Today is an exercise in synchronised blogging! As many of you will know, News from Nowhere's Alan lives not far away from me - but until a couple of weeks ago we had never met, despite our project in Thornton (see here for details of that). Among his many and varied interests, he's a keen collector and researcher of old postcards and, through that, he got to know Christine H, whose blog is The Daily Postcard. Christine lives literally on the other side of the globe from here, in Portland, Oregon, USA but when she and her husband came over to the UK on holiday recently, we all decided to meet. They came Saltaire and we had a convivial chat over coffee in the Half Moon Café, after which I gave them a short guided tour of Saltaire. To celebrate friendship, the three of us are posting the same photo today (of the three of us in Saltaire's Roberts Park). Do visit their blogs too - Alan's here and Christine's here.
To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive about meeting them but I needn't have worried because we got on really well. It was hard to believe I hadn't known them all for ages - but then, in a way, I have as we've been reading each other's blogs for a good couple of years. When I started blogging, I had no idea it would turn out to be such a sociable hobby, like having penfriends all over the world.
This, then, is a tribute to my two blog friends, whose anecdotes, insights, postcards and photographs enrich my life immeasurably - and to blogging too, which has opened up whole new worlds of enjoyment (and indeed the world itself). As Alan said when we met, some of our 'normal' friends, we suspect, think blogging is a bit of an odd thing to do ... we know better!
Great to hear that you had an enjoyable get together. Blogging rules!
ReplyDeleteI am wondering whether we should organise a meeting of the UK Chapter of Bloggers International at some stage.
DeleteSounds like a plan :)
DeleteHow come that even when we use the same photograph on our blogs - yours looks better than mine! It was a delight to meet you, it is a delight to call you a friend.
ReplyDeleteThe delight is mutual Alan. Maybe we should try joint blogging, I'll do the photos and you do the words!
DeleteI soooo agree with you about the joys blogging may bring in our lives, and how fabulous it is to meet new friends that , in a kind of way, we already know by reading their blogs! I hope that one day we'll meet too!
ReplyDeleteOoh, I hope so too. It would be a joy to meet you.
DeleteThat is wonderful to meet with Blogfriends. I was like you a little suspicious if the people would be really like they are in their blogs, but I was lucky too. I could meet a Candadian couple in Brussels and show them around and an Australian Blogger Lady who came especially over from London (where she was for William's and Kate's wedding) to Brussels and we had a great time. Now on Monday I will go to London (with the Eurostar it's so easy and takes not even 2h !) to meet with a South African blogfriend and her husband. We know each other since at least 4 years, but we have never seen each other life ! My friend and neighbor comes with me and we will see the Musical "Ghost" visit London and meet them the next day. I also met a French girl from the French Riviera and spent a week with her and her family and she came over for a week here to Waterloo. The world shrinks !!
ReplyDeleteThe comments above confirm what you say, blogging is a fun social activity. Not only do we make friends with people from different countries but I also learn lots about geography, history ,customs, birds, plants and hobbies. It is the icing on the cake when we actually meet bloggers. I met some in Sydney and some in the States. All good fun. I like blogging with English people it sort of keeps me in touch with m roots. I must visit your friends again.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun thing to do! Sorry I missed it. Jim
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw that you made a postcard out of the photo, I wondered why I hadn't thought of that. I'm so glad to have met you and to have visited Saltaire.
ReplyDeleteGlad all 3 of you had so much fun meeting up :-)
ReplyDeleteAmen!
ReplyDeleteSo, so fun! Made me want to be there! And what a great photo of all of you! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat photo Jenny! Saltaire is definitely a good meeting place because there is so much to see and do :)
ReplyDeleteHi Jenny .. isn't it wonderful and so pleased you all had fun .. I know I get a little frustrated with people who can't see the benefits I get from blogging - I've yet to meet any in person .. but just might do soon. Love this link up the three of you made - and i'm off there - to say Hi ..
ReplyDeletecheers Hilary
I thought I recognized Alan! What fun to have a meet up!
ReplyDeleteThis must have been so exciting for all of you. What a great picture! ~Lili
ReplyDelete