Tuesday, May 12, 2015

The Pond Is A Lot Smaller Than You Think


Today we met and had dinner with one of my blog readers from across the pond.  Mick, and his wife Ali, pictured here, are visiting the United States, all the way from England.

They came here just to see me.

OK, I'm kidding.  They're not here just for me.  Alright, dammit, if I'm going to be completely honest with you, they're not here for me at all.

BUT....they did make time to meet, so that's gotta tell you something, right?  They love me, right?  C'mon, people, work with me here.

Anyway...

They've been touring famous east coast attractions like the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, and Niagara Falls.  Mick is a HUUUGGGEE baseball fan so he really enjoyed Cooperstown, and when they got to Niagara Falls, they quickly discovered the best view of the falls is from the Canadian side.

When I found out they were going to Newport, Rhode Island - Mick emailed me to ask which my favorite mansion was - I was hoping to be able to arrange meeting them because we were delivering a load not far from where they were staying, and we'd be there at the same time they were.  Turns out, even though we couldn't figure out how to call each other on our cell phones (WTH??) and had to use Facebook messenger to communicate, we eventually made a time and place to meet.  They were going to pick us up at our truck and we'd go out to dinner.

When they met us at the truck, they came bearing gifts from their hometown.  They brought candy from a company located in their region of England - The Lakes District - and a tea towel depicting the attractions in the same area.  The fudge will be gone in no time at all, but the tea towel will stick around, it's definitely something I'll make use of in the truck.

I've gotta tell you, I was really touched by the gifts.  I grew up in a family and a culture that believed it was impolite to show up empty handed to someone's home (or 18-wheeler).  You're supposed to bring flowers, Italian pastries, wine, a houseplant.  Anything.  Just don't walk through that door without a gift in your hand.  Sadly, it doesn't seem as if many people do that kind of thing anymore.  And even though they weren't invited to dinner at my house, or a BBQ in my backyard, the fact that they brought something was astonishing.  To me, it shows a proper upbringing, thoughtfulness, and regular old-fashioned courtesy.  

We had dinner at Sardella's, a local Italian place, and spent several hours talking and getting to know a little bit about each other.  Ed and I had a great time.  They were both interesting, easy to talk to, open-minded, intelligent, and I didn't feel any of those awkward silences you sometimes have with people you're meeting for the first time.

Of course I talk a lot and they probably had more to say - I had a lot of questions and probably asked them quicker than they could answer - but they did a pretty good job of keeping up.

They eventually drove us back to the truck, where we took a few pictures (don't know why we didn't think to do that while it was still light outside) and said our goodbyes.  They're off to Salem next to see witch-trial-related attractions, and the House of Seven Gables.  The weather is beautiful and I'm sure they'll have a great time.

I feel so fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to meet in person the people I've met through my blog.  And to have them come from another continent is even more exciting for me.

Eventually, Ed and I will get over to England.  And when we do, I know whose door we'll be knocking on!

Thanks, Mick and Ali, for a really lovely visit! 



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: You Can't Sleep Here But You Can Get A Fruit And Veg Fix
2013: Mommy And Me Kickin' It At The Yacht Club
2012: Dinner At The Diner
2011: My Guitar Hero
2010: The Competition Is Getting Fierce
2009: A Little Smooch Makes Everything Taste Better
2008: The Greatest Spectacle In Racing
2007: Jalapenos Basking In The California Sunshine
2006: Millions Of Miles Of Knowledge
2005: Midnight Snack

1 comment:

Gil said...

Really is an honor that they made a point to get in touch with you and Ed while they were here on vacation. It seems that the Brits like to bring meaningful gifts from there are of the UK. I say this as our newly found cousins from Norwich, England did the same when they came to meet family in the USA.

Phones don't work as different countries use different frequencies. Even if phone has frequencies the SIM card might make a difference.