Yesterday I had such a fun day. It had been in the planning for quite a long time and Mother Nature provided excellent crisp sunny weather for the occasion. I met up with Tina of The Quiet Home and Jill from Land of the Big Sky, this time at the Aberdeen Art Gallery. We all marvelled at how the internet, despite its many drawbacks, is so amazing at bringing kindred spirits closer. And we were joined by a special guest of honour, the Dafter, who managed to make it out of the house for the first time in quite a while, magically transported in car and wheelchair by her fab Dad (who also joined us!).
Tina the Quiet Homemaker, Jill of Land of the Big Sky, me and the Dafter
Tina and Jill had both brought hand-made presents. This was Jill’s amazing gift:
Present from Jill – a watercolour painting of our Tilly! (Who is obviously very blasé about having her portrait painted.)
Tina received a beautiful watercolour of her hens. Isn’t Jill such a talented artist? Tilly was unfazed by the attention. Clearly before we adopted her she must have been a feline artist’s model.
Tina’s presents puzzled us at first. A tiny bonnet for a doll or a pet, perhaps?
Mystery present from Tina – it’s cashmere!
Mais non! C’est un mug-cosy!
A-hah!
A very big thank-you to Tina and Jill for coming all the way to the big city, for your lovely presents, and for welcoming my family to the tea party.
The poor Dafter subsequently had a rotten evening, and it took us half an hour to help her up the stairs to bed (at 8:30 pm). But such is the nature of ME. She says it isn’t necessarily that she overdid it by going out, it’s just unpredictable. However, the good news is that the boiler has finally been replaced! After two full days and some high-level phone calls – and we won’t mention what the scaffolders did to our dear neighbour’s window – we can now have heat in any room that we like! That is a great thing and we should appreciate it more. The weather has turned very autumnal, with near-to-freezing temperatures at night. But it is now officially autumn, so what can we expect?
I hope you’ve all had a very good weekend.
Hopefully The Dafter is now convinced that not all bloggy people are suspect! Mmm, Aberdeen Art Gallery, home to my favourite painting of all time – Paul Nash’s ‘Wood on the Downs’.
What luxury to have a cashmere mug cosy!
By: Linda on September 23, 2012
at 8:18 pm
It certainly was the best of days!
Loved your pics of Tilly the potential bonnet-wearer, and the Dafter’s fun expression, hahaha! Hope she’s feeling better today, xxx
By: Tina on September 23, 2012
at 8:26 pm
I too hope the Dafter is better today. So enjoyed meeting her and her Dad. I am smelling rather exotic having used the Hemp Almond soap for which I thank you again.
By: Jill. on September 23, 2012
at 9:26 pm
Those gifts are beautiful — what a talented bunch! So glad you had a good day together and that the pesky boiler situation has been resolved. Blessings xo
By: Laura on September 23, 2012
at 10:55 pm
what a fun day! how nice to be able to meet up and spend time together. glad to hear your boiler is all sorted.
By: ajb47 on September 23, 2012
at 11:40 pm
Looks like a lovely day with equally fine friends.
By: Sigrid on September 24, 2012
at 3:38 am
Lovely! So glad you had a good visit, Christine!! AND glad that the boiler is working!!! We had a good weekend, too, with family, friends and a visit to the fiber festival at the Canby, OR, fairgrounds. Blessings to you and yours.
xx from Gracie
By: grayseasaylor on September 24, 2012
at 4:07 am
It’s so nice to meet up with friends and share life, art, talents, and good conversation. It sounds like you all had a lovely day together, and so nice to see the Dafter having a good time, too. Glad to hear you have your boiler fixed, too, just in time for the cooler weather. I do hope the Dafter is feeling a bit better after some rest. And I do think that Tilly would look adorable in the cup cozy/bonnet.
By: Karen on September 24, 2012
at 4:09 am
What a lovely inspiring meet up ….looks like it was great fun, and such wonderful gifts! Hope the dafter is feeling better now
By: Scruffybadger on September 24, 2012
at 7:05 am
Lovely for you to meet up with some of those faces behind the blogs. And such nice presents, too!
By: Martin on September 24, 2012
at 8:04 am
What a lovely post, your presents are utterly delightful! The painting is beautiful and I love the idea of the mug cosy. Best of all though, the Dafter getting out to join you, that’s brilliant, and although she suffered in the evening it must have done her (and you) the power of good to get out like that. Excellent news about your boiler, and just in time too, there’s a definite nip in the air now.
By: tearoomdelights on September 24, 2012
at 8:26 am
What lovely presents! A mug-cosy? Who knew?!
And please tell Ms dafter that I LOVE her new glasses!
By: Roobeedoo on September 24, 2012
at 10:02 am
Fun! I’ve had the pleasure of meeting online friends in “actual” person, and it is such a delight. As I type (it’s 8 AM here) I see on my thermometer that it’s 44 degrees outside. That’s the coolest it’s been in months! I’m glad the Dafter could join you and sorry the evening was miserable. As you say, it’s an unpredictable ailment. Grab those moments of joy when you can.
By: Ellen, the Bluestocking Belle on September 24, 2012
at 1:04 pm
So pleased for you that your daughter went out with you. I hope she is feeling OK today, love the presents.
By: Sister Julie on September 24, 2012
at 1:36 pm
When I look at the photo I can tell you all had a fun time together. great gifts you got… love that thing for the mug. beautiful pic from the dafter with that mug
By: Carin on September 24, 2012
at 6:08 pm
What a lovely day you had and good for the Dafter to make it out as well.
Keep warm…and dry! x
By: karibu57 on September 24, 2012
at 6:11 pm
Sounds like a lovely meeting! That’s wonderful! I finally met a very dear blog friend for the first time this past weekend — we’ve “known” each other for 5 years!
I love the mug cozy! And the watercolor gifts…..
By: Heather L. on September 24, 2012
at 7:25 pm
It is nice to see blog friendships transcending the virtual space. It must have been a very happy day. I’m sorry to hear that Dafter didn’t feel so well afterwords but she looks great in the group picture. A very pretty young lady. I hope she’s better now.
Luciana
By: Luciana on September 24, 2012
at 9:48 pm
Hot neat. This is the upside of our wired world. I love the cozy!
By: kelly@inthesheepfold on September 25, 2012
at 3:28 pm
That’s how, not hot. Me and my nimble fingers!
By: kelly@inthesheepfold on September 25, 2012
at 3:28 pm
I just thought “hot neat” was a new American slang expression, Kelly!
By: christinelaennec on September 29, 2012
at 6:40 pm
I need a mug cozy!!
By: Stacy Lyn on September 25, 2012
at 7:37 pm
Dear Everyone,
Thank you all very much for your nice comments, particularly about the Dafter (and her glasses!). Yes, blogland truly can be a wonderful thing.
By: christinelaennec on September 29, 2012
at 6:39 pm