When I first started blogging, I'm not sure I knew exactly what I was getting into as I had no clue that there was such a thing as a Blogosphere, had no idea what a meme was (a French grandmother?!?), and certainly never knew that there were so many wonderful people out there to meet and become friends with both virtually and in real life.
I was thinking this morning about the wonderful group of people that I have had the privilege of meeting face-to-face; people who have enriched my life and made me laugh and smile and even break down a little bit of that "hugaphobia" that I have!
The very first blogger that I met was Ms. Maggie Moo who, at the time we met, was also a fellow Nutmegger ...

On October 5th, I got to meet my second blog-friend in real life, Morgen of It's a Blog Eat Blog World. Mo had taken the train down from Michigan to spend the weekend at Mags' house and we had a wonderful time of it slow-dancing in Mags' kitchen, eating some of her delicious food, and then exploring parts of Connecticut in one of the worst heat waves we'd had all year! Ugh!

Still, it was one heck of an outstanding weekend and we had such a good TIME even as we laughed our way through the HEAT of Gillette Castle!
On November 2nd of 2007, I had the extreme pleasure of meeting another blogger from Michigan - Carrie of Asara's Mental Meanderings, and her wonderful family. Carrie and Billy had taken a road trip with their two adorable children and we met at a Chili's not far from the hotel they were staying in. Mags joined us as did Amanda and we all had a really good time. Geesh, I look horrible in this picture so I think I'm going to have to get together with Carrie again to get a new one!

The next time I was to meet anyone from the Blogosphere again wasn't until March 29th, 2008 when I was ushered into the presence of Royalty at a Bertucci's Pizzeria in Glastonbury, Connecticut.

On Saturday, August 9th I got together with royalty again when I met Princess Patti's husband and fellow blogger, Prince Ralph of Airhead 55 along with their lovely daughter the Lady Allegra at the local Olive Garden.


We giggled our way through a delicious meal and probably raised the eyebrows of a few other diners but I've come to the conclusion that when fellow bloggers get together, worrying about what other people think is not a problem!
Earlier in the year during a trip out to Stockton, California, I had the extreme privilege of meeting my first two West Coast bloggers - Sandee of Comedy Plus and Katherine of Wading Through My Stream of Consciousness - when we all got together on Friday, May 2nd for dinner at Cancun, my favorite Mexican restaurant of all!

This past May I found myself out in California yet again and Sandee and Katherine and I reprised our dinner at Cancun on Monday, May 4th. Unfortunately Dave was out enjoying his Teamster 5-0 Tour and couldn't join us but Zane was there with the camera again recording the event for posterity! We actually ended up closing the place down we were having such a good time and the evening remains one of the highlights of my trip West. Which also gives me good reason to go West again at some point!

On September 8th, 2008 I met my very first blogger from Across the Pond when Claire arrived in Connecticut in anticipation of our Blogger Beachhouse Vacation in Rhode Island. What a great birthday present (my 50th was the day after her arrival) but I can't post a picture as Claire has even more of a phobia of cameras than I do. We spent the next day going out to a birthday lunch with my friend Rhonda and then hit the local pub, The Harp & Dragon, with some of my friends from work and Mags who drove down for the auspicious occasion. Because I don't have a picture with Claire from that night (bugger the girl!) I'll post one from our beach vacation ... that's her with her back turned to the camera looking home towards England!


Just last week I met another blogging friend who has found herself in Massachusetts for a few months while her husband is assigned to a job at a local yogurt plant. Lois from Lowdown From Lois is just like she is on her blog - warm and friendly and a real hoot to spend time with. You can't help but smile and laugh when you're around her and her husband Hank is just as nice - he also has that streak of sarcasm that I so enjoy in a person! I'm hoping we have the chance to get together again a time or two while they're on the East Coast.

Happy Anniversary!!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of all the face to face blogger meets, very cool :)
We should definitely get together, we're really not that far from each other - think of the adventures we could have :)
oh - and remember what an incredible photographer you have become - each set you post are better than the last
I'm waiting for that gallery show
Happy Anniversary Linda. I'm proud to be in the mix here. Hopefully you'll be here next year too. Just saying.
ReplyDeleteHave a terrific day and weekend. Big hug. :)
What a journey! Blogs often start out with one intention and change, as we change. As it should be, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteWell, you KNOW I plan to be on that list in a few months!
Wow. You have met quite a few! I'll never forget our shenanigans in the plastic flowers and all the fun we had. I'm sure they never want to see us again.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea to post your journey of friendship here. It's great to "see" some of the others I've never met.
Happy Bloggoversary!
ReplyDeleteME! ME! ME! ME!!!!
ReplyDeletepick me!
please please!!
I wanna be next! really I do!!
come on down to Dallas...hooligan chasing is FUN!!
honest!
Happy anniversary, my friend! It's gone by so fast yet it seems we've known each other forever...
ReplyDeleteThe power of blogs is pretty amazing, you not only meet-- but perhaps more importantly, hear the voices of the types of people you'd never have known existed. Great.
ReplyDeleteyou and Sandee were the first weblog friends I met...and I hope it continues to be an annual event!
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed with not only how many far away places all these bloggers come from...but also how different many of these blogs are in content. It really speaks to how wonderful your blog is to read...and what a great person you are.
if you listen very closely....you can hear Cancun calling you....
Oh, you're so lucky to have met all of those wonderful bloggers. I hope to be able to do the same one day.
ReplyDeleteWhat a year you've had! :)
Boy, I'm in some good company here.
ReplyDeleteYou are very fortunate to have met so many blog friends in person. Such fun.
I hope that you, Prince Ralph the Airhead and I can get together soon! And let's get Dianne from Joisey involved too.
Happy Blogiversary, Duchess Linda.