Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Two New Friends

I am telling you this blogging world has been such a blessing in my life.  I have met so many wonderful new friends through this medium and hope to continue to do so.

A while back I mentioned here how much I love to travel, how much I would love to go to Italy or France, or Spain, or back to England (the only place I have visited across the deep blue sea).  But how difficult it is because I no longer have a traveling partner.  Well, one of my blogging buddies contacted me and said she too would like to travel and would I be interested in visiting the Amalfi coast in Italy. She had been there before but would like to return again for cooking & photography classes.  My heart did a flip-flop, cooking & photography in one of the most beautiful places ever?  Oh my goodness.

Correspondence and phone calls began with plans to meet in person in the summer to, for better lack of words, size each other up.  Would we be able to travel together?  Would we be compatible?  After following Jeanne's blog for quite awhile now, I knew she and I had the same values, the same love of photography and travel, and we are fairly close in age.

Yesterday was our face to face...and bingo it was perfect, except for the weather.  Jeanne better known to you as Butterfly Tales: Metamorphosis from the Cocoon was born and raised here in my area and moved to Dallas, TX, I on the other hand grew up in Dallas, TX and now live here.  Jeanne was traveling with Sam, her grandson, and what a fine young man Sam is.  Sam is 10, and while we were together, he flagged down a cab for us, talked to the concierge at the Drake Hotel as to where we could get a cup of coffee, he even tried to stop the rain from falling with a little dance, a very mature, smart (except for maybe the rain dance part) & fine young man.
 

We met at the Bean....as you can see the sun was shining...it was a beautiful day.


We stopped for dinner and continued our discussions, getting to know each other, where we would like to visit in Italy, when we would like to go...etc.  But as we talked, the sky was beginning to darken, the winds picked up, and the rains came down with gusto.  We were drenched.  So much for making a good impression with a coiffed hairdo, but that's not what friendships are made of.  This is what I should have had, however no raincoat, no umbrella.


Our plans for attending the concert in Millenium Park were definitely cancelled and photography was a little dicey with the rains still coming down.  We caught a cab to Water Tower Place, wandered up to 4th Presbyterian Church, while the dripping continued.



At this point I was ready to seek shelter and have me a hot cup of coffee.  The Drake Hotel was right across the street, so off we went for coffee for us adults and french fries with ranch dressing for Sam.  Not exactly how we planned to spend our evening, but we continued our conversation and our getting to know each other over cups of hot coffee and a fry or two with ranch dressing.

It was time for me to grab a cab back to the train station to catch the 8:40 PM train that will get me home by 10:00 PM after spending a most enjoyable evening with 2 new friends.  See what happens when you blog!!

"I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new.  I call God "Beautiful" for these gifts."  ~  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Until next time....

23 comments:

  1. What a sweet story and what an incredible adventure it will be to travel together with a new friend! I pray for the best for you!

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  2. Oh what fun. It sounds like such a nice visit and such fun plans!

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  3. Oh, what an opportunity! I follow Jeanne's blog and love it. So glad to hear you two hit it off, and I'm looking forward to watching how your travel plans go.

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  4. Oh wow, I didn't realize it was time for the "size up" already! lol. I had no doubt the two of you would get along fabulously. And what a cutie that Sam is!

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  5. Great plans... blogging can result in amazing adventures with new friends. Your blessed, Deanna! I've been to Italy 4 times and the last time I missed an Open Air concert of Andrea Bocelli in Toscane, sold out :( I know for sure you're going to have a marvelous time.

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  6. oh, that's awesome! for both of you! jeanne's grandson seems like quite a worldy gent. how very sweet! so glad you two have met and maybe can do trips together!

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  7. So serendipitous! I love it!

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  8. Oh this is so very cool Deanna!!!! I would do this in a nano second!! This is what I am learning as I get older, don't let a minute pass you by. Now, be sure to tell us every little thing...we will be waiting, like good boys and girls♥

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  9. How awesome is that Deanna?! It looks as if you had a great time despite the weather, and found a new friend to boot, at a time when you should surround yourself with loving friends. I hope your travel plans work out and you have a long, happy friendship.

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  10. How fun, Deanna, and such a wonderful opportunity to find travel companions with the same interests! Can't wait to hear more of your plans!

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  11. It is so fun to meet our blogger buddies. I am so looking forward to next month in Chicago, though I hope we have better weather. I loved the Amalfi coast, and would go back in a heartbeat. Of course, I've never been to Sicily or Ravenna and would love to see Venice again, too. Enjoy!

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  12. How much fun this must have been, Deanna, and a trip to Italy sounds amazing!

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  13. What a great story! Just looking at her picture, I know the two of you will have a great time in Italy!

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  14. Deanna, Would you have thought you'd be doing this in a mIllion years - meeting an internet friend and traveling with her to faraway places? We have contact with so many people now through our blogs and, somehow, we really do start to know them. It sounds like a grand adventure with a kindred spirit. Your photos of your day-trip are marvelous!

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  15. I leave for awhile and come back to find you are off on another adventure....Jeanne is a wonderful gal, I follow her blog, and I am sure you two will have so much fun on your trip to Italy....sounds like a trip made in heaven.....

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  16. This is wonderful! I'm so,glad the two of you hit it off. What a wonderful trip to look forward to!

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  17. It is stories like yours that renews faith in mankind and the power of kindness. A wonderful new chapter for you Deanna.

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  18. The benefits of blogging are endless...if only those "non-bloggers" could understand! What a wonderful opportunity for you both...let the travel planning begin!!

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  19. So great that you met up even thought he rain was not kind now you can plan your trip....

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  20. How exciting!!! and Italy!!! happy sigh!

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  21. What a blessing and joy in the midst of a sad time in your life. God is so kind! I love the bean.

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  22. Woo HOo!!!! And I so enjoyed our get together! Can't wait till we get all of the details together, and first thing you know, we will be on our way to this amazing spot! So much fun coming our way!!! Can't wait!

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