Last night, as my husband and I were driving along the Eastern Shore in the dark, not passing car after car (if you’ve ever driven on the Eastern Shore in the dead of night, you would understand), my phone rang. I wondered who would be calling me at that hour (okay, it was only 9 P.M., but that is the dead of night for us). It was my other best friend, Joanie.
“Did you go out to dinner or something?” she asked.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, we had dinner at Dogfish Head in Rehoboth Beach.”
“You’re kidding! Did you spend the weekend there?”
“No, we were coming back from Boston, and since it was dinner time when we were getting near to the turn-off for Rehoboth Beach, we thought we’d take a little detour.”
“You went to Boston? Did I know that?”
“Um…I think I might have told you. Maybe. Is everything alright? I mean, you usually don’t call me in the dead of night on a weekday.”
“Yes, everything’s fine, but I’ve been watching your blog, and you haven’t updated anything in a long time. And then I went to Emily’s blog [my daughter who writes My Pajama Days], and I saw that she hadn’t written anything in a long time either. So I got worried.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. We left last Thursday for Boston, and I didn’t have a way or time to post anything new. As for Emily, she went to San Antonio for her high school reunion. I feel bad I worried you.”
We talked awhile more and got caught up on each other’s news. When we hung up, I thought about how this blogging business has become more important than a little lark, a fun diversion, a way to practice my writing skills. It is a way of connecting to others, and those people who follow my blog closely do wonder what’s going on when I don’t post. I understand this, because when I keep going back again and again to your blogs and don’t see any new activity, I wonder if everything is okay with you. I worry about you, too.
When I started this endeavor, I never would have thought that I could become so absorbed in strangers’ lives, yet it happened quicker than I would have thought possible. I have dreams that one day we will have a blogging convention of our own. We will include everyone on our blogrolls, and they, in turn, will include everyone on theirs. We will figure out a program so that we will be productive during our convention, but we will make time just to sit and talk and talk, face to face. I don’t know how that would ever work because some of my blogging friends live in Australia, New Zealand, Wales, England, Shanghai, the Phillipines, Canada (okay, Canada isn’t too far away), and maybe other places I’ve forgotten about. Anyway, it’s a dream of mine, and you never know about dreams…
On another note, I returned to Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge this weekend, armed with my trusty camera. I was prepared to finally take pictures of the beautiful fall foliage, since two weeks ago when I was there, the leaves still hadn’t changed. Guess what, I didn’t see much new. How is that possible this late in the season? Here are some comparison pictures, from two weeks ago and this past weekend.
Two weeks ago
Two days ago
Two weeks ago.
Two days ago. Still dead.
Coming East 
I’ve often wondered about the possibility of one day meeting some of my fellow bloggers. The convention sounds like the perfect venue.
Toodles,
Isadora
I’m too exhausted to think of organizing anything like that, Isadora, but things will eventually settle down, and then, who knows…
Count me in on the blogging convention. It sounds like great fun. I am jealous you went to Dogfish Head in Rehoboth Beach. I haven’t been there since… hmmm… 2007, I think.
Your photos, which are beautiful, cracked me up. The last one in particular made me laugh.
Glad to have given you a chuckle, Robin. Great little pub, isn’t it? We just discovered Rehoboth Beach this summer, and it’s only 3 1/2 hours from our house.
Well I would really love that blogging convention. I only know one other blogger who lives near me – about 40 kms away – everyone else is on another continent. But I keep telling you Susan, the kettle is on and we can share a chat, tea or coffee anytime. Glad all is well in your world. đŸ˜€
I’m wondering if someday we can have a face to face via cameras on our computers. I have a Mac. Isn’t there a program that lets you video chat with other Mac users?
I know how that friend of yours felt, Susan, when I kept checking your blog the last time you went to Florida and there wasn’t a single post at all.:) I realized that time that I was hooked to Coming East!;)
Yikes, Yen, didn’t realize I’m addictive! Love it! đŸ˜‰
It’s crazy how blogging really does change your life. I often worry that if I miss posting for a while, people will be worried or disappointed. Crazy how much life changes. And sounds like your trip was great!
It was wonderful, Leah, as it always is when we get to see our kids. I know I, for one, would miss you tremendously if you quit the blogging world.
I for one have been spoiled by your consistent posts. Your Coming Easting has created such a special bond among bloggers. Amazing!
Wow, Amy! Thanks for that comment!
Frequently when we lived overseas, The Car Guy and I would take a trip somewhere and would marvel that we were the only ones in the whole world who knew exactly where we were at that moment. Friends didn’t know, family didn’t know. It made each trip seem much more like a big adventure!
A Bloggers Get Together seems like a good idea. I wonder if there is a geographic place that would be central to everyone who would attend, yet still be an interesting place to visit. We had a reunion of friends a few years back, and the most central place was a desolate town in Utah. We opted to go to Santa Fe instead…
There are so many interesting places to choose from, Margie, we should have a lot of options. If we had enough people, we could maybe get discount rates someplace. Now that I’m thinking of what it would take to plan this, it is boggling my mind. My daughter (My Pajama Days) is the planner. Her momma just goes with the flow.
Still Dead–ROFL
Thanks, Patti. It’s good to know I can still make people laugh.
I keep wondering where you are, too! It is amazing the connections we make blogging. I would love to have a big lobster bake and invite you all one day.
OMG! We’d be there in a minute! I thought about you when Linda and I were eating at Barnacle Billy’s in Ogunquit a couple of weeks ago.
