With all the fires going on in California, I didn't know whether Laurie Manny would still make it to Florida. When I saw her today I could only hug her out of joy that she's ok.
Mary and John McKnight had a pre-birthday (it's November 4th) lunch party for Laurie at Rumrunner's in Cape Coral. It was good to see old friends, including Ann Cummings from New Hampshire, and it was good to meet new friends I'd only known on line - Chris Elizabeth!
55,000 members is a big number. It's when we get together in small groups or one on one that we strengthen the roots that make us a family, or Ohana (thanks, Sally).
Thank you, Mary and John!
Sharon and Tami,
I guess it has become true that many of us are becoming old friends. at our get-together's in SoCal we have a no blog rule. Pix OK for personal albums, but the friendships have strengthened and we just plain old like each other and enjoy each others company.
It was really nice to see you today, thank you both so much for coming, it is always a pleasure to see you. I like the smaller groups it is possible to actually have conversations and not as manic. I meant to take some more pictures, but it just didn't happen, just kept on talking... lol.
The SoCal fires didn't reach the Long Beach area, the closest was a good 40 miles away, just the smoke and ash - pretty nasty. Thank you, you give good hugs!
Hi Sharon - it was WONDERFUL to see you this Saturday, and to get to meet your beautiful daughter Tami! As it turns out, I was at the RE/MAX New England Fall Conference that Tami spoke at in Boston recently - I'll have to make sure to catch up with her if she comes back up that way again.
It was just AWESOME to get to meet Laurie Manny! I've spent time on the phone and email with her, and to finally meet her in person was like meeting an old friend. Marc Blasi and Chris Griffith were two I'd not met before, so it was great to meet them in person.
And of course, to actually get to meet Mary and John McKnight - that was just the cat's meow, too. To have one-on-one time with them and Laurie Friday and Saturday was indescribable - I was a sponge the whole time, soaking up as much info as I possibly could! I can't thank them enough for that!
I think you hit the nail on the head - it's like we're all old friends and we all took pictures in our minds instead of with our cameras. I had my camera with me, but was so enjoying all the great conversations and surroundings that I never even thought about it.
A good time was had by all!
Ann
Laurie - interesting about your No Blog rule in SoCal. Definitely I'd think that blogging about anything personal would be Verboten. We couldn't miss the chance to see you - glad we got to talk, but one of these days we should be just the two of us and talk long into the night....
Barbara Jo - I think we really were so involved in the conversations that it never occurred to us to take photos!
Ann - thanks for all the comments. Wish I'd known you were at the RE/MAX New England - we could have had dinner together the night before Tami spoke. I'd met you, and Mary and John and Laurie before, but was glad to add Marc and Chris to the friends I've met in person. I was so involved in conversations it didn't occur to me to take my camera out of my bag. Ah, well - who cares. We had a great time.