Thanks to you all :)
I have been back home in Melbourne, Australia for six days now and I can definitely tell you that I am SO happy to be home. But not only that, I am so happy that I decided to come home a few days earlier than originally planned. Instead of having only one day off before I went back to work, I ended up giving myself a week. I needed it … so badly.
So I am home and I am enjoying relaxing. I am enjoying driving my car again and seeing my family and my amazing friends who all jumped at the chance to catch up with me since I have been home. I feel truly blessed to have some pretty terrific people in my life that give a shit about me. It’s a nice feeling.
Speaking of friends? I need to take a moment to thank the people that made my USA holiday. Travelling the country was fantastic but if it hadn’t been for the friends that spent time with me and allowed me into their lives, it wouldn’t have been half as fantastic as it turned out to be.
I want to start with alwaysateen There is a group of friends that I met through writing Supernatural FanFiction that I hold special and dear to my heart and just as close to me as the people I hold dear here on home soil. Evelyne was the last of those friends that I had yet to meet and after eight years of emailing, chatting and sending each other packages through the mail we finally got the chance to meet. Thank you, Evy, for joining me on this adventure. I am so happy that we got on so well and got to experience so many amazing things together. Til the next time :)
To all the girls that I have only known a very brief time through our mutual love of Hawaii Five O. I feel blessed to have met you. We didn’t know each other but all managed to spend so much time together in Hawaii and I have to say I do think I enjoyed that part of my trip much more simply for your company. None of us really knew each other in person but somehow it felt like we’d known each other for years. It was an absolute pleasure and I hope to continue to get to know you all. Thank you for including Evelyne and myself in everything. It made our stay in Hawaii and our hard work at SOTB magical.
Qultng1 and her hubby. Carol I have known you for such a long time now and back in 2009 when you and Ray visited for that week is some of my favourite memories. It kills me sometimes that some of my most favourite people live oceans away because meetings are far between. It had been four years since I had seen you both and it didn’t feel like even half that time had gone by. Some people you just click with easily and it feels natural to be with them and I can safely say for me? That is what is like when I am in your presence. Thank you so much for allowing me to crash at your place, allowing me to meet Buddy and Sassy (who I just love to bits), for all the lunches and dinners, for the gun range and Ray for convincing me to compete in the Live Fire competition because it was so much fun. Thank you for being you and just know both of you that I HATE saying goodbye. I hate it. It turns me into a blubbering idiot. Love you both dearly. I want to say thank you to your families too. To your daughter, son, daughter in law and grandkids. It was an honor to meet them all and meet the people that I hear about all the time. Thank you everyone.
To Shawn who I met through my best friend and have enjoyed many different tv shows and writing with. You’re very talented, Shawn and should definitely try some more writing. You have the knack. I had fun playing the video games with you and laughing at the number of different times that I died. I had a ball watching “The Walking Dead” with you since usually I am at my computer at work when you are telling me all about the most recent episode lol Thank you to your Mother who was very accommodating and kind and lovely. I had a wonderful time chatting and spending time with her and meeting her lovely friends, especially Charlene. Thank you to your Dad who made things interesting and tried his best to make me feel welcome. I was genuinely surprised and thankful when you guys brought out that cake thanking me for coming. Thank you for having me.
To everyone I met at the con. Thank you to qultng1 and wolfpup2000 for letting me bunk with you guys. Carol, it doesn’t get any closer than having to share a bed with someone night after night lol Wolfpup, I have admired your work in the Supernatural fandom for years and was so happy to be able to meet you. I had a great time while driving you nuts with Phase 10 and our uncontrollable laughter over nothing LOL Vicki, it was fantastic to finally meet you and spend time with you and Jolynn and Leah. All you guys were so nice and I really did feel comfortable around you guys. I have met some of the nicest people through my love of Supernatural and those sexy Winchester boys and I count you guys as part of my ever expanding Supernatural family. Vicki and Jolynn, thank you for convincing me to buy the Sebastian Roche Meet and Greet. So many great memories. I say it all the time but I really do need to say that I love doing conventions but just like it is in Australia, it wouldn’t be half as amazing without the friends that share them with me. Thank you to all of you.
