Dear Ria,
I had some Awesome Ideas for this first post. Then I tried to rock babygirlnumbertwo (henceforth known as B2) to sleep. She refused and I forgot my Awesome Ideas. While feeding her I had more Awesome Ideas. Then she needed to be changed (she had done one of *those ones* that had made its way up all over back, clothes, everything. Ueeeuuurgggh.) I made moves to write some notes once she was clean and smiling but there was no paper / digital device handy. Then Babygirlnumberone (B1) returned home with her daddy and proceeded to cause chaos. Awesome Ideas once again vanished. And so it goes… My kids clearly have no clue that we are about to create a blog sensation with our amazing online dialogue.
So. Instead of a post made up of Awesome Ideas, I am instead going to briefly document the beginnings of our little project to save it for posterity. As you may or may not recall, you sent me an email that, at the end of it, said this:
“I realized the other day that I feel so lucky to have you as a pen-pal (type-pal?), and that I see our emails as lovely little presents that come into my inbox. I love getting presents, and even more, giving them. So thanks for so many little Christmases. It feels old fashioned and modern at the same time, like a Dearest Friend, but in digital form.”
Aw, shucks!!! I was a bit touched (And inspired. Hang about….) All of a sudden a bolt of lightning came down from the sky and I quickly wrote you this:
“Hey, I just had a fantastic idea for a blog. You and I – writing from different hemispheres – about work and family and advice and seasons and home making and writing. Wouldn’t it be wonderful?? A kind of ongoing conversation with photographs, gossip etc. I like doing my blog but it does sometimes feel so one-sided. Something collaborative would be so much more interesting. Clearly we would need Skype sessions to discuss ‘work’ and perhaps a joint holiday or two to catch up, tax deductible…?? “
And then you said something like this: “Um.” followed by “Yes!”
And I said: “EeeeeEEEeeeeeeeee!”
And then, because you are a creative genius and you totally got it, you said:
“I was thinking about all the similarities and also the differences that we could draw on with our ‘project’:
Two writers
Two mothers
Two foodies
Two readers
Two travelers
Two hemispheres
Two countries
Two book genres
Two views on life
What would we call it? And how the hell would we find the time to do it?!”
I’m looking forward to seeing how this evolves. Just like a great cheese, a fine wine or a treasured friendship. I will be honest with you, you will be honest with me and we will not always agree. Except to agree that we will respect one another and one another’s point of view and take it from there. It will be a conversation. On old fashioned pen-pal letter swap. A dialogue between two mothers, two writers and two friends, across the big swag of ocean between us. In short, it will fill the gap until we can see each other in person, pour tea, pass babies to husbands, ignore chores and responsibilities, talk for too long, know we should probably leave or do something “useful” but instead offer Another Piece of Cake.
Lotsa love,
Hannah
PS. My baby girls seem to have the same acronyms / nicknames as fruit that wear sleeping attire. Hmmm. The Husband / Matt has agreed to be referred to as “Matt”, plain and simple. Perhaps he is trying to tell me my nicknamery skills are a bit crap.
PPS. Matt wants the recipe for that sweet squash pie that you made for us at Thanksgiving. He talks about it. All. The. Time. Save me the agony of hearing about it again and send the recipe or shove some in the post? x
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