I love the connections I’ve made, and I have that same dream of meeting all my blogging buddies and Tweeps — I’ve even thought of making a “grand tour car journey.” And I know exactly what you mean about “no note goodbye”! This week I’m taking a purposeful time-out from Twitter (to make headway on my editing), and I made a point of sending an email to two of the people I tweet with most. That way I know that at least those two know why I’m not around this week…. so they (and others) don’t worry when I go silent. Can’t wait to meet you, friend! Meanwhile, I’ll see you on the blogging circuit! đŸ™‚
Haven’t mastered the Twitter World yet, Julia. Since so many of us live on the East Coast area, maybe we could plan a regional convention. Glad you’re going to make time to work on your editing. I need to get back to my novel today. I’ve been away from it too long.
Just to warn you, I’m an erratic poster! That’s so sweet of your friend though to phone and check. đŸ™‚
I’m glad you warned me, ISE, so I won’t worry about you.
Didn’t we discuss this convention thing before? I love the idea!
I missed you too. Thought something was amiss with my computer or WordPress as I didn’t get e-mails telling me you had posted. (Me of little technology faith!)
Isn’t it nice to know that so many people are thinking about you and missing your writing?
The photos are great and “still dead” was the perfect ending.
Thanks, LDC. It’s always nice to be missed!
Thanks for the update on Longfellow. I’ve been to the house in Portland (Maine, not Oregon) several times and I was starting to worry because he never seemed to be there…
Love the idea of a bloggers convention, tell me where and when…
I need to get myself to Mount Auburn Cemetery. While checking some information on one of my all time genius heroes ~ Buckminster Fuller, only to find he is buried at Mount Auburn. It’s been a bad year for foliage in New England due to too much rain and too high temperatures to get the really vibrant colors.
Being a New Englander myself, Carol, when someone says Portland, I always think they’re talking about Maine, but they are usually talking about Oregon. I feel bad breaking the news to you about Longfellow, but at least now you can have some closure. đŸ™‚
Beautiful photos. When fall colors hit, I suspect it’ll be like a magnificent dream world.
Blogging buddies do tend to become part of our hearts really quickly. I’m glad you didn’t disappear, I’d miss you and worry what happened and if you were okay. Keep these thoughtful blog post coming, they are more than narratives, they are hands of friendship reaching out across the web of the world. đŸ™‚
I love what you said about blogging: “they are hands of friendship reaching out across the web of the world.” That’s really the reason I don’t quit because after taking a few days off for traveling, it’s hard to get back into it.
A weekend away?! No fair. Welcome back. And sign me up for the blog convention. I suggest an annual event so we can visit somewhere fun each year. We just need to get someone in this blog group who works for an airline and could (in my dreams) get us all first class tickets, sort of like E tickets from Disneyland of long, long ago. Love the photos.
Love the airline ticket idea, Patti! We need a place without too many distractions, but it needs to be a place near an airport so we don’t need to rent cars.
Longfellow’s still dead?? Say it ain’t so! đŸ˜€ You have an awesome best friend for checking up on you. And we have an awesome blogging community because we all do worry about one another when a blogger is absent. Maybe we need to start issuing excuses to be filled out, signed and returned BEFORE a blogger goes AWOL. đŸ˜‰
Love the excuse form, Mama! Would you send me a copy once you’ve worked it out? đŸ˜‰
I guess he really is dead, eh?
As a doornail, Winsomebella.
I checked your blog a couple of times, saw no updates, and was wondering maybe you are taking a nice break. Glad everything is alright.
Glad you didn’t worry, S of S. Now I can check and see what you’ve been up to.
I know what you mean Susan. When I go away now I either take my laptop with me to keep up my blog, or schedule some posts out ahead. Sometimes I think about cutting back to writing only once or twice a week, then I think “what will my readers think?” I’ve followed other blogs that suddenly drop off and never post again, but I’ve put too much of myself into Huffygirl’s blog to let that happen, at least for now, I think.
If you plan the blogger convention, I would come. Although I often wonder if we’ll have enough to talk about other than our blogs đŸ˜‰
OMG, HG! You could tell me your whole life at the convention, and I’d be so interested! I love reading your blog!
(still dead) LOVE IT! With Zombies ‘in fashion’ right now, it’s nice to know some things stay dead.
Like you, I’m amazed at the connections made within the blogosphere. And though you’ve never met the blogger face to face, you find yourself looking out for them.
Glad you had a nice trip and made it home safely. Welcome back. đŸ™‚
Thanks, Lenore Diane. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.
I’m comparatively new at this blogging but I can see you are right about personal friendships forming. Your idea of a Blogging Friends Convention is fabulous. Surely it can be more than a dream. Love your ending on this one too!
Thanks, Dor. I figured you would be one to want to join in with the blogging convention idea. You can help me plan it!
Still dead, ha! I’ve missed reading you.
Thanks for missing me, Kelly. I’ll try to be better. đŸ™‚
YOU CAME TO MASSACHUSETTS AND DIDN’T TELL ME? We could have had a long-lost seventh grade English teacher reunion! I’m glad you went to the Mt. Auburn Cemetery– one of my fav spots. I used to live right up the street from it (I shopped at the grocery store across the street!). Hope all is well đŸ™‚
Aaarrrrgggggh! We could have met at the cemetery! What was I thinking, Illiana? Next time.