Auld Acquaintance . . . and New

Yesterday, as I posted earlier, I had a marvelous time.  First, in the morning, several of my playgroup moms came for our monthly coffee, though this was the largest group we'd had.  It was great to chat with them all, at leisure over coffee and sweets.  We don't usually get two whole hours and more for conversation.  I see some of them intermittently, but not usually as a big group.  It was like old times, six years and more ago when all had  infants (for almost all, our first).  We would get together weekly at each other's houses, eat lunch, and share (see here, in only my fourth post).  There was laughter, tears, questions, advice.  For years, through second children, deaths of parents and family and even one of those infants, divorces, diagnoses, moves, job changes and losses, and all the vicissitudes of life, we came together regularly.  But now, it doesn't happen as much.  When it does, though, the easy camaraderie of lives shared, no matter how long we've been apart or how much we still have in common, comes back and fills us with happiness.  Or, at least it does me, which is why I'm so glad they gather at my house monthly now.

And then, I met someone brand new, which was an equally wonderful treat:  I got to meet Shelley, of My Little Chickadees, and the great coincidence.  We laughed in the beginning that others had wondered if it were safe for us to meet since we'd only met online--one of my playgroup friends even stayed around to make sure Shelley looked okay!  She had apparently heard the same fears from her husband--but she said I'd been vetted by Mrs. S and I said she'd been vetted by the whole Orthodox Church!  So we were safe.  And had a delightful time.  We have many things in common, particularly viewpoints on parenting and cooking and such (though not scrapbooking, I'm afraid.  Sorry, Shelley, I tried.)  I look forward to many more discussions--of books, bread baking, and spirituality.  And those are just the topics we know about!  Thanks for coming over, Shelley!  I can't wait to do it again.

It's days like that keep me in good spirits.  Thanks, y'all.