Only Connect

One of the reasons Mrs. G. likes blogging is because she loves the notion of an ongoing conversation with people all over the globe. Lack of means and an earnest fear of flying have limited her world travels, but each morning, before she even finishes her first cup of coffee, Mrs. G. visits friends in Great Britain, Norway, France, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Afghanistan. Stateside, she spends a whole lot of time in Texas and the midwest. And she wants all of her friends to know that should they ever end up in Seattle, they have a standing dinner invitation at Derfwad Manor. While Mrs. G. loves to nail down a good post,

she relishes reading other blogs and commenting on them even more. If Mrs. G. enjoys your blog, she is relentless in her pursuit. She will knock and knock and ring your doorbell over and over until you come to the door...and talk. Mrs. G. doesn't understand bloggers who don't converse with their readers, who always keep their curtains closed. What? Is? The? Point? Where's the fun? Nope, Mrs. G. is all about communication. She loves driving at night and looking through the illuminated windows of other people's homes wondering what everybody is having for dinner and marveling that each house is filled with lives that are as important and complicated as her own. She also likes to see what they hang on their walls.

Mrs. G. thrives on words. She is a big letter writer and has spent much of her life perking up the minute she hears the mail truck pull up to her curb. She wrote and received a letter from her grandmother once a week for nearly sixteen years. She adores tucking a freshly sealed letter in the mailbox and flicking up that little red flag.

She likes the ritual of getting out her finest pen and and paper, and writing in her best cursive. To Mrs. G, a brand new roll of stamps shouts possibility.

For the last several years, when Mrs. G. reads a book and likes it, she sits down and writes the author a letter...just a quick note saying thank you for the pleasure of the story or the respite of escape. Mrs. G. has sent easily over a hundred thank you notes to writers she admires, and she occasionally receives a response.

She received this one from Curtis Sittenfeld, who wrote this great book called Prep.

And this one from author Jane Hamilton. She wrote a book called A Map of the World and is a lettered goddess of epic proportion. Jane Hamilton's sentences are so perfect they occasionally give Mrs. G. a literary brain freeze.

And here's one from the deliciously wicked David Sedaris. Mrs. G's husband and daughter went to a reading of his a year ago, and he signed Mrs. G's daughter's copy of Naked and gave her a dish towel just because he had a few spares on him. It turned out to be a pretty remarkable evening, because David Sedaris read some of his more offensive and politically incorrect work at this university event having not been informed that it was Parents' Weekend. Apparently, many parents were outraged and horrified and fled the building. Mr. G. and daughter had a blast. So Mrs. G. wrote Mr. Sedaris a letter and told him so.

And talking? Mrs. G. is pretty sure most of you know she is good at it. Just ask Mr. G. or her children. She loves to talk to them about her feelings or how she feels or what she is feeling. Sometimes she makes their ears bleed. She has been working a lot on being a good listener...trying to flip off the talking switch to hear. It's not as easy as it looks.

Oddly, Mrs. G. hates the telephone and rarely answers it.

Whether it's to chat, comment, commune, consult, discuss, gab, parley, powwow, rap, ventilate or yak, Mrs. G. savors communication.

She savors the connection.

Favorite Things Friday

Mrs. G. asked her blogger friends to share a few of their favorite things...books, movies, crafts, music, stuff, people and places. Visit these people...you will not be disappointed. They all love good things. Be patient...Some of these people might not post as early as Mrs. G...or they just might forget to post...a lot of them drink... heavily.
 

This is Kelly, She's In Transition. She's very funny and she's currently posting every day and writing a novel and taking care of her family and chasing after this rather scary rodent named Sunny.

This is JCK and her hubby dressed up for Halloween as the Professor and Ginger on Gilligan's Island. JCK is a mom just like the hilarious Diva Peggy , Mrs. G's Marmite eating friend Dodo and One of Three's Laura .

Moo Moo is the mama of these to wild gals. All Moo Moo wants is just Fifteen Minutes of Peace. That's it. A's Mom is just Searching for an Even Balance while Stacy is looking for her blissful Mama Ommmm.

And Bipolarlawyercook has always got something on the stove, but she's not the only working professional in this crowd. There's LA RN who tells the Tale of a Nurse and Chef's Wife. Wenderina has Anxious Moments and says she can't cook, but Mrs. G. has stolen a few of her recipes so she's not buying it. Patti , Ms. Teacher , and Ellen are teaching kids to read and write. They all deserve big raises.

