap, since I’m sure that you’re not going to send me penicillin!