A few weeks ago a friend from blogland contacted me and said she was headed through my part of the world. And she wanted to get together.
And like meet. In person.
I've never had the opportunity to meet a bloggie friend in real life. Well, I did meet Wesley a few years ago but that was just by chance. I didn't have to worry, er uh . . . plan in advance for it. I remember thinking it was extraordinary to meet a total and complete stranger and they not be a total and complete stranger.
Well, Saturday was the day that Dee and her husband planned to drive to my house. And I spent much of the week prior to and the morning of kind of fretting. A woman was coming to my house that only knew me through my blog and the Old Red Barn Co. Quilt Along group on Flickr. What if the real life version of me was a disappointment to her?
What if she noticed the baseboards were missing in the hallway?
What if she saw the bleak pile of dead ladybugs surrounding the entire perimeter of my house? (Sheesh. Do you guys get these things trying to enter your house in the fall by the thousands?)
What if the endless barking of my dogs bugged her?
What if she noticed how badly my hair needs cut?
Or that my hair was still wet because I had only showered moments before she arrived? Due mainly in part to the fact that I was scrubbing and vacuuming and tidying as fast as I could.
Or what if my kids let it slip that I threatened to not take them trick-or-treating unless they dusted for me? (I jest. Surely I jest. I mean, cause what kind of mother would threaten such a thing!)
And what if she and her husband were offended that I take them to the local bakery for lunch rather than prepare some gourmet concoction?
Oh dear. She was no in my driveway. MY DRIVEWAY!! There was no turning back now.
And after she was here for only moments I wondered what I ever fretted for in the first place. After all, this was Dee and I kinda sorta already "knew" Dee. And she was kind, thoughtful (she made us a beautiful table runner and coasters), funny, interesting, and totally down to earth. What's more is she was also interested in what I had to say. And what the girls had to say too. And had Razor been here he would have loved her every bit as much as I did and would have totally hit it off with her husband.
It's kind of crazy how I worried. Having Dee in my home was like inviting an old dear friend over for the day. After she left I found myself thinking how wonderful it would have been had she brought her sewing machine along too!
-dana
27 comments:
This is a great post about blog friends. I've met two and both times they and their husbands were great.
How neat!...I just love this encounter meeting!...
sweet. I met one of my blog friends last month and wished there had been more time too!
I've thought the exact same thing about EVERY blogging buddy I've met! Stop by when you are in MN Dana!
Your post made me laugh :-D The things we worry about it's total recognition and really funny!
:) See, your're totally normal! I've met several, mostly by accident, but it's still scary! I'm sure next time, Dee WILL bring her sewing machine!
How fun! I wouldn't fret one minute if I was meeting you or Dee! Well, now that I know you have missing baseboards and ladybugs and dust anyways.
Sounds like a fun day and I'm glad you had the opportunity to finally meet one of your flickr bloggy friends!
So much fun! I have never met any blog friends & would so love to meet up with one! That is kind of difficult though since most of them are in USA & I'm across the oceans :( .
Warm wishes to you from Tokyo!
OK, I'm coming and I'm bringing my sewing machine and our girls can climb trees together and and and!
I've been through the same thing when meeting blog friends and at the end of the day, most of them are just like their blogs. And thanks for the tip on dusting in exchange for trick or treating...I'm gonna hang on to that for next year ;)
Poor abused kids! You made them dust????
LOL.
That is courageous. I would usually meet in a public place and if got time, visit my home - but then my home is not as great as yours.
That's so awesome! I wouldn't fret though....if anything, it'd be a blessing to see all the stuff you were worried about, then it would mean you were normal like all the rest of us!! Sometimes I think I communicate more with my "blog" friends than my real in life friends! Most could care less about quilting, so it's so nice to have this. That's why blog friends are so awesome! They have the same interests and that special connection with you! otherwise you wouldn't be a "blog friend"!
Oh Dana.... HONESTLY !!! It's DEE we are talking about! Glad you realized how awesome it is to meet bloggy friends for real!! It is like you say, first milli second it seems like they are strangers, but then you realize you actually know a lot about each other and with the 'now I know what you look like in real life' over with, you just pick up where you left off online! Great to see the photos and smashing you could meet up! I just wish all my US friends were closer so I could meet you all too!!
Heh-heh, Marg, that's just what I was going to say! You were worried about meeting, DEE?!?!? You silly cookie, Dana, she's one of the nicest people on the planet, surely!
Very cool.
BTW you can stop by my place any time! My house is a mess and pandemonium reigns but we have lots of fun too. Bet the kids would love the beach....
Ms. Dee is super awesome. I so need to get a booster of my vitamin Dee ;) We had a lovely time meeting up at the Lancaster Quilt show. I have been itching to get out after having my little one and maybe a trip to visit Dee will do the trick. Heh. I am glad you had a wonderful time.
I would probably worry too :)
Glad you had fun!
I will probably be freaking out next October at the Sewing Summit :)
oh, i'll be sure and pack mine then... ;-)
Funny story.....why do we do this to ourselves? I would miss an opportunity if my house wasn't just right for a visit and you know what that is just too sad.....
Do you remember Erma Bombeck?
(If not you can get her books from the library) She had a list she made up when she found out she had terminal cancer. One of them was I would have had people over even when the couch was stained and the carpet needed cleaning.
She also would have burned her beautiful candles instead of storing them in the attic, because they were too pretty to burn.
Many words of wisdom like that.....her books are so funny and uplifting as she talks about the stresses we women put on ourselves.
Thanks for the lesson on just enjoying the visit and peoples effort to connect.
And Dana the way you blog and share we all feel like we already know you!
Happy Sewing
What fun! I met a blog friend a few years ago and it was so strange to think that until that day I had never really set eyes on her. I felt like I had known her for years and years, and she me. It was so comfortable and natural. I have not seen her since in person but in blogland I see her a few times a week. I think she is one of the more interesting and fun people in my life. The internet can be amazing! =-)
WhoooooHoooooooo!! I love me some Dana!!:)
Thanks kiddo for the wonderful welcome to your home...you and kiddo II and kiddo III are the BEST....and so were those subs!!
And congrats to Razor...so sorry we crossed paths!
xoxoxo
Yay! Love blog meet-ups, accidental or otherwise. Although I understand your worries--I stress over anyone in my house let alone an almost complete stranger.
A couple I met through my blog moved to this area and we became friends and now see each other regularly and in fact I've now become friends with their daughter through flickr and we've met up a few times. What fun!
Remember you also met one of Wesley's dearest friends from 5th grade, although that meet-up was also quite by accident!
Love this story. One day I'm going to drive up your driveway too, but then you've already met me, so there's nothing to worry about!
Oh how I love a good bloggy meetup! Glad you had such a fun time. I'll let you know when we head west! You do the same if you come east! xo
Dana, you are so funny to have worried. I often think while reading your blog, how I would love to sit and have coffee with you!
Alright, now I'm thinking that you just made up that whole H1N1 thing last year so you wouldn't have to clean your house. You silly goose! People just want to spend time with you in person instead of in blogland. They don't care about being fed, and you know it! I'm glad you had a good time!
Okay so beautiful post. I'm crying. yes crying after reading it. I'm so happy you gals got together and if I'm completely truthful a little jealous, just a smig. Beautiful pictures, beautiful writing and yes those darn ladybugs come out of no where.
Post a Comment