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Saturday, March 29, 2008

Who Would Keep a Queen Waiting? ~ A New England Adventure




So there I was.
Minding my own business on a high stool in a fancy schmancy bar waiting on my dates for the evening. All I wanted to do was snap a picture of The Duchess of Thames and The Celebrity Journalist Princess from Parts Unknown.


And wouldn't you know it? They were late.

Don't they know I'm a Queen??!!

I waited and I waited. I called the man in the red Cadillac who was also waiting patiently for me back at the vacation chateau. "They stood you up?" he asked.

"Pour some Godiva, please. I'll be back sooner than I thought. I have a few dungeon citations to write. These bloggers are toast." Did I faintly hear the UCONN resurrection game in the background? It was Easter after all. Miracles can happen.... "Are you listening to me, sweet guy?"

"Toast. Got it. You want toast with your Godiva."

Sigh.
Men!

We'd been planning this caper for a week. Sneak into a dive, make a secret blogger's plan and go back to our respective internet abodes. It was simple! It was only the second time in my life I'd met actual bloggers. I was so excited!

Patti, the sweet mild-mannered journalist who writes Late Bloomer Boomer and Linda who writes Are We There Yet? were coming to meet me while I vacationed in New England this week. What would they look like? Would we recognize each other? Would they be able to recognize me with a whole face?


And then the moment arrived. In walked Linda, right off the blog page, into the bar where I impatiently sat writing blog punishments and Patti not far behind. After appropriate hugs and smiles, we found a comfortable booth. We laughed, we chatted, we snapped pictures continuously. At one point we were all three taking photographs of our food! Our waiter thought we were certifiable.

"We're bloggers," I said. "We need the pictures of the chicken for our blogs."


Silence.



"I'm a Queen!"

We tipped him well to keep his mouth shut.

And then I tried to make a video. Well...sort of. See? I'd had a little too much iced tea and the pictures are shaky. But don't we look like we're having fun?
(click to play video

Linda and I talked to Patti's husband Ralph, on the phone. This Connecticut gentleman pens the blog Airhead 55, writing often of his "beautiful Patti".....now I see what he means. What a genuine spirit she is with a warm smile and infectious laugh. Ralph and Patti are an awesome couple. I enjoyed talking to him. Linda and I thanked him for his impeccable directions to the restaurant.
(click to play video)

And then a surprise. Patti took two gifts from her purse for Linda and I.
Behold.

I was so touched by her obvious respect for the dignity of my pencil skirt that I anointed her "Princess Patti Keeper of the Royal Meme Apologies." If you have an excuse for not completing a meme, just send your written excuses directly to her. She'll take care of it!

That Patti is a hoot. And all this time we thought she was just a mild-mannered reporter from Connecticut. By the way, did you know she is a published writer of 30 thirty years for one of New England's most famous newspapers? It's true. I actually thought I should be bowing to her.

Well...for just a minute. And then I snapped out of it.

But all was not chocolate and chuckles. This is where the trouble part comes in.

I tried to be inconspicuous. Really I did. But my crown kept drawing attention. I took it off. Don't people in these parts appreciate royalty? Maybe a Southern Queen is just too much.



We realized we didn't have any pictures of the three of us. So they lured me outside onto the balcony near the dark parking lot to get some shots. "Mimi!" said Patti the Princess, "hide behind the flowers! You're wearing blue. You'll look patriotic."

And I listened to this?

So, I click-clacked down down down the ramp into the parking lot and tried to look queen-like in the plastic bloomers....I mean blooms. And everything would have been fine had I not decided to remove them from the cement pot and act like a Senorita. Boy, I thought, am I glad handsome guy isn't here to see this.

"Hide behind the pole, Mimi," chimed in Linda -The -Law-Enforcement-Lady, "you're good at peeking out from behind trees."

And I listened to this?

I climbed up on the ledge. But forgot I needed to get down. And that I was afraid of heights.
So there I was.
With a restaurant full of diners peering out the window at a woman in a crown-less head posing for picture after picture in the drizzling Connecticut rain and a bouquet of vandalized and stolen fleurs - risking my life for a blog post.

Oh the scandal.
Oh the broken heel.
Cameras flashed. Bloggers giggled. Batteries died.


I tried not to look down.
Or mess my lipstick.

But never fear. Linda to the rescue. She was so determined to get just the right shot to please her Queen that I annointed her Linda Duchess the Windsor Thames - and a get-out-of-the-dungeon-free pass for the foreseeable future
And by the way, she is as intelligent and bright in person as her prolific and interesting posts portray her to be. No wonder she has such an audience. She's one smart lady. And fun!
Don't we look silly? You cannot imagine the weird looks we got from passersby.

We planned another caper in the near future when we can bring our significant others to the party, but decided we'd better not go back to this restaurant....if you know what I mean.

