Many of you are visiting because Sue (Une Femme) linked to me when she posted about our dinner in Seattle last week — Welcome! It’s wonderful to have you all here reading and driving my stats skyward for a few days, even if you’re too shy or too busy to sign the guest book (that’s a metaphor, of course–there’s no guest book, but feel free to leave a “hello” in the Comments below). I hope you might find something here that makes you want to visit again, and we’ll get to know each other better.
Meanwhile, I thought you’d probably like to see a photo of Sue and me. We’ve been blogging friends ever since I first asked her, in a comment, if she’d come over to my relatively new blog and let me know what she thought about a post I’d written about shoes. She was as generous and helpful and just all-round classy as you know her from the blog now, and we’ve read each other’s every post since then.
Then, back in 2009, Sue and Le Monsieur came through Vancouver and we got to spend a few hours together. And there was shoe shopping. . .
And a meal together, during which we were happy to see that our husbands got along well also. . .
So when she emailed a couple of months ago to say their flight to Amsterdam was leaving from Seattle and would we consider meeting up in that city, I was happy to realize that retirement would make this a happy option. I’ll admit to being a bit dismayed when I started researching hotels. Prices are higher than we generally pay on our European vacations, and the Canadian dollar isn’t well positioned at the moment (understatement!).
But we found a place (more on that later and on a few places we’d recommend eating at), decided on two nights so we’d have a good day of sight-seeing, and we headed off on our little road trip (about 3 hours depending on the traffic, not one of the city’s best features).
And it was all made absolutely worthwhile when we walked into the very good Blueacre Seafood and Sue got up to greet me with all the warmth of her lovely personality poured into a big welcoming smile. We may only have met once before, non-bloggers may be skeptical about the whole bloggers-as-friends phenomenon, but I tell you, our grins and hugs were those of very good, longtime friends. Honestly, I think the guys shared some of that sentiment.
As Sue notes in her post about our meet-up, the restaurant closed down around us as we caught up; our time together zipped by too quickly. Luckily, before we left, we remembered to pose for these photos, mementos of another happy meeting. Hope we don’t have to wait another six years!
I do intend to write a post about our Seattle stay, once I’m back home and working on my full-size, more cooperative keyboard. Meanwhile, though, you might be interested in checking out my Instagram account (click on badge at top of right-hand column). Seattle in the sunshine delighted me so that I couldn’t stop taking photos (Pater is a very patient man).
Now we’re back in Vancouver. I’ve had a great run, and we’re heading out to watch a granddaughter’s swimming lesson before I meet a daughter for a promotion-celebrating lunch. Life is so good! What are you up to this weekend?
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What a nice meet up. Hadn't imagined you as tall or is une femme very petite? Seattle looks lovely Mary
You're right in picturing me as shorter, Mary. I'm only 5'3, but I'm wearing heels and standing on the higher side of the sidewalk and my hair adds inches . . .and Sue is petite.
I agree with Mary – you look so tall in the photo! It looks like a wonderful time was had by all.
I have long thought that if we ever get out to Vancouver or the island together (my husband has been several times for work), I would definitely ask if you would meet us. Would love to chat after all this time reading your blog!
As one of my earliest followers, Patricia, I hope you will try for a meet-up someday. Not sure I'd meet with just any reader as there's less chance to get a sense of a person through comments, depending . .
Now I'm even more determined we should all three get together some day! You guys are so cute.
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Nice to see you all gathered together…meeting other bloggers is so much fun.
Sue is one of my favourite bloggers. She is so dedicated with her regular posts and her lovely and inspiring fashions. Hope that you had some time to explore Seattle and I look forward to your next post!
We love going to Seattle too and stay at The Mayflower Park which offers a Canadian friends package. Paris and France have eaten up my travel budget for the time being so we will be cruising the waters of our lovely Gulf Islands this summer!
We had a great time in Seattle — made up a little bit for my leaving Pater behind to visit Paris with my sister. . .
I'll have to check out The Mayflower Park's Canadian friends' package. Our travel budget will have us staying close to home for a while now. Luckily, we live in a place that makes that no penance at all, right?
I enjoy staying at the Mediterranean Inn near Queen Anne. It is close to the waterfront, Space Centre and Fremont Street where there are restaurants, groceries, bookstores and music stores. There is a rooftop terrace where you can watch the ships and see Mount Rainier on a clear day. It is like a 2-3 star in Europe with a bonus fridge and microwave. The last time I went, we took the Clipper to Victoria, the bus to Chemainus for the theatre, a cab to Nanaimo (a friend of the B and B people and still cheaper than the car on the ferry and came home via Duke Point.
Sue's clothing choices of longer tops and asymmetrical hemlines really do make her look much taller. I read her every day and she really is a fashion "expert." It's great that you got a chance to "meet up." Sue and Janice Riggs were probably the first two fashion/lifestyle blogs that I read.
I'll make a note of the Mediterranean Inn as well. Both yours and Lesley's are more reasonable options for our budget, although our hotel was very good value. And Euro 2-3 star suits us just fine. We thought about taking the ferry from Victoria and will definitely consider that for another visit. Don't much like the traffic going into and out of the city . . .
This looks fun. Just to let you know, Mater, that you have inspired me to get back in the running shoes. Despite rain, I am going to clip on the pedometer and get out there. Feel better already.
Sounds as if you've got all kinds of running experience already, Annie, with a marathon or ten under your belt already. Once a runner . . . đ
I've made many "real" friends through blogging. It's wonderful to connect with like minded women who live half way around the world. You and Sue look like you had a great time. I signed your guest book :))
And you signed it in your beautiful handwriting with the kind of thoughtful comment that is so typical of you. hugs!
What a great meetup! And a bonus that the partners get along as well. I read both your blogs and I can see how easily you could spend hours happily chatting away, especially having both been blogging since early days.