I had the good, good fortune of hosting (hostessing?) the lovely Mrs. G. on her roadrip. If you aren’t familiar with Derfwad Manor, I suggest you check it out - its proprietress is a wickedly funny, talented, amazing woman.
So, you’re taking kind of a risk when you invite an Internet friend to stay at your house. What if she’s crazy, and this road trip is just a way to feed her kleptomaniacal desires? And we’ll wake up to find she’s taken all of our furniture, sort of like The Grinch? Or what if she’s mean, or smells bad, or wants us to join her cult, which would require us to shave our heads, even though I’ve spent the last, oh, 5 years trying to grow out my tresses?
Well, none of those were the case with Mrs. G. She is hilarious and kind, and joked that she worried we heard her search for toilet paper and thought she was going through our bathroom stuff. And double kudos that she laughed when My Guy responded, “Oh, we weren’t worried. The web cam will pick all that up.”
So, Mrs. G. and I visited a ton, and ate a ton, and went antiquing. Then, we headed to a party given in Mrs. G.’s honor. And there were more kind, funny, amazing women there, too! And they brought delