Canadian Blogger, Coming Through

Gotta love it when you get to head out on an adventure via blogdom.
Judy of "My Front Porch" has been delighting me for awhile now with her far ranging gadabouts photo coverage.
I've ridden shotgun with her (via my computer screen) as she has traveled about visiting Switzerland (which I have also visited; it is great to have another go to a place through a fresh pair of eyes.)
She has headed to Texas, and made me a tad homesick with her fabulous eye for scenic views.

When she announced that she and her hubby were going to Montana, Colorado, and New Mexico, I yelped.
Brazenly I commented that I would be deeply hurt if she didn't swing by SLC to see ME at some point during the trip.

Secretly I felt a little guilty after I did that. After all...Judy and I have never met in person.
Just because I read her blog and feel like I visit with her and her gorgeous grandkids daily is no excuse for presuming a sense of kindred spirit is being felt by her as well.
What kind of crazy person asks someone that they have never met to swing by to say hello during their holiday travels?

A blogger, like me, of course.

Saturday an email popped up:

Hi Jill..

Well, we toured Zion yesterday...Bryce today...and we are heading to Salt Lake City. We will arrive there tomorrow afternoon...and were wondering if you and Bernie would be free to meet us for dinner...either Sunday night (tomorrow) or Monday night. We'll do some touring in the city on Monday and plan to leave for home Tuesday morning.
Hope it works out to meet up!

TOTALLY that would work out! A couple of emails and a phone call later, and....

Judy from "My Front Porch" was sitting on My Back Porch!
Now I have a rule: the first time someone comes to my home for a visit, I want everything to be just perfect. After that, I expect my friends to drop by whenever, and I don't worry about everything being "just so" because the have seen it "just so", and understand that in the real world, laundry gets folded on the couch, mail lingers at the kitchen table and the towels maybe hanging rumpled in the bath. (or even worse...there are THOSE days....)

This was Judy's first visit. Suddenly I realized that actually Judy has been in my house since the days when the kitchen was painted red and Bob Marley's image held sway in a downstair's room. This was going to be a dream come true for me: I could have a first visit that could be, would be, a visit from an old dear friend.

And from the moment they came in the door, that was exactly how it felt: Like I had known Elmer and Judy for years.

Elmer shared that he has laughed at my posts; at once I felt just as much at ease with him as I did with Judy. Isn't it just cool when you like both the wife and the husband equally?

Bernie got right down to chatting with Elmer about guy stuff as Judy and I took spin to see the house's "after" in person.

Since it was a warm day, and I knew I could never hope to outdo a Mennonite Constant Cooker, I kept the dinner menu pretty simple. Bernie marinated and grilled salmon, I made some rice, a tossed salad and then gave a watermelon salsa recipe in the Sunday paper a try.

I was so interested in visiting with Judy and Elmer that I was glad that the dinner practically made itself. I would have really hated to have been hovering over the stove instead of sitting in the living room talking.

The time just flew. The whole time I was thinking "Dang! I wish they lived closer. They are just a great couple!"

Since Judy is my favorite travel journalist, I had to ask what their next adventure will be.
They shared their plans; and as luck would have it, I had something on hand to add to the dessert to celebrate where they were headed.
See if you can figure it out!
(I wish I had also toasted their anniversary at dinner: Happy Anniversary plus 1 day, Judy and Elmer.)

Good bloggers remember to take formal pictures to mark the occasion...

And we got our guys together in a picture too.

Judy and Elmer: Thanks so much for coming by!

I can't wait to see lots and lots of your travel pictures as soon as you have time to post them.

Can't wait to see you and Elmer again too.

It will happen someday...and that's a promise!