Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Momentous Friends

TA DA! Lo, Marianne, & kj
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I am not someone who has many close friends. I am well liked, hopefully for good reason, but I don't allow myself to be vulnerable with many people, and I know that being willing to be vulnerable makes a friendship a close friendship.
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My darling friend Liz, Marianne's darling son, and my darling JB
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Last Thursday, Liz came to Ptown for our annual vacation here. JB, Liz and I have the best time, often doing very little. We fall into each day as we wish, and we enjoy every moment. Sometimes we go out for breakfast, we go to the beach, we shop, we read, we take naps. We talk a lot. Liz is my Sister-Friend. She and I made that term up years ago, and she is the only person I use it with.
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Liz is a 'real' friend. I met her through JB's work and I am quite happy to be myself in her presence.
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As Liz prepared to head out, Lo and Marianne arrived. This was an event to be forever cherished, because Marianne has come from the Netherlands and three blog friends met in person for the first time.
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Lo is a 'real friend. She started out a blog friend and that was plenty wonderful, but over time we have become close friends in real place and time.
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Marianne is a blog friend. Except that changed as of Monday.
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She and Lo and Marianne's twelve year old son arrived here in Provincetown. It was spectacular.
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First of all, just meeting and hugging Marianne was pretty spectacular.
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She is very beautiful, fashionable, lovely, wonderful. I am not exaggerating.
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Her son is very adorable, sweet, fantastic and charming. He is a total delight to be with.
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I am talking about friends who are great to be with.
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What did we do together? Ah, along with Liz for a bit of time and JB throughout, we witnessed magic. Not ordinary magic, mind you: this was the special astonishing magic of friendship.
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Marianne is a real friend too.
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I now know how her hands move, how wonderfully she and her boy laugh together, how clearly she adores Lolo, how trim and well dressed she is, how wise and loose and thoughtful she is.
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JB was an incredible co-hostess. She volunteered to take this charming boy to the pool so Lo, Marianne and I could walk along Commercial Street and visit galleries, stop for a seaside drink. She was her kind thoughtful self from beginning to end. I am always so thankful and proud of who JB is. She is as loving and kind to me as I have ever known.
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Marianne brought abundant gifts for both of us, from China and Holland and from her own hand.
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She also had painted birth mandalas for JB and me, and each is incredibly amazingly vibrantly beautiful. I will cherish mine forever. Both will be hung in a blessed spot in our home.
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It's pretty obvious the three of us are pretty damn knock down gorgeous, don't you think so?
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Marianne, friend to Lolo and kj, new friend to JB, terrific Mother and amazing artist, and her sweet darling boy are heading back to New York tomorrow and flying home. Safe travels, dear friend. You can bet We'll do it again.
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Love
kj

33 comments:

  1. I see AMAZING friends!!!!! This is the ultimate reward of being of part of the Blogging World!

    The joy and love just overflows...
    how I wish I could have been there to join in!

    KJ and Lo - the hostesses incomparable!!!! I can tell by Marianne and Felix's faces a wonderful, magical time was had by all!

    Love to the whole "Gang"!

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  2. Wow, I love the noses :-). Very funny. It looks and sounds as if you all had a most wonderful time. I so wish I could have been there too. Someday I will. Thank you ever so much for the photos! All are darling. xoxo
    P.S. We are all "Real" friends, blogging or no.

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  3. I loved seeing the photos of you all! Glad to hear that you had such a wonderful time together -how very special it must have been.x

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  4. wow lucky you, sweet kj -- i love hearing this story of seeing a dear blog friend materialize into a three dimensional person complete with her adorable son!! sounds like a fabulous time was had all around --- and the groucho/pinocchio (cyrano de bergerac??) noses are a hoot!

    xoxo

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  5. What an event! If you only had posted the pictures without comments.... I was able to see that you all had great fun together and that the meeting was a big success.
    Thanks for sharing. What about those noses? Were you all telling lies to each other or what? :-)

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  6. Oh thank you for these wonderful pictures. So happy to see y'all. The visit sounds wonderful and you all are so beautiful. Felix is a doll. Glad it was a happy visit. Suki

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  7. I'm gonna be a b**ch and say "wah, wah, wah".

    so there.

