Sleepy Mommy history was made Monday and Tuesday when, for the very first time, Pansy and I finally got to meet each other in person! I'll let Pansy speak for herself when she's back home. For myself, I'll just say I had a blast.
Pansy came down to the D.C. area on Saturday and spent Sunday with her family. I'll let her tell the story about how they were trying to get to the Shrine but instead landed themselves in the coven; I'll just say that if you're going to the Shrine and taking I-395 from Northern Virginia, I would recommend taking 395 to the 3rd street tunnel, taking the tunnel all the way north to New York Avenue, and taking NY Avenue east to a left on First Street or North Capital Street, and turning right onto Michigan Avenue. But I digress. On Sunday evening, most of Pansy's family went to Philly while Pansy and her youngest son, Gorbulas, stayed with her dad in Alexandria.
Monday was the big DC Metro Family Blogger Fiesta. KTC made it all happen, really; she very kindly picked up Pansy from Alexandria (a bit of a hike from her own neighborhood) and brought her up to my place in Maryland -- all in rush hour traffic! and they still got there right on time! ( We've all known that KTC has one of the fattest Rolodexes in St Blog's -- she knows everybody; we know she is a first class Prayer Warrior; now we know she is a ROAD WARRIOR!) Davey's mommy, Davey's daddy, and Davey himself (whose new haircut makes him look just like Christopher Robin) joined us, and we had a lovely lunch together. Friends sitting around the kitchen table; a spirited, wide-ranging conversation fueled by coffee and a little dessert.... what could be better? The little boys seemed to have a good time, too, alternating between screams of territorial rage and long moments of ominous delighted silence.
Tuesday I picked up Pansy and we set off for a little touring. It would have been fun to see the Smithsonian, but that's hard to do with two restless little boys in tow, especially on a day with rain in the forecast. We went to the Shrine and then to the JPII Cultural Center. One of the best things about the Cultural Center is it's "Children's Gallery" -- a padded room with kids' activities, including a toddler's area with a latched gate (so weary parents don't have to run after little escapees.) We turned the little boys loose and let them go at it while we visited. Afterwards we stuffed them in their strollers and looked at the exhibits.
We picked up my husband and headed to Alexandria, where we had dinner and met Pansy's dad. But all too soon, it was time to say good-bye, and we headed back to Maryland.
Pansy is headed back home today. I so hope we can do this again sometime. We've been "pen-pals" (or whatever the IM equvalent is) for almost two years now, and it was so good to finally meet "in real life." It was funny, we've been looking forward to this for months, but once it finally came -- to me, anyway -- it was like we'd always been neighbors and this was an extended play date instead of a Very Unusual Event. Pansy sitting at my kitchen table, coffee cup in hand, seemed like the most natural sight in the world.
That's so sweet :) It seemed like that to me too. Like the familiarity of the blog and other Internet communications just transferred to real life.
Although when I first glanced at the post and saw the word "coven" highlighted, I thought it was a reference to the gathering of women in your kitchen, and wondered how you arrived at that comparison...
Yes, it was loads of fun! Thanks for having us!
This sounds wonderful. There a lot of people blogging out there I think I'd like to meet. I'm not sure they would want to meet me, however.
So far I've met two St Blog's folk in person - Erik Keilholz and Bill Luse. Am looking forward to any opportunities to meet others! Please let me know if any of you will be near Boston and I will try to get there! We have some real pretty leaves on the trees round about october here in new hampshire.....
How GREAT!
When I win the Powerball lottery (which will be HARD, since I don't ever actually BUY a ticket), we'll hold a giant St. Blog's meeting somewhere cool and everyone will get to come.
And, of course we'd want to meet you Henry! Why on earth would we not?
I'm with Terry -- I keep waiting for my lottery winnings to roll in, and I don't buy tickets, either. And I, too, would be delighted to meet Henry. :)
July 10th at my house: the annual San Fermin barbecue. Food from France, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Greece, Ezkadi, California, and Colombia. Eat, drink, watch bullfight videos, and be merry until the wee hours, then walk to Latin mass (Tridentine or Novus Ordo, both Latin, your choice) up the road. Whole lotta fun. Y'all are invited. With the out of town guests floor space and tent space might fill up, but we can probably station out of towners at local friends' houses if additional space is necessary. I will post this as well as more information at my blog later this week.
Yum Bunnies, Erik! If your house is full, I get first dibs on Ryan's place [he can cook, too ;-)]!
I, for one, can vouch for the fact that it's worth meeting Henry, having first met him awhile ago (before his blogging debut, I believe)--and his daughter's a particularly awesome person in my book. There. That should neatly settle that :).