I never expected when I started blogging that it would lead me not only to making new friends from all over the world but also to getting to meet some of them. And yes, it sounds odd to talk about making friends first and then meeting them later, but that’s exactly what happens, and I consider many bloggers friends even though I haven’t laid eyes on them. But this past weekend it happened again: I got to meet fellow-blogger Mandarine and his wife and six-month-old son, who are visiting the U.S. from France.
What a charming family they are. Can I just say that Baby Mandarine is so, so adorable I almost started wanting a baby of my own? And let me tell you, it takes a truly adorable baby to make me feel that way.
I should probably warn you that if you ever visit us, you should expect to walk until you’re in pain. We don’t mean to tire our guests out; it just sort of happens. Hobgoblin and I did it to his mother when she visited a few years ago, to my aunt when she visited last fall, and I’m sure we did it to others as well. This time the Mandarines wanted to do some hiking, and some hiking we certainly did. It just so happened that Hobgoblin was planning to take his class on a hike up Bear Mountain in northwest Connecticut, so we all set off together. I was so impressed at the way Baby Mandarine took it all in stride, so to speak, happily allowing himself to be carried up the mountain and sneaking in a nap on the way down. And I was impressed at the way Mandarine made carrying the baby up and down the mountain seem effortlessly easy. I’m not sure if our hike was what Mr. and Mrs. Mandarine expected, but I know I was left with some sore muscles the next day, and I’m so grateful they were good sports about the experience.
And I’m also grateful for the dinner they cooked for us. We spent a leisurely day on Sunday walking to town to stroll around some shops and then taking naps and visiting the local park to walk the dog (even after the epic hike, the walking continued! Consider yourself warned). And then we enjoyed a fabulous pasta dinner followed by a wonderful chocolate cake, Mrs. Mandarine’s specialty.
So once again I find myself very, very glad I began blogging and very appreciative of the great friends I’ve made this way. I’m also glad I live near New York City, which brings people into my area so I have the chance to meet them. Just remember, if you plan on visiting the city or our part of Connecticut and you want to have a blogger meet-up, that you’d better bringing some good walking shoes.
Of Books and Bicycles 
Oh, oh! Me, me! I love to walk, I love to eat, and I own walking shoes. Next time I come east, you won’t be able to keep me away.
Your visit with the Mandarines sounds lovely.
xo
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This sounds like a lovely visit for all concerned! I’ll bet that baby’s cute. I think when I visit you, dear Dorothy, I might meet up with you in a cafe or a bookstore – lol!
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It sounds like you had a fun weekend! Walking is such a great way to visit with others, or to meditate if you are alone. I’m trying to do more of that too now that the weather is nicer.
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What a wonderful weekend and a wonderful visit with teh Mandarines! If I ever have the pleasure, I will be certain to pack my walking shoes!
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Walking is nice and what good sports to even go hiking–baby Mandarine included! At least all that walking meant you didn’t need to feel guilty about eating chocolate cake! When I was younger I used to have several pen friends, and I met quite a few of them. I can’t believe now I was so daring (as it was nearly always on their home turf in Europe). I’m not sure I would be so brave now–but every time you write about meeting fellow bloggers it sounds like great fun!
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Oh how wonderful. I want to come meet you and go for a nice, long hike! 🙂
Glad you had a great time finally meeting your friends.
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Sheesh. Between you and Emily it sounds like your blogging guests need to swing by casa McCrimmon so they can sit on the porch and order some takeout for a couple of days.
Just kidding! It sounds like a lovely visit, and you’ve made my craving for chocolate cake grow a notch further…
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This made me laugh! Whenever people come to visit my Swiss fellow and I, we inevitably take them for hikes which are far too long , often too steep and sometimes muddy 🙂 But it sounds like you had a lovely blogger meet-up, what fun!
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Bloglily — next time you’re east, you simply must go walking with us! That would be lovely!
Litlove — well, a cafe or a bookstore would certainly keep us both happily sedentary, I’m sure! 🙂
Debby — well, you have a very nice weekend coming up in which to do some walking — and maybe riding? Yes, walking is a great way to spend some time with somebody — it’s a very natural way to hold a conversation, I think.
Stefanie — well, there is just no way we are going through life without ever meeting, so yes, keep the walking shoes handy! (or better yet, the bicycle!).
Danielle — you’re making me wish I had plenty of money so I could fly all my blogging friends in and we could all go hiking together! I think visiting your pen pals in Europe sounds great, and I’m sure you have great memories of the experiences. What a wonderful thing to be able to do.
Iliana — yes, it would be great to take a nice long hike together! I hope we get to do it someday!
Courtney — I may just swing by casa McCrimmon myself for some porch-sitting and take-out! It sounds lovely 🙂
Verbivore — oh, I’m so glad I’m not alone! I suspect that the four of us would have a grand time hiking up a mountain together … I rarely find hikes too long, too steep, or too muddy 🙂
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Sounds great. If we’re ever in NYC we’ll take a diversion up your way. (Likewise if you’re ever this way – there are lots of excellent mountain walks here.)
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Well, you are certainly invited if you ever make your way to Switzerland! There are plenty of places to hike and just as many places to stop to pull out a book and rest before hiking down.
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Maybe the Hobgoblins and the Bartons ought to get together and open, rather than a bed and breakfast, a wake and walk. And I agree: Baby Mandarine is enough to make one second-guess her choice not to have babies, at least until she wakes up and remembers that she could never be the sort of laid-back, everything-in-her-stride, attentive-without-being-obsessive sort of parents the Mandarines are. Much better just to let him come for a visit and to get to hold and play with him.
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We did make sure we’d make absolutely no remarks about having babies, either with Emily and Bob, or with Dorr and Hobs. Our little one is definitely a chubby hazard for those who have decided they did not want to have children.
We are grateful that he is that sweet. We cannot accept all the credit Emily wants to give us (because we would not be ready to accept the guilt if our kids had been lil monsters).
My take is that nobody should decide whether or not to have babies. It’s not babies we have – it’s people. They start out as babies, but one day they’ll be people. So do not be misguided by how cute they may look like or behave in the first few months of their lives.
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Pete — if you’re ever in NYC, we can easily meet you there! And mountain walks at your place sound excellent.
Verbivore — that sounds lovely! Switzerland has to be one of the best places to hike, and I think it would be awesome to hike up a mountain with you and maybe do a little reading along the way.
Emily — you’re right about it being better to have wonderfully-cute babies as guests. My mother is exactly the type of no-nonsense parent you described and that the Mandarine’s are, so I might possibly inherit the ability to pull off that calmness from her — but the larger question is why in the world would I want to have to exercise that ability??
Mandarine — you are so right about the difference between having babies and people. I have no interest in introducing another person to the world! But I do like babies, which makes me think I should see what I can do to ensure I get to hold other people’s babies now and then.
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