This was going to be a rather drawn out recap of my little jaunt to Toronto over the past couple of days, but I have exactly no time to write it up as it deserves. Okay, so the majority of it wasn’t incredibly exciting, except I got to meet some really cool people doing really interesting things with social media, and you’re probably lucky to be spared the excruciating details.
But I have to tell you about this. I was supposed to meet up with a bunch of my bestest bloggy friends, most of whom I haven’t seen since last year’s Motherlode conference presentation — but because it was a Tuesday night, and because they’re all busy mommies, many of them couldn’t make it.
In the end, it was Marla and Lee and I who got together for a lazy, chatty and very yummy dinner at Fran’s Diner. (I had pix, but forgot to take them off the camera. Sigh.) I’m so so happy to have had the chance to meet up with Marla and Lee, who may just be two of the sweetest and most interesting people I know – and now Toronto seems even further away from Ottawa than it ever did.
You’d think just spending a couple of hours with great friends would be enough, but did I mention there were presents, too? Marla, whose creativity knows no boundaries, made up a card with instructions that informed me there were three gifts: one for now, one for later, and one for now and later.
The gift for ‘now’ was eensy, beensy baby sockies embellished with “I love mommy” (pause for you to say, “awwwwww”.) The gift for ‘later’ was a package of comparatively ginormous men’s sweat socks. (pause for you to giggle appreciatively.) And the ‘now and later’ gift was a set of gorgeous scented candles, to help cover up the stinky boy-feet smell.
But the very bestest part? Way down at the bottom of the bag was a printout of this:
It’s a handmade baby quilt and pillow they ordered from Etsy.com for me baby. With moons and stars! And no crib bumpers! Do I not have the most wonderful, sweet, thoughtful bloggy friends ever?
Thank you to Marla and Lee, and to my friends who couldn’t make it but contributed to the gift: Ann and Jen and Nadine and Kate and Andrea. I can’t tell you how touched I am, and how lucky I am to count you all as friends.
that quit is GORGEOUS!!
you have awesome friends!
oops….quiLt
It was lovely to see you – I can’t wait to read the posts a dozen years from now when you have three stinky teenage boys. I hope you can still escape to Toronto then, and we can laugh and laugh (though I will be laughing at you, not with you).
Thanks Roz, for the compliment – I looked very hard to find one that was worthy of Dani’s much wanted progeny. I also wanted one that would do JUST IN CASE they were wrong about what reproductive parts package this model is sporting. And I have to admit – I did check Pottery Barn and Land of Nod and other cute places AFTER I’d committed to buy, and the cutest Sun, Moon and Stars themes were out of stock in the quilts. I’ve been dying to shop on Etsy – it fulfills my desire to shop from Moms, small businesses and quality vendors with handmade stuff. Only the best for our Dani.
Aaaawwwww, what a sweet gift.
As for the candles….are you saying that folks don’t *like* the smell of teenage boy feet? Hmmmm…perhaps I should have been covering up the “eau de boys” smell in my basement for all those years? Just kidding…
But really – they moved out two years ago, and the smell, it lingers. And I only two boys. Plus all their friends. Some days it makes me miss them. Other days I just shut the door to what used to be their room.
That should read “I only HAD two boys…”
I had a wonderful evening with the two of you. I’m not ashamed to admit that all of the creativity and organization was because of Marla… thank you Marla!
Dani, you’re looking much better than I felt at any stage of my pregnancy! Thanks for making the time to hook up!
Tears of joy for you having such wonderful, thoughtful friends.
I’m so glad you had fun, and so sorry I missed it.
What a beautiful gift!