Thursday 6 December 2007

A Day in Blogland


So why are three people peering through a window
at chocolate Christmas trees?
It is Domesticali and MrsM and Blogless Kristina
and it is the end of our day in Blogland.

I am to meet Ali at Paddington Station and until I arrive I am quite confident that I will recognise her. Paddington is MUCH bigger than I remembered. There are a lot of people walking towards me. Half of them seem to be wearing turquoise scarves.

I have a moment of blind panic.
And there she is.
Just as I imagined her.

We are going to the Persephone Shop to a literary lunch. What is a literary lunch like? Is it full of frightening women wearing big necklaces asking challenging questions about textual references? Ali has kindly agreed to walk thought the door first so that if there is an entry test she can smooth the way for me. She has a Masters degree. I am allowed in and it is clear to me that there are three types of people there. There is the literary-lady type who sits next to us on one side and kindly gives us reviews of the various books. It would appear that she has read them all. There are also two 'Pinny Pride' ladies at the back, pinnied and proud. We are the third type - the bloggers who have come out of our closets to hear Jane Brocket.

At this point I must introduce Blogless Kristina.
She is a real knitter and craft baker and does not have a blog.
Yet.
Ali worked on her evangelically
and we both feel optimistic that she may be saved.
She has two books for Jane to sign.

It was a delight to hear Jane talking of the things that she loves and delving into her huge bags and bringing out quilts, cushions, ripple blankets and embroidered tablecloths. Vibrant colour bursting over the piles of grey books. She was among friends who have read her blog and understand that it is about the joy that self confidence and freedom from boundaries can give you.

We gasp with delight to be given
a Real Yarnstorm Cupcake
with Persephone Grey Icing.

Ali and Kristina take their cupcakes home
to set up small shrines with candles.
I take my cupcake home to eat .
Such fun.
Such lovely people to spend a day with.
We must do it all over again.
Soon.

10 comments:

Mary said...

Meeting up with fellow bloggers in real life is a joy.

I ordered the Yarnstorm book and have been enjoying dipping in and out of it. Too much to absorb in one hit but lovely on grey days to be able to look at.

Anonymous said...

I can tell it must have been a literary event - there are lots of words today.

Ali said...

It really was the best day - thanks so much Alice!

RW said...

How lovely.
I am sure Jane must be extra inspiring in person!

dragonfly said...

It's such a beautiful book, isn't it? You are a lucky girl too, what a great day out!

tess said...

what a lovely day out!
Jane's book is on my christmas wish list, it must have been great to meet her!

dottycookie said...

Oh it sounds so fabulous - I'm glad you had such a wonderful time. We ended up going to ballet and making glittery snowflakes and eating birthday cake - so still lots of fun, just of a different kind!

blackbird said...

Lucky you -

Yarnstorm is a delight...I can only imagine the lunch.

Lina said...

Glad you had a good time, sounds like the perfect day out!

Tracey Petersen said...

It sounds like a perfectly lovely day!