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.