A foreign exchange meeting.

Today has been a great day! Years ago (neither of us can even remember how many) I answered a pen pal ad in a cross stitch magazine. Now I didn't just see the ad and answer right away, like a normal person would have done. No, not me, I tore out the page and put it in the stack of "I want to do this" items. Quite a while later (years, not months) I found the ad again and I wrote to someone in England, hoping that she was still willing to write back. She was and we have been writing back and forth (although now in e-mail) ever since. We have been through lots of things together, a couple weddings (daughters) and even babies. The only difference there was that mine was MY baby and her's was a grand baby. And Matthew is one of the cutest ones you can imagine, too!

Today is very special. Sue happens to be in the states traveling with her husband and a couple of friends. They have been over here several times before but this time they were going to be in this area! Can you imagine how thrilled I was when she told me?

They had a cabin in Pigeon Forge rented for a few nights and we planned to meet today at a restaurant in Wears Valley. So I finally got to meet a wonderful friend in person. Someone who has always been there for me, to listen and commiserate. We think a lot alike and I have always enjoyed learning things from her and having her as my personal English tour guide as she describes the places she goes to visit over there. And she makes it better by including pictures!

Speaking of pictures... guess who forgot to bring their camera to this special event? Yep, moi! But Sue had hers and will be sending me copies when they get home.

We had a great time. They were there waiting for us when we arrived and the restaurant put a table together for us. Even though it is Labor Day weekend we didn't have a problem. (One of the reasons behind not choosing a restaurant on the main strip.)

We both came bearing gifts. :) I had gotten them a Smokies DVD, a small olde time-y household tips and recipes book and an ornament commemorating the 75th anniversary of the National Park. (We gave one to Joan and Chick too.) I also had a couple of Smokies specific story books and a baby red fox to bring back to Matthew. Oh, and I made her an apple tea cozy. I hope she has a tea pot it will fit. Sue gave us a picture book called Beautiful Yorkshire that is full of absolutely gorgeous pictures of absolutely gorgeous architecture. I will have so much fun tracking down more info and pictures of these places! She also put together a bag of British treats that we will be fighting over. Shortbread biscuits, licorice, CHOCOLATE, and tea! YUM!!!!!!!!! And she displayed her talents well with a pink tote bag that is embroidered with a beautiful design... See????? I love it!!!! It is lined in a beautiful floral fabric and I can see yarn in it's very near future! She is really so talented with the embroidery machine! Hmmm... maybe that is why I hesitate using mine. I'm intimidated! ;)

And she knits! She made Hannah the most adorable doll. We have named her Rose. You can probably figure out why.

Sue is just as I had pictured she would be. She couldn't be nicer. Her husband is also nice and they are both easy to talk to and her friends were the same. And with their accents I could have listened to them for days... weeks... on and on. :) When I tried to pay the bill I learned that Neil is sneaky, just like I can be, only he's faster. :) I was really glad to get to meet Joan and Chick too because I hear about them on occasion. (In case they see this - there is no need to worry. It's all been good!)

Anyway, thank you, Sue, for being a wonderful friend and for making us a stop on your 2009 American road trip. I can't think of a better way to have spent the afternoon. I hope that this is NOT the first and last time. I will visit England! :) And thanks for lunch. Next time it's on us! I hope that you had a great time as well and you weren't disappointed.