And here is Vallen of Queenly Things. She is on a mission to make something new and creative every day for a month. She can't help it. She's just like this. Her favorite things are going to be good. Vallen gave Mrs. G. her first comment. Thanks, Vallen!

Vallen made this stunning crown for this lovely toof-less princess. Mrs. G. has a lot of creative friends. Starshine is trying to make it as an actress in Hollywood and Kizz is an actress/writer/dancer/singer/teacher/writer living in New York.

Oh and look, it's Minnie Driver's sister Amy the Mom. Her life is fueled by Starbucks. Amy has a wicked sense of humor and Mrs. G. thinks she would get along great with Linda of Straight Up and Slightly Dirty and Midwestern Mommy Lisa. Just don't ask Lisa to sing Karaoke. It won't happen.

And what would favorite things be with out rain drops on roses. This beauty grew in the garden of Mrs. G's New Zealand buddy Chief Biscuit. Chief Biscuit finds beauty in simplicity, much like Karen who is on a Journey to Authenticity. Mrs. G. would love to take a journey with Functional Shmunctional's Mary and Gina Again and Again. They would have some real fun.

Over at Bean Paste, Melanie lets her kids go around indiscriminately licking things...even each other. Melanie is a great writer and a wonderful photographer. She is sure to have interesting favorite things and, hopefully, some saliva remover. And don't forget Nora Bee of Whopping Cornbread and Write Kudzu's Keetha and A Common Language's Laura. All good women.

And, good heavens, it's Very Mary, Mrs. G's favorite English Teacher. Mary has a way with paper... she makes lovely, let's see, everything. She's hard to like. Very Mary meet Simply Zee...she's charming. And Shelby of Pacing the Cage...she's working her way through the alphabet and back again.

Johnny Depp? Who put him here? Jess and her crew at See Hear Speak No Evil like him, but Jess isn't so crazy about Britney Spears. Michelle at Babblin' on the Bayou should have no complaints because she likes the blues, and Johnny can sing them...and bring 'em on.

Janet likes Johnny too, but she's really Fond of Snape. And Professor J, a lover of words, is fond of life and almost everything about it.

Tracy lives in this cozy house and makes gorgeous prints. She's a nurse when she's not an artist. Wait...she's an artist nurse.

Darla? What's your cat doing over here? Can Mrs. G. keep her? Darla blogs about everything...beautiful things she makes and beautiful things she cooks. She will have wonderful favorite things. No doubt about it. But Eclipse stays with Mrs. G.

Homeschooling mama Twice Bloomed Wisteria has all kinds of critters on her farm...not including her kids. She's been bottle feeding calves and naming kittens in between math lessons. Kabbage and her doggies would like it there.

Mrs. G. loves goddesses, particularly the Irish kind.

Hey! It's Wordgirl and Mr. Half. Wordgirl is swell.

When she's not doing laundry and vacuuming wood chips and being the mom, Standing Still is the most amazing potter and jeweler. Look at her pretty pieces. She's that good.

Hello, Zenmomma, how's it going?

Nobody will have better favorite thangs than Kiwi Urban Cowgirl...check out the cool ceiling of her new digs. She has great taste, and she's from Mrs. G's most fantasized destination.

And do you like pretty things? You must visit Kalurah. She has kids and she makes things While They Play...pretty bags, cool gloves, coasters, quilts.

Phyllis doesn't just have cute shoes...she is the chic-est of shabby. She can take just about nothing and make it into something. She has a virtual flea market every Friday morning. This girl knows her antiques. And man can she make banners.

Mama Milton Lisa is so funny. Yesterday, she was doing yoga with Barbie Dolls...go visit her for a laugh.

And Mrs. G. can't forget her good friend Mary Alice, the dedicated wife of Military Man, who is On the Frontlines of motherhood and mayhem. Mary Alice is thoughtful and rarely behaves herself for very long. This isn't actually a picture of Mary Alice (she's prettier). It's a picture of Bernadette Peters--her husband's secret girlfriend who Mary Alice knows all about. Don't ask.

But wait!!! We have a few last minute additions:

Stephanie of One Bad Mother is a guaranteed laugh. Head on over.

Thanks to everyone for participating. If Mrs. G. forgot to post your link, rest assured it was an accident. Just send her an email and she will add you pronto. Take a little time to get to know some knew friends.