And last but not least, thank you to gaelicspirit You are one of my first Supernatural friends and for a long time now you haven’t just been an online friend or a Supernatural friend but a real honest to god friend. I love you dearly and just like I mentioned before, it kills me that we live so far apart. After knowing you for so long I knew we’d hit it off when we met in person and I was proven right when I flew up to meet you in Sydney for your work conference. It was a fast whirlwind visit but it felt like it was normal to be spending time with you in person, like it happens all the time. I wish it did. This was part of the reason why I had originally planned to make your house the last part of part of my trip. Leaving the most important to last because seriously one day in Sydney is not enough LOL I want to say thank you for driving so far to pick me up from Chicago. I cannot believe after all that stuffing about trying to get you another ticket for Sunday that you were only seated a few seats away from me at the con. Thank you for coming to the Cocktail party even though I know you really didn’t exactly want to. Thank you for being you. I think one of my favourite parts of the convention was in our room on Sunday night with Carol and Wolfpup, playing Phase 10 and laughing so hard. Laughter really is the best medicine.
Thank you for giving me the chance to meet Amy. It would have been a shame to come all this way, go to the con and still not meet Amy. Amy, you are fantastic. Your posts on Facebook are inspiring, hilarious and Facebook wouldn’t be the same without your “one-time” stories. You are fantastic and I really do just want to let you know that I am REALLY happy that I got the chance to meet you. Next time, maybe longer than just a flyby lunch and maybe next time I’ll get to meet you, Mike and the girls.
Thank you for clearing time on your work schedule to fit me in and thank you, thank you, thank you for taking me to Topeka. It was the best being about to see where everything was for real and what it all felt like for real. Thank you for sharing your love for Sporting KC with me. I really enjoyed it. And thank you for sharing your family with me. I have always adored your adorable little family for as long as I have known them but after spending time real time with them, I just think you guys are the best. Thank you to your hubby for everything, including allowing me to experience a real Halloween by even carving a real pumpkin and going trick or treating with the kids. He is a really great guy. I really enjoyed his company. Your little girl … I feel like I have watched her growing up online and I am so happy that I got to meet her. She is just as amazing and smart and adorable in person. Getting her hugs and her letters while I was there was the best. I love this kid; make sure you let her know that. She is a treasure.
Thank you so much for having me. My time in Lawrence was the best and it didn’t matter if you had to work. It was just fantastic being there, seeing your world and getting to know your family. Oh … and how could I forget my new friend Stella. Loved both your girls but Stella made quite an impression getting in my face every chance she got and staying by my side at almost all times LOL I loved it :)
So there you have it, folks. My trip to the USA was great but less because of the touristy stuff and more because I have some of the most fantastic, amazing friends someone could ever ask for. I hold you all dear and love you all to bits and I cannot wait for the next time we cross paths in person.
I have since been home, been welcomed by my family and my friends and soon life will be back to normal as work is only 2 days away. Wish me luck.
So I am home and I am enjoying relaxing. I am enjoying driving my car again and seeing my family and my amazing friends who all jumped at the chance to catch up with me since I have been home. I feel truly blessed to have some pretty terrific people in my life that give a shit about me. It’s a nice feeling.
Speaking of friends? I need to take a moment to thank the people that made my USA holiday. Travelling the country was fantastic but if it hadn’t been for the friends that spent time with me and allowed me into their lives, it wouldn’t have been half as fantastic as it turned out to be.
I want to start with alwaysateen There is a group of friends that I met through writing Supernatural FanFiction that I hold special and dear to my heart and just as close to me as the people I hold dear here on home soil. Evelyne was the last of those friends that I had yet to meet and after eight years of emailing, chatting and sending each other packages through the mail we finally got the chance to meet. Thank you, Evy, for joining me on this adventure. I am so happy that we got on so well and got to experience so many amazing things together. Til the next time :)
To all the girls that I have only known a very brief time through our mutual love of Hawaii Five O. I feel blessed to have met you. We didn’t know each other but all managed to spend so much time together in Hawaii and I have to say I do think I enjoyed that part of my trip much more simply for your company. None of us really knew each other in person but somehow it felt like we’d known each other for years. It was an absolute pleasure and I hope to continue to get to know you all. Thank you for including Evelyne and myself in everything. It made our stay in Hawaii and our hard work at SOTB magical.
Qultng1 and her hubby. Carol I have known you for such a long time now and back in 2009 when you and Ray visited for that week is some of my favourite memories. It kills me sometimes that some of my most favourite people live oceans away because meetings are far between. It had been four years since I had seen you both and it didn’t feel like even half that time had gone by. Some people you just click with easily and it feels natural to be with them and I can safely say for me? That is what is like when I am in your presence. Thank you so much for allowing me to crash at your place, allowing me to meet Buddy and Sassy (who I just love to bits), for all the lunches and dinners, for the gun range and Ray for convincing me to compete in the Live Fire competition because it was so much fun. Thank you for being you and just know both of you that I HATE saying goodbye. I hate it. It turns me into a blubbering idiot. Love you both dearly. I want to say thank you to your families too. To your daughter, son, daughter in law and grandkids. It was an honor to meet them all and meet the people that I hear about all the time. Thank you everyone.
