Last year I was fortunate enough to be able to meet my wonderful friend, fellow blogger, and Canvas’ co-founder, Lulu, for the very first time. And this past Thursday, another exciting meeting occurred. This one was between me and another lovely member of the Canvas Family, Dr. DeeDee Chickadee.
I don’t know what I was expecting, exactly; I don’t really think I was expecting anything specific. But, as it was with Lulu, what I got was so much better than I ever could have imagined.
First thing, straight out of the gate, I think we both knew things were going to be a little crazy. I swear she had nested inside my mind, or perhaps the other way around. Before we even got breakfast, we were having total “Jinx!” moments. These would continue frequently throughout the day, to the point where I vaguely recall telling her, in fun, “Get out of my head!”
We ended up spending the day at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Props to my dad for that suggestion, it was suited to DeeDee perfectly.
She insisted on treating me, because she’s just so kind and thoughtful – total sweetheart.
They have a ton of bird exhibits on display, pretty much an entire floor’s worth. Let me tell you how much fun it was for me, as she named all of the birds and told me stories about them. Okay, so they were more “facts” than “stories”, but the way she talked to me about different markings, sightings, things she knew – and boy howdy, she knows a lot! – made them far too interesting and engaging to ever to be called anything so dry-sounding as “facts”.
After we finished visiting the birds, we played mind games against each other (I can’t remember who won, but it was so much fun) saw ourselves aged to 70 (not so much fun), and looked at slides of our cheek cells under a microscope. All of that and more were in the museum’s Expedition Health exhibit, where I was once again so glad DeeDee was with me, because not only is she wonderful company, but she’s also good to have around if you get confused easily. And clearly, I do.
After lunch was the coolest part of the museum trip, in my opinion. It was time for Smurf-tasting in the Genetics Lab! There’s a study going on about which one is the most bitter. Personally, my money is on Papa Smurf, because he has to get all of the other smurfs out of the ridiculous messes they get themselves into, and Brainy trails him everywhere. There has to be a lot of pent-up anger for all the interrupted and sabotaged experiments there. I’m just sayin’.
#1
#2
Guess which tongue belongs to which blogger in the comments. All boyfriends, lovers, and husbands (former or current) of DeeDee or myself are not allowed to participate.
After a stop in the gift shop (we each bought a necklace, and no, they were not shaped like half a heart with BE FRI on one and ST ENDS on the other), we ended our day with a fantastic Mexican dinner at the Table Mountain Inn. We didn’t go there directly, though. I became a bit confused, took the wrong way back from the museum, and we ended up taking a not-so-scenic tour of the metro area.
But here’s where DeeDee’s loveliness shines through. She enjoyed looking at the prairie dogs while I tried to get us pointing in the right direction. She laughed with me and made fun of the “lady” on my phone’s GPS. She didn’t seem to mind at all when I circled the restaurant four times looking for somewhere to park, because I was wearing four-inch heels and can’t parallel park for crap. She was totally fine with all of it, and I didn’t feel any of that usually inescapable embarrassment that results from taking someone you have never met on an hour-long detour on your way to find food. With DeeDee I felt so totally comfortable and at ease, none of it mattered, we just kept on gabbing.
And we gabbed through our flaming appetizer, through dinner, after dinner (DeeDee also kept saying how nice our waitress was, which was true, it’s just rare that you find someone so lovely as to keep mentioning it). In fact, I think the gabbing kept us going, because we were both running on a sleep debt, and when she got up to use the ladies’ room, I immediately felt the long day rush over me. She said she felt the same way when I returned from my own trip to powder my nose.
And so I drove her back to her hotel, and our day was ended. Such a wonderful day, too. DeeDee is just absolutely lovely, and I couldn’t adore her more.
I felt the same way after the first time I met Lulu, and still do. As it turns out, people can be just as good – or even better – than the way they come across through online interaction.
So, who’s up next? Let’s make it happen!
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One day we will meet my lovely friend.
I’m so glad you’ve gotten to meet your bloggy buddies! I’ve decided that future travels will be to destinations my best blog friends live.
Oh, you and I are pretty much guaranteed. You live in the city most convenient for me to visit with my best friend from high school, which she and I have made some tentative plans on. Also, Portland is just heavy on the awesome sauce, especially with you there. It has awesome sauce coming out of its eyeballs!
Plus, if you recall, you and I are going to go visit Claudia, then we’ll all descend on Sara and Eric. That’s a good time (or perhaps some arrests, or perhaps both) just waiting to happen.
I don’t know if American OR Canada is ready to handle the awesomeness that will be all of us being in the same place at the same time.
I don’t think either country is going to be given a choice.
Sounds fun!
