Friday, July 22, 2011

Meeting face-to-face


I'd like to begin this post by stating how lucky I feel.

I have "met" the most wonderful people through blogging, people I haven't actually met face to face (though I still hope to!), but still feel like I know nonetheless. Even more wonderful are those handful of bloggers (you know who you are ♥) that I have had the incredible opportunity to meet in person.

Such a meeting happened last weekend and it tickled me beyond all belief. I was able to meet up with Sarah from Between the Fenceposts (<--click this link to visit Sarah's blog). Sarah and her husband, Malcolm, drive an incredibly large truck for a living and just happened to be staying overnight in Portland:

Sarah contacted me to see if we'd be interested in meeting up and I couldn't answer fast enough: "Yes!"

For over a year I have been reading stories from Sarah about life on the road, life inside the cab of a truck and life with three Chinese Crested dogs, Paris, Carly and Ella.

I *loved* the moment I got to meet Paris, Carly and Ella in person:

And, not only did I get to sit in the driver's seat of their very big truck, I received the most wonderful loving attention from all of their pups:

Sarah and Malcolm humored Jim and me by letting us eat at the local truck stop. How often do we normal folk get to eat at truck stops?! Never!
So, Jim ordered the pot roast:

It came with mashed potatoes, a cornbread biscuit and a salad. A real stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal. (Just for comparison purposes - and to show you what an eater my man is-, Sarah and I split a sandwich and Malcolm had the soup and salad.)

We told stories and laughed like we'd known each other for years. It was really fun to sit back and realize, hey, we're only just meeting for the first time, but look how comfortable we are.

After dinner, Sarah's and my team of paparazzi followed us with cameras, shutters clicking, taking hundreds of photos of us:

For two people normally behind the lens, this wasn't a comfortable thing for us:

But we tried to relax and have fun. I love the photo below because 1) we're laughing so hard, 2) I can tell that Malcolm is smiling behind the camera, and 3) I can see Sarah's and my image on the screen of Malcolm's camera:

In the end, we tired before the paparazzi did:

Thank you, Sarah and Malcolm, you cutie pies - hope you come through Portland again really soon!

(Look at those wonderful EARS!!)

21 comments:

  1. nice to see it from your side of things. :) i'd have been all over that truck stop pot roast - topped off with a big piece of pie!

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  2. I want a turn to meet you as well!

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  3. I am always amazed at how close I can get to someone I have never met face to face through blogging. How much fun to meet a blogger you have been following. I think Sarah should begin to post her itineraries so more of us might be able to connect. It could be a great feature on Sarah's blog... Bloggers I have known... or Bloggers I have met...
    Thanks for sharing - now I know what Sarah & Malcolm's truck looks like from the outside! I can look for it when I'm on the road!

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  4. Very Cool!!! How wonderful for both of you! Thanks for sharing.

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  5. What a wonderful meeting! I've met some great blogging friends in person, too, and it was awesome! The doggies are too cute!

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  6. How absolutely wonderful! I would love to meet Sarah someday, and you also. (oh and the doggies too)

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  7. I so enjoyed reading your post and those dogs are so cute!

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  8. What a fun time for both of you! I can just imagine how bloggers can get to "know" fellow bloggers. It's like we "chat" almost on a daily basis. Great post, Danni.

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  9. Well if you would go on the "donkey holiday", we would meet up here in Canada!

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  10. it was a blast Danni! Thanks for coming out to meet us! The girls loved you from the moment they saw you through the truck window! (what's not to love?) We look forward to getting together with you and Jim again soon!

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  11. Now I'm craving Pot Roast.

    I saw your bag handle and thought, "I recognize that fabric!".
    Glad to see its going strong. I need to make some new chicken bags, its been awhile.

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  12. too much fun!! i've never been in a big rig before and that food looked awesome!

    isn' it amazing how you can know someone so well and not even have met! sounds like it was a great time......

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  13. Wow, that great big, going far away truck looked appealing for a moment! (Just kidding).

    What a wonderful thing to meet the people whom you know so well through blogging all this time. Makes me want to continue writing my own a little more faithfully.

    You are so happy in these photos. Seizing moments like these is so important and become cherished memories.

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  14. Hi texwisgirl - Pie!! I knew we forgot something! We're just gonna hafta go back! :-)

    Chai Chai - I am counting on this.

    Hello there, Dreaming - I *love* your idea about Sarah posting her itineraries - now we just have to convince HER! How fun would it be for hundreds of us friend-bloggers to be further connected through having personally met Sarah and Malcolm?! :-)

    CeeCee - You're another one. Some day, friend. :-)

    Hi Razzberry Corner - It was so cool. Weren't you are your hubby planning on coming through Portland a while back? Whatever happened with that?

    Hi Michaele - Now you've got me thinking....what if we had a blogger's retreat, of sorts...where we could meet in some central location and just hang out and laugh for a few days?... Hmmmm....

    Howdy Pam - Thanks for commenting! Those dogs are ridiculously cute! And so friendly! :-)

    CaliforniaGrammy - you are one of my most special never-met-before blogging friends. I feel like I know you and Ken so well, yet I've never laid eyes on you in person. Someday?

    Tina - I gotta say, a "Donkey Holiday" sounds like an incredible amount of fun..and to meet you... icing on the cake!

    Sarah - Didn't our paparazzi photos turn out well? :-)

    Hi JaneK - And you, little missy.... someday?

    Zitrone - Hiiii Mom. :-) You *do* need to start blogging more. People love it when you blog. And you know from all my stories how many wonderful people you meet. C'mon. Do it. :-)

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  15. What a wonderful opportunity to make great memories. I've enjoyed meeting blog friends too. It's like you've known each other for ever.

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  16. How great is that!! Blogging sure does bring us together!!

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  17. That's so awesome! I love meeting my blogger friends in the flesh - hope to get the opportunity with you one day in the not too distant future. Love those Yoda dogs. You've got to have a ton of personality to pull that look off. *smile*

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  18. I've never seen such a big truck! Wow! Looks like you had a great day :D

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  19. Hey Danni. It looks like you had a blast! That dinner looks great, and there is no way I would go for the salad! Glad your having fun.

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  20. Sorry- that last picture was my favorite!

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