Friends From Montana And Switzerland

Early this morning I posted https://derrickjknight.com/2021/09/30/a-knights-tale-43-an-engagement/

Afterwards I scanned the next three of Charles Keeping’s excellent illustrations to ‘Our Mutual Friend’

‘Georgiana ran up to embrace her’

‘Wegg was holding him in the chair with the grip of a wrestler’

‘Gruff and Glum waving his shovel hat at Bella’

This afternoon we very much enjoyed the company of Jan and Bob Beekman and their daughter DeAna who have come to stay for a few days. Conversation was convivial, wide-ranging and open as we got to know each other in person having become distant friends on WordPress. The 21st century equivalent of fond penfriends.

Jan and De worked out how to access the internet from our router thingy, and Bob joined in the amusement.

Jackie produced one of her trademark succulent steak and onion pies; creamy mashed swede and potatoes; firm carrots and cauliflower; tender leak and cabbage melange; and meaty gravy with which she drank Tesco Finest Pinot Grigio Blush 2020 and the rest of us drank Val de Salis Cinsault Reserve 2020 and Patrick Chodot Fleurie 2019.

She had photographed us all as we prepared to tuck in.

80 comments

  1. This post makes me so happy–meeting up with WP friends from afar! It does sound like a convivial time. I love your expressions in the header photo. ?

    As always, the Keeping drawings express so much in a few lines. I particularly like the gowns in the first one and the woman’s face.

  2. Thank you oh so very much for the warm welcome, delightful conversation, and delicious dinner! Jackie is quite the masterful chef! I’m tucked in your cozy safari room and about to drift off to slumber land with lovely thoughts of a wonderful day at my new friends’ home. Thank you for everything! ❤️

    1. Jan does the blogging as janbeek. I don’t think we’ll ever get to Australia, but you would be most welcome here – as I trust you know. Thanks very much, Gwen

  3. Wonderful Derrick … and I have had the pleasure of catching up with a few WordPress pen-friends over the years, and the meetings are always very special occasions

  4. As I ‘get to know’ them better, I tend to regard the people who comment regularly on my blog as pen-friends of a sort: all special people. You are among several people I ‘know’ who have met up with regular blogging friends – a lovely thing to do, for you already know something of each other. I hope they enjoy their visit to your neck of the woods.

  5. This is an unbelievably wonderful opportunity for us … and we are so grateful to you & Jackie for your hospitality and friendship!! Thank you sooo much!

  6. How fantastic! Especially as, in the deepest, darkest moments of the pandemic, it seemed that such gatherings might never again be possible.

  7. I do love the painting beyond the dining table. 😉 Jackie managed to include some of the garden in her photos. 🙂 Well done, Jackie!

    When I traveled to the USA in 2008 I stayed with at least 6 writers I met online years before. Pen friends are very special people.

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