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  8. I love how the camera adds 75 pounds!!!!!!!! hahahaha!!
    And that hair! Okay enough.

    I had a blast. It was magical beyond words!
    We all missed Mim again. I know the day will come when more of us are together, including her.
    Like October!! Then we add Suki and Robin and more friends to the mix. Yay!!

    Thank you for a wonderful lobster dinner and great company.

    Kiss Stella Sunshine for me.

    I'll talk to you soon ;)

    love you!!

    Lo♥

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  9. wrobin, the joy and love DID overflow. so blessed, that's what i kept thinking. ♥

    yes, annie, we are REAL friends! and yes, SOMEDAY! thinking of you and mr. b, prayers and love.

    caroline, marianne brought amazing gifts from asia. and the mandalas! i will show them once i manage to photograph them properly. my heart was so full, caroline. another affirmation that we come to know one another from the inside out, not the other way around. xoxo

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  10. amanda, ah, so you knew who we-with-our-noses were right away! it was a great time. i am again surprised at how great. ps i really like getting to know you. thank you, amanda.

    wieneke, marianne and i had quite a laugh about you. do you know how i pronounce your name to myself? now i KNOW how to pronounce it correctly--marianne straightened me out--but i kind of like my
    wine-a-kee; that is, if you don't mind. :) i love you, dear friend.

    suki, it was AWESOME!! you'll see....♥

    mim, you were missed as you can imagine. wah wah wah yes. but it will happen. you know it will. and sooner than that, i hope to see you. i don't like the way the universe is behaving on your behalf. ♥

    lydia, you know, because you've made these connections also. yes, special beyond words. the love comes first, then the physicality. i think that is so amazing. xoxo

    ah lo. i'm sorry to say i added that 75 pounds to you as a photoshop joke. hahaha! we had yet another special time, lo. we are racking up special times.
    ......destiny......♥

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  11. Oh my gosh, this gave me goosebumps.I can't get over it kj, I've met blogging friends too and it WAS the most surreal experiance.

    SO lucky you all have each other, and also the time to spend. How lovely sitting together, feeling so close from all the words shared first, and then to be in each others company. I quite like the noses, there is a sense of fantasy in here too, it is truly magical.

    And everyone is BEAUTIFUL. But oh Mariannes son, what a gorgeous boy.

    I want to come to yart in October! (thinking hard on how i can do this...)

    love,
    lori

    p.s. Lo, it was so nice to see you for the first time!

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  12. What an amazing and fabulous meeting of friends. We know each other in cyberspace to actually in person is beyond fabulous! Thanks for this upclose and personal look.

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  13. Oh, I am glad that Marianne has tried to teach you how to say my name properly, but I don't mind you saying Wine-a-kee. Sounds a bit like a brand of whisky. Just a pity that I don't like alcohol at all :-)

    OT:
    Did you see the beebeards? Unbelievable eh?

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  14. Good times! Good times are the real riches in this world aren't they?

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  15. dear lori, all the words shared first, and all the parts of our lives: colors and words and art and photos and family and feelings and trips and neighborhoods--all of it forms a bond and friendship--and loyalty--before even meeting in person. i have made only one mistake in blogging, and that was well more complicated than 'friendship'. and maybe there are no mistakes: i know that is possible too. as for you coming to the YART: be still my heart!! i will not allow myself to even imagine that (yet)! xoxo

    teri, yes: it was beyond fabulous. your friends lolo and marianne are totally wonderful, as you totally know. ♥

    wieneke, (smile). i don't drink at all because i can't, but when i say your name to myself, i am always happy to hear it. ♥

    debra kay, right on, spot on. xoxoxo

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  16. Wow! What a fun time! Notice my green with envy self enjoying your meet up and friendships developing and growing from blog to real life.

    How fun to see and talk with blog friends in person! To spend time and play together.

    I love the noses too. Whose idea was that? YOURS I BET!

    Just happy for all of you!!!

    Some day in Provincetown!

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  17. aww... u had such an awesome time!!!