I don’t think you’d have much gabbing to do in real life. I’m usually very quiet, so much so that occasionally people get irritated. I’m easily confused, too, so that might not be a good combination, ha.
It’s alright, I can talk enough for four or five people, so we would be set. Just as long as I didn’t have to talk while reading instructions or navigating in a strange city. Or, occasionally, my own.
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Reblogged this on Sunny With a Chance Of Armageddon and commented:
And Ruby’s take to our lovely encounter.
Who’s next? I’m pretty sure in a couple of weeks, I’m up again! Me, me for us, us! And you’ll meet Finn, so I guess that’s probably the next blogger on the block.
Of course you’re next (theoretically), but I was taking that as a (theoretical) given.
As for Finn, well, with no offense meant to him, but he and I don’t exactly have a history, so it wouldn’t quite be the same as meeting you or DeeDee was, or meeting Sailor or Angel or Paula, or any number of people I’m leaving out with no intent to slight will be.
True, true. And you have the advantage. You know more about him than he does about you! Ha ha!
LOL! Of course, I know more about everybody than they know about me. With him it’s just much more disproportionate.
True, true. And if he were reading this, he’d be flipping out.
Well, that’s on him anyway. He could learn a lot more about me if he read through the back entries of my blog. It isn’t as though the information isn’t out there.
Very true, and delicious read
Thank you most kindly.
The second tongue is yours. LoL, I only know because I saw it on fb,
Yeah, I thought of that after I put the pic up on fb!
Number 2! And I could have guessed that even without seeing it on facebook! Sounds like you had a great day at the museum – I’d have loved that too
It was a great time. If you and your family ever wind up in Denver, I’ll be sure and take yinz there!
I’ll hold you to that. You are now duty-bound, when I finally publish one of my books, to make sure the whole of America buys it so I can afford to come over!
Nope, I just said I’d get you to the museum if you wound up here. I made no commitments as far as how that would happen. That’s all on you.
ah well then, never likely to happen alas…The states are just too far away unfortunately…
If you say so.
I would love to meet any of you guys, but I bet I live way far away from everybody (Texas a whole other weirdass country). We should have one big get together of Canvas authors – it could be like a real life Dream Team. All those disorders all funnin’ around together. Just everyone bring your meds.
Not that I wouldn’t love love love to meet lots of other bloggers too. Except then I couldn’t hide behind the girl in the pinifore. That takes guts!
Whereabouts in Texas do you live? (If you don’t mind me asking.) Because I don’t live that far from that state.
Panhandle of Texas (that part that sticks out on top like, um, a pan handle).
Apt.
There is talk, Alice, of a Canvas Convention next Summer. Just so you’re in the know. . .
(jumps up and down like inner goddess until she faceplants.) Where? What? How?
Right now we’re discussing Pensacola (because I love it) at the beginning of August. Nothing has yet been made firm, but Sailor and I are definitely in for it, and I know Lulu and DeeDee have expressed interest.
Yay Florida (Pensacola is in Florida, right? US school system FTW)
Yes, it’s up on that handle that looks like it belongs on a pan. Beautiful, lovely beaches, calm, warm water – it’s heavenly.
Oooh, I would love going to the beach again. I went to Daytona back when I was 21 – yikes, that’s been a long freaking time! Also, I have a book set in Hawaii like place I’ve been working on forever, and this could give me ideas (at least some kinda tropicalish stuff, beach, water, etc.).
It sounds like it could be so much fun. I would have to save up for it, so let me know if you decide anything. Also, I was wondering about the posting on Canvas thing? Did you answer that somewhere else? Am mas confused.
I’ll keep you posted on the potential for the trip. And the other I haven’t gotten to, yet, I’ll send out an email once I have everything sorted. Also once I’m caught up with my email.
It was such a blast! I’m so glad you had the time to hang out – and someday, we’ll have to do it again. That was some delicious flaming cheese, too!
Oh my God, I know! It was a blessing that Tony Rigatoni’s was no more, though they did have lots of dishes with cheese there. I’m really glad we were able to spend time.
I had a great blind date with a blogger friend once, but sadly it didn’t come with Smurf -tasting. Maybe next time . . .
Smurf-tasting is taking things to a whole new level, I have to say! I’m glad you were able to have fun with your blogger friend, nonetheless. I’ve really had some amazing experiences with the ladies I have met!
Sounds like a perfect day to me! Science and Mexican food. Yum.
I could only get better if it was Science and Colombian food
Well, we really haven’t any Colombian restaurants around here that I’m aware of. We made do, though!
I really really want to meet some fellow bloggers, but I live in Belgium so it’s quite impossible
.
Not impossible. Just a bit more difficult. Dream big!
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