There have been a ton of posts from the wonderful people who attended the Blogger’s Bash in London in early June. Since Hubs and I were off wandering Europe for three weeks after that, I was guaranteed to be the very last person to post on the Bash.
Huge thanks to Sasha, Ali, Hugh, Geoff and all the other organizers who took so much of their precious time to organize the Bash and ensure that all of us had lots of time to meet, mingle and chat. I loved it!
I got a chance to meet some long time, long-distance friends and to make new ones. What can I say – it was a blogger’s blast!
One more thing before the rogue’s gallery. I was honored to earn second place in the Bollger’s Bash writing contest on the subject of Connection. If I could figure out how to download it (I’m digitally impaired), I’d show you my badge!
Here are some of my pictures – one or two complete with a finger. I’m only sorry I didn’t get more but Hugh did such a fantastic job videoing everyone that it doesn’t matter – except maybe for the finger!
Lovely post about the bash. So nice to see your pictures.
I’m so glad you had a good time there. Maybe you’ll come again and meet more.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
Thank you, David. Probably not next year but maybe the year after. How about you?
xoxo
Look at them all in real life! Super!!
And they were just as nice as I imagined them to be – even more!
Just wonderful to meet you there 🙂
You, too – you are exactly as I imagined…wonderful!
Oh dear 😀 😀
It was lovely meeting you, Noelle, and your story brought a tear to my eye. Did you enjoy the rest of your trip?
We did enjoy the trip, Ali – I’ll be blogging about it, of course. Right now we are dealing with having to put down our dog of 17 years. And my son is being deployed in a couple of weeks. My anxiety meter is off the chart…
Oh no… I’m not surprised. Where is he headed?
never too late to rewind some memories; it was a grand day
Wasn’t it just? How long did your beard stay pink?
About 72 hours
It was a fantastic day and it was wonderful to meet you in person, I have been to the bash twice and each time it gets better! Noelle I was glad to hear you enjoyed yourself but so sorry to hear about your lovely dog. Also sending good luck to your son. 😅🌸💕😅🌸💕😅🌸💕😅🌸💕😅🌸💕😅🌸💕😅🌸💕😅🌸💕😅🌸💕😅🌸💕😅🌸💕😁🥀🌻😁🥀🌻😁🥀🌻😁🥀🌻😁🥀🌻😁🥀🌻😁🥀🌻😁🥀🌻😁🥀🌻😁🥀🌻😁🥀
Nice to hear about the Bash from you, Noelle.
Thanks, Norah. You need to go sometime.!
As Geoff said, never too late to relive wonderful memories and meeting friends, Noelle. So pleased you joined us in London. Hope you had a fantastic trip in Europe. I look forward to reading all about it.
Hi Noelle,
Thanks for sharing your photos and experiences from the Bash. I think it’s the first I’ve caught up with. My heart goes out to you regarding your family dog.. Our beloeved Bilbo, who has appeared on my blog since the beginning passed away two weeks ago. The kids didn’t know a life without him, so it was a very devastating loss. He was 11 and Border Collies don’t live as long as smaller dogs. I’ve put a link to my post here: https://beyondtheflow.wordpress.com/2017/06/27/over-the-rainbow-bridge/
It’s hit us hard and there’s no other way of putting it. He’s been through all my health problems and helped get us through and I’m just relieved that the timing was good. I have been in remission for 3 .5 years and we got a second dog two years ago, although she’s very different.
I will be thinking of your son being deployed. I have friends who have served or had a son away and that stress was like nothing else. My daughter had an accident the other day and needed stitches and I was very protective after that. I have been meaning to write a post called: “Baby bird return to nest”. Hard when baby bird is goig somewhere you know there’s trouble. I have been thinking how parenting is like Atlas carrying the world on our shoulders and yet most of our weight is carried in our hearts, We must have strong tickers.
Thinking of you!
Best wishes and God Bless,
Rowena
You are a real friend to share so much with me. Do have your kids write or draw something about Bilbo – I think it will help them grieve. You, too. Dogs are very sensitive to your moods, and I know you will treasure his contribution to your journey to remission. My son’s deployment has been (as is usual with the Army) put on hold – 30 days, 60 days or 30 hours. Typical. Just delaying the stress but I am sleeping better. Hugs to you and yours!
Noelle
I’ll have a talk with the kids over the next few days and see if they can come up with something. Thanks for the suggestion.
I’ll be thinking of you with your son’s deployment. I mixed with the US military families when I lived in Heidelberg for a year and when you’re in on eof these military communities, then you get that community support and understanding of what it’s like to have a family member on active service. It seems to me that there are more service personnel per capita in the US than in Australia. My friend’s son served in Afghanistan and couldn’t say where he was but could let her know he was okay after an attack or would warn her before bad news went to air that he was okay. She was understandibly very stressed the entire time he was away, which is so understandible but you still need to be able to keep going. I would imagine that this stress would be very similar to living with a life-threatening medical condition. As time goes by and I’ve survived some close calls, the threat recedes. There’s not that sense that it’s breathing down my neck like it was, even though I know my greatest risk now is flu and pneumonia. But, I’ve had my flu and pneumoccal shots. Your son has had his training. After that, there’s prayer and something beyond that, which I tend to call serendipity. That could also be termed the philosopher’s “too hard basket”!
Take care!
Best wishes,
Rowena
We’ve lived through his previous year in Afghanistan and two in Iraq, but this seems more dangerous this time around. I will be anxious….
I don’t have any personal experience with loved ones in the military, especially a war zone. I agree with you that the world as a whole seems to be more crazy and I don’t know any of the details about what’s happening on the ground. At the same time, there must be some comfort that he has experience on his side and has survived a lot in the past. At the same time, there’s that thing of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s going to be a tough time for you and the family until he’s back. Thinking of you. Best wishes, Rowena
Really good to meet you in person. And I just discovered that I have one more of your books – Yay!
Ditto, Christoph. You are just as energetic and fun up close and personal as I had suspected. Which other book do you have?
And I’m eagerly awaiting your next mystery!