To Shawn who I met through my best friend and have enjoyed many different tv shows and writing with. You’re very talented, Shawn and should definitely try some more writing. You have the knack. I had fun playing the video games with you and laughing at the number of different times that I died. I had a ball watching “The Walking Dead” with you since usually I am at my computer at work when you are telling me all about the most recent episode lol Thank you to your Mother who was very accommodating and kind and lovely. I had a wonderful time chatting and spending time with her and meeting her lovely friends, especially Charlene. Thank you to your Dad who made things interesting and tried his best to make me feel welcome. I was genuinely surprised and thankful when you guys brought out that cake thanking me for coming. Thank you for having me.
To everyone I met at the con. Thank you to qultng1 and wolfpup2000 for letting me bunk with you guys. Carol, it doesn’t get any closer than having to share a bed with someone night after night lol Wolfpup, I have admired your work in the Supernatural fandom for years and was so happy to be able to meet you. I had a great time while driving you nuts with Phase 10 and our uncontrollable laughter over nothing LOL Vicki, it was fantastic to finally meet you and spend time with you and Jolynn and Leah. All you guys were so nice and I really did feel comfortable around you guys. I have met some of the nicest people through my love of Supernatural and those sexy Winchester boys and I count you guys as part of my ever expanding Supernatural family. Vicki and Jolynn, thank you for convincing me to buy the Sebastian Roche Meet and Greet. So many great memories. I say it all the time but I really do need to say that I love doing conventions but just like it is in Australia, it wouldn’t be half as amazing without the friends that share them with me. Thank you to all of you.
And last but not least, thank you to gaelicspirit You are one of my first Supernatural friends and for a long time now you haven’t just been an online friend or a Supernatural friend but a real honest to god friend. I love you dearly and just like I mentioned before, it kills me that we live so far apart. After knowing you for so long I knew we’d hit it off when we met in person and I was proven right when I flew up to meet you in Sydney for your work conference. It was a fast whirlwind visit but it felt like it was normal to be spending time with you in person, like it happens all the time. I wish it did. This was part of the reason why I had originally planned to make your house the last part of part of my trip. Leaving the most important to last because seriously one day in Sydney is not enough LOL I want to say thank you for driving so far to pick me up from Chicago. I cannot believe after all that stuffing about trying to get you another ticket for Sunday that you were only seated a few seats away from me at the con. Thank you for coming to the Cocktail party even though I know you really didn’t exactly want to. Thank you for being you. I think one of my favourite parts of the convention was in our room on Sunday night with Carol and Wolfpup, playing Phase 10 and laughing so hard. Laughter really is the best medicine.
Thank you for giving me the chance to meet Amy. It would have been a shame to come all this way, go to the con and still not meet Amy. Amy, you are fantastic. Your posts on Facebook are inspiring, hilarious and Facebook wouldn’t be the same without your “one-time” stories. You are fantastic and I really do just want to let you know that I am REALLY happy that I got the chance to meet you. Next time, maybe longer than just a flyby lunch and maybe next time I’ll get to meet you, Mike and the girls.
Thank you for clearing time on your work schedule to fit me in and thank you, thank you, thank you for taking me to Topeka. It was the best being about to see where everything was for real and what it all felt like for real. Thank you for sharing your love for Sporting KC with me. I really enjoyed it. And thank you for sharing your family with me. I have always adored your adorable little family for as long as I have known them but after spending time real time with them, I just think you guys are the best. Thank you to your hubby for everything, including allowing me to experience a real Halloween by even carving a real pumpkin and going trick or treating with the kids. He is a really great guy. I really enjoyed his company. Your little girl … I feel like I have watched her growing up online and I am so happy that I got to meet her. She is just as amazing and smart and adorable in person. Getting her hugs and her letters while I was there was the best. I love this kid; make sure you let her know that. She is a treasure.
Thank you so much for having me. My time in Lawrence was the best and it didn’t matter if you had to work. It was just fantastic being there, seeing your world and getting to know your family. Oh … and how could I forget my new friend Stella. Loved both your girls but Stella made quite an impression getting in my face every chance she got and staying by my side at almost all times LOL I loved it :)
So there you have it, folks. My trip to the USA was great but less because of the touristy stuff and more because I have some of the most fantastic, amazing friends someone could ever ask for. I hold you all dear and love you all to bits and I cannot wait for the next time we cross paths in person.
I have since been home, been welcomed by my family and my friends and soon life will be back to normal as work is only 2 days away. Wish me luck.