In all seriousness, we had a wonderful time. They've written their own versions of our meeting on their blogs. I'm sure our tales will be "interestingly different." These ladies are just as lovely, warm and personable in the flesh as they are on the blog page. I am proud to call them my friends.


Even if they did try to get me arrested.







Friends.
Blogging is a beautiful thing.

30 comments:

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

wonderful!! well except i could not make the videos play mimi, but that may be me and my not being able to do much on doris, sorry...

smiles, bee
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Frank Sirianni said...

Haha!
You really do sound like you had lots of fun with the girls, but really, a get out of jail free card--darn. I thought I'd finally have some company down in the damp depths.
I'm glad you got to meet some real blog buddies. It makes the blogosphere seem much smaller and more tangible (for lack of a better word), but you know what I mean.

(0000) >0< (0000)
(That's for really tight group hug)
TTFN

Mimi Lenox said...

Bee - We really had a blast. I am working on getting the videos fixed.

Frank - Hugs accepted. We should have an international blog meeting soon! That was be truly awesome.

Mo and The Purries said...

Isn't Linda just the greatest?
I'm so happy y'all got to meet!

Bud Weiser, WTIT said...

Hey. Was I the only blogger in Connecticut not invited????

Mimi Lenox said...

Mo - Yes! They are both incredible people. I enjoyed this so much.

Mimi Lenox said...

Bud - You just pour the Godiva and be thankful I made it back in your red Cadillac in one piece through the harrowing streets of traffic insanity known as downtown Hartford. Next time, we shall include you and Ralph.....if you're good.

Jean-Luc Picard said...

I couldn't make them play either. As a Facebook friend of you and Linda I'm very jealous!

Akelamalu said...

LOL the photos are great but the videos won't play :(

I bet the locals wondered what had hit them! :)

Julie said...

Oh my! Now this sounds like you all had a wonderful time! I'm happy for you!

Mimi Lenox said...

I will repost the videos at a later date. Blogger will not load them today.

Patti said...

Anxiously awaiting the videos. I hope I am not talking with my mouth full.

Barbara said...

Hi Mimi,
I just loved this !
You are now real friends :)

xo

Linda said...

Not to be rude, my Queen, but you anointed me Linda, Duchess of Norwich Upon the Thames and not whatever it was you posted above. I tell ya, just a little too much sweet tea and coffee and it's like you were already hitting that Godiva bottle - minus the toast!

I will finally be getting my post up at some point today (minus any videos that don't want to work as I don't have any!) and perhaps, as Paul Harvey used to say, people will have "the rest of the story"!
Or at least the rest of the story from my perspective and whichever way I wish to turn it around!

I remain, respectfully, your loyal servant and ardent admirer -

Linda, Duchess of Norwich Upon the Thames

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a good time was had by all. But, Your Highness, I can't help but wonder about a Southern Queen who vacations in New England when there's still Winter in the air.

Travis Cody said...

**sigh**

No more pictures of the red caddy? I was sure any account of your Queenly capers would include more than just a mention of the lovely auto.

**sigh**

Anonymous said...

This is just too much fun! I'm so jealous of you all. Glad you got to meet up in real life and validate what great ladies you all are.

Anonymous said...

Mimi,

I did it! I can actually get on you blog now! Yeah! I think the three of you were having allot of fun from the pictures and the video. What a great idea to meet each other like that.

I have something on my site for you.

Love and Blessings,
AngelBaby

Anonymous said...

I am really glad you girls had a nice time. I am truly jealous though! The food looked amazing, and I know the company was awesome!!!

Anonymous said...

I´m so glad you all had a blast - obviously! Thanks for sharing this wonderful event with us 2D friends! ♥

Carver said...

Great post and shots, sounds like you all had a wonderful time. Cheers. I also like your post above about spring and renewals.

Sandee said...

How wonderful. I just left Linda's post about this. How wonderful. I'm glad there was a good time had by all. :)

katherine. said...

it looks like great fun...I bet the other people were enjoying the show....smile

Patti said...

I love the videos, Your Majesty.

I hope more bloggers read my account too. Goin' for that Pulitzer, you know?

exskindiver said...

what fun!

Odat said...

Isn't it just so much fun to meet blog buddies??? Looks like you had so much fun.......
Peace

bundle-o-contradictions said...

Oh, what a fun time! Gonna have to try meeting my bloggie friends sometime... :)

Misty DawnS said...

Sounds like a truly fantastic time! I can't believe everyone in the restaurant didn't appreciate your royalty and bow to you! How rude! Sounds like you had a true blogast! (blog+blast, of course)

The Curmudgeon said...

"28 Brilliant Comments"... and now this one.

But it certainly seems like a splendid occasion....

Akelamalu said...

I watched the videos now! :0

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