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  18. Just HAD to return to say once again how gorgeous (with noses - and sans noses) you are all....plus I forgot there was LOBSTER and COCONUT CAKE!

    I love you all.....looking forward to October!

    Love,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  19. What a wonderful time!
    I'm glad to see no one got their nose out of joint over this visit!
    ;-D

    I like magical. A lot.
    (and I heard all the giggling all the way here)

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  20. So am I going to have to wear a fake nose when I meet you in October?

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  21. lynn, the noses were not my idea. i was opposed to the noses. jb and our friend liz get all the credit. :)

    hello how do we know, nice as always to hear from you. what's more fun than good friends? xo

    robin, likewise and ditto x 10

    babs, i like magical too. i like magical, passionate and chocolatey.
    oh and soft breezes... ♥

    secret agent, i will supply the noses. you will have your choice of 8, one has a nose ring even. if you would rather just use your own smile, that will be fine too. :)

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  22. I am so glad you are having a wonderful time!!
    Blessings all over all ya all!!

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  23. Hi dear!!!!!!
    Can you believe I am home already.
    My it was a roller coaster cannonball visit to the States, NY RI and P town! But my was it special and magical and I enjoyed every minute of it!
    My and all these sweet words about me....I was blushing when I read it first at Lo's place!
    Things will be different from now on indeed.
    Thanks once again for your hospitality dear, Lo warned me it would be fabulous , and she was right You and JB are incredible!
    I loved meeting the 2 of you. And you have stolen my heart before but so has JB at this visit.
    The lobster dinner was SUPER, never had lobster so delicious as that before! Well and all the laughs we had and Felix had a real great time.
    Well I could go on and on about it!
    Precious memories for always.
    Way too short but then we will have to meet again won´t we?!. I like that idea!

    We arrived home safe and fast. We will miss all of you.
    It was magical!

    Love to you and JB and big hugs, we now know how that feels ;)

    ♥♥♥
    >M<

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  24. felix: aaaah im blush i hope to see you fast hugs and kisses from je bff felix

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  25. Every photo made me smile, and not just because of the noses!

    Friends are truly a gift!

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  26. marie, ALL i can say is ALL of you is more than ALL fine. :) i smile when i see you have come to visit.

    marianne,

    for once i am close to speechless. i cannot properly or even publicly convey how wonderful it was to spend time with you. (i will send you an email and try). your comment here is precious to me but this is my favorite of words:

    'Things will be different from now on indeed.'

    yes, they will. we are friends who know how eachother's hands move.

    we are friends.
    love always,
    kj

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  27. felix!!!!!

    you are the best and most fun kid and i love how you laugh and how sweet and smart and interesting you are. i can't wait to see you again sometime!!!

    love
    karen

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  28. teri, what am i going to do with a pack of eight noses? :)
    thanks for your sweet comment. i'm glad anytime coming here makes you smile. ♥

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  29. Jeez, you say you don't have many close friends, and then you go on to list the top 400!

    I suppose I would have to say that the lady who lives next door is one of only two people I know--other than Peggy--whom I absolutely trust to be my friend through thick and thin. Ellie and I don't have great talks or even spend much time hanging out together, yet when Bonnie (my blue heeler) was sick last winter while Peggy was away, it was Ellie who came over every eight hours to medicate her--even though Bonnie tried to bite her every time. And when I had those two surgeries, it was Ellie who did my yard work along with everything else that I couldn't do for myself. I don't care how interesting someone is, or how attractive or personable they are; I've only found oner person--my friend Shirley--who has consistently given me reason to believe that I can absolutely depend upon them.

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  30. a I love the part of the moving hands, that speaks to me.

    Had a long night of sleep.Off to read your new post.......]

    ♥♥♥
    >M<

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  31. What an awesome visit of special friends. (smile) The noses are too funny. I'm looking forward to October.

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  32. Oh kj I'm so envious. I love to hear of blogger meet ups that turn out so well. Then by the time you meet, of course you know these people in every way apart from touch. 2012 my friend if not before, I'll be on your couch in Ptown but I'm not wearing a silly plastic nose!

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