My husband and I took a road trip Thursday night to a town not that far from us –Faribault, MN. You see I have an imaginary friend (as my dearly beloved likes to refer to my bloggy buddies who I have never met in real life) who lives there and who was going to be part of a poetry reading at the local library. I was excited and had decided to make a trip up there alone and then Chris said he wouldn’t mind going along. I admit I was a little surprised but I think sometimes he worries about me and is afraid some of these “imaginary friends” may be a little too out there or something. I assured him this was not the case but welcomed his company and we had a positively great night.
We arrived early and took in a little of the library while we waited—read papers and walked around a bit.
We knew we were in the right place!
When we walked to the upstairs Buckham Memorial Library Great Hall I was a little giddy!!! I was going to meet Audrey!!! That would be Audrey Kletscher Helbling of Minnesota Prairie Roots blog fame!!! I saw her immediately and since there were not a lot of folks in the room yet she spied me right away and gasped almost audibly! Success!!! I had surprised her and it was wonderful!!! We hugged and chatted a bit before the poetry reading started and it was wonderful. Chris and I met her sweet husband, Randy, and chatted a bit before we took our seats.
The evening proceeded with alternating readings by Audrey and Peter Allen—another fine Faribault resident who offered selections that were at times amusing and other times filled with emotional portrayals of life experiences. Audrey’s poetry was fabulous as I knew it would be. She is such a gifted writer and her poetry is as she so aptly described it as “down home” writing. Pictures of Saturday night baths in galvanized bathtubs and piles of kitties lapping warm milk out of hubcaps in the barn played out in my mind as she read several of her published works.
Not the clearest shot of Audrey but is shows her great smile!
Peter Allen
I was so very thrilled to be able to attend this fabulous event. Audrey was everything that I imagined she would be and then some. She is an amazing woman with a creative side that allows her to embrace her love of writing and photography and bring it to others in a way that will elicit joy and almost always a smile. 
I am happy to say that I have finally met one of my “imaginary” friends and it makes me want to meet all of them. New goal—meet as many as I can!!! In person! Thanks, Audrey, for a great night and for becoming real to me!!! And thank you to Bernie from One Mixed Bag who “introduced” me to Audrey’s blog!
Audrey and myself after the reading!
Will jump back in the Friday blog hop next week—had to get this one out there!!!!
23 Comments
Leave a commentSo happy you got to meet what one of my blogging buddies calls “blog mates.” As someone who has met five of mine, I know how moving and rewarding this can be. Hope you, too, meet many more. I know I’d love to meet you one of these days!
Hugs,
Kathy
Blog mates is a great term!!! You have done really well to have met 5 of yours!! Wow!! Hopefully “we” will meet one day!!! I think we will! 🙂
Yeah for meeting your “imaginary friend!” I have actually gotten to meet a few of mine already and love it! It is so much fun – especially when the people in real life are how they seem online… I am also glad chris went with you because, well, you never do know…. I hope one day you and I get to meet!!!!!!! although I feel like we already have…
I am counting on meeting you one of these days!!! Our oldest will be going to Columbia next year so that is kind of close, right?? Sort of???? 🙂
the school? Yeah, short train ride away… So I will get to meet you? YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! I see a beach day in your future (and by then this sandy mess will be long gone…)
Yep!!! He is actually there for orientation today! Going for his MBA and they have an awesome heath care related one which is his field. We will make it happen!
Yeah!
You will be at Hilary & Marc’s beach then!!
[…] And then to think that blogger Beth Ann, whom I’d never met prior to Thursday evening, drove more than an hour with her husband from northern Iowa to listen to me and Peter present simply touches me. (Beth Ann blogged this morning about our meeting and the poetry presentation, so be sure to click here and read her engaging piece.) […]
Oh, Beth Ann, I am humbled and moved and deeply touched by your gracious words. And, yes, you absolutely surprised me. I had no idea you were on Interstate 35 aiming for Faribault. It was a delight to meet Chris, too, and I hope you calmed his fears about your imaginary friends.
Since I started reading your blog (thanks also to Bernie at One Mixed Bag), I’ve felt such a connection/kinship to you. We are alike in so many ways. I’ve met one other blogger friend, Gretchen O’Connell, and you both have been exactly as you portray yourselves online.
Thank you so much for driving up last night to meet me and Randy.
It was simply a wonderful evening with you and Peter!! THANK YOU!
One of the best surprises about blogging was that in meeting one of my own “imaginary friends” I discovered she was just as fabulous as I thought she would be. Which is good since we were sharing a hotel for 3 nights! It was awesome. Glad that you got experience that wonderful opportunity too.
That is a great thing!!! I think that we all have so much in common and it is such a great thing to meet folks face to face that you have been following!!! Hope “we” meet someday, too!
It is so fun and exciting to meet bloggy friends in real life. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a few that live close by and was very happy that we all got along great. 🙂 So glad you had a wonderful time…
If I ever have a reading, you’re invited!!
I thought of you the entire time!!!
Well I am flattered to no end, thank you..
Absolutely !! I would love to hear your poetry read!!! Why don’t you do a YouTube video?????
What you talkin’ about Willis?
I’m still giddy the two of you met! Yea!!! Sounds like a fun night. You were a wonderful surprise for her!!
Thanks, Bernie! I was really happy to be there! And Mr. Beth Ann enjoyed it too!
I am so glad you were able to be there to hear Audrey and to meet her and her husband. I like the picture of the two bloggers and am sure it was worth the trip for both of you.
I am so glad we made the trip, too! I think it will be the first of many times Audrey and I get together!
I’m so glad you got to meet. What a wonderful surprise! Meeting our blogging buddies is habit-forming.