Edmund says I am to be ashamed of myself for putting this off ...

1. what is your age range? I'm 50
2. gender? Female

3. Do you have a favorite color? Dark green; purple; the kind of blue that blue jeans are.

4. favorite authors / type of book? Complicated serious detective stories like those by Ian Rankin, Minette Walters and Val McDiarmid (unfortunately I have already read their entire oeuvres, alas!) I also like Terry Pratchett, but have also read all of him.

5. what books have you really been wanting? Volume III of Simon Schama's History of Britain and the first book in an exciting new detective series that I have never heard of.

6. what type of music do you like? Old Blind Dogs, the Buena Vista Social Club, Old Crow Medicine Show, Doc Watson and anything with a really good guitar.

7. what cds have you really been wanting? surprise me

8. What movies (vhs is in the price range) have you been wanting? No thanks -- I find movies don't repeat well

9. what is your t-shirt size? XL (I like them big and floppy)

10. do you collect anything? No. No! Noooo! (Except books and CDs, but they don't count as "collecting", do they? They're, um, essential furnishings.)

11. what are some of your other hobbies? playing guitar, wrestling with the mandolin, writing, cookery, following Edmund around battle-field sites

12. do you prefer gold-tone or silver-tone jewelry? Gold, but don't buy me jewellery because I can't wear the fake stuff and the real is too expensive.

13. please include anything else you feel is important that would help your secret santa know what you would like:

I'm not big on cuteness so, if geese in sunbonnets is your bag, pick something you wouldn't choose for yourself. Also, second-hand is good.