a most enjoyable evening

I'll tell you this: when faced with inviting bloggers and their family to your home, when wondering if it's all right to involve your children and knock down the internet wall to let people from behind the screen be with you IRL, I suggest you jump in with both feet.
Time after time we have been rewarded with the generous and wonderful friendship of people from the blogosphere - and last night was a high point.

While K fried his superb chicken and the boys tended to the fire that was smoking up the downstairs, I hopped into the car and ran to the station where I threw myself at four tall, warm, wonderful Australians.

I had planned to show them some sites but it was getting dark - so, to ensure that they could never find their way to my home again, I drove them around, thereby confusing them geographically and pulled into the driveway.
From there? The evening unfolded like a beautiful book...we laughed until our faces hurt, we demanded Mr. Cb tell us moreandmoreandmore about his work, we delighted in the young Cbs and their interactions with the bird boys and we ate a lot.

What can I say about Eleanor?
I adore her.
You knew I would.
She has the finest kind of laugh and makes all around her happy too.
She's tall! And lovely! And funny!



Meeting her was very special to me and we did that thing bloggers do when they meet. We sat and stared at each other until we got misty.

After food and catching up and stories of the city and suggestions for visits and just a wee bit of internet talk, the teens all bonded...



Middle and Miss over the Lomo.

Youngest and Master over the PS3.



It was the nicest evening - and as it was drawing to a close Eleanor asked if she could write on the big board...



because, of course, she needed to leave a comment...



and do a wv -



and leave greetings from other bloggers I love...



and then pose, with Miss Cb to admire her work.

We bundled up to return to the station, we hugged and wept and waved.
I drove home with a huge smile on my face, thinking of my good fortune.