So - Did We Have a Good Time?

We sure did. The vertically challenged woman in the '49er jacket is I. The tall woman with the lovely smile is, if you don't already know, ipodmomma (Mollie in real life).

Mollie is originally from Chico and has lived in England for several years. Chico is a couple of hundred miles straight north on Hwy 99 which runs almost through my kitchen in Merced. We've been plotting a meeting almost since we first met online and it finally came together today.

We couldn't do it last weekend because I was heading for San Francisco as she was heading for Chico but this weekend worked. We met for lunch in Stockton, a little shorter drive for me than for her but as close to the middle as we could get without winding up in Lodi or trying to find each other in Sacramento. We'd decided on lunch, agreed on Chinese buffet. Google and I found a restaurant that looked good.

The weather cooperated. We were supposed to have heavy rain, wind, and thunder but it either didn't happen or happened while I was asleep. The sky turned blue and the weather turned dry. The restaurant was excellent. Great variety, good service, and low prices - unbeatable combination. I like buffet for kids - there's bound to be something they like.

Mollie brought her younger daughter (she has 3 teenagers) and I brought all the girls. Good food, good company, and the kids were a little over excited but still okay. Her lovely daughter is a little older than Elcie and took over helping with my gang. It gave her mother and me more of a chance to chatter and laugh. Thanks J. You are wonderful. We finished up by window shopping in the mall next door to the restaurant and then, reluctantly, I headed south while she started back north.

Two perfect weekends in a row. Hard to believe but it happened.

I have more photos if blogger cooperates. Mollie will have better ones once she returns home and can post them.

I don't think I'd be comfortable in one of the huge blogging conventions but this is different. I feel like I know many of you so well online that if we do have a chance to meet and both think it's a good idea, I'll grab it. I know not everyone feels that way and that's okay too. Different strokes.

Thanks to all of you who left comments on the "mommy wars" and blogs. I wasn't fishing for compliments but I'm pleased that you enjoy visiting. I certainly enjoy having you.

Lindsay sent the lyrics to "June is Busting Out All Over" and I sent him the last few lines of "You'll Never Walk Alone" - both from Carousel. It hasn't quite busted out here yet but we're working on it. It's definitely spring.

Elcie is already asleep and R & R are washed, dried, and in sleep clothes ready for bed. They're still a little wired so I'm not pushing bedtime. They may fall asleep in the living room.

Long day but a very good one. Ray is still doing well and so is Carol. A day full of blessings, Andrea.

I'll see what I can do about the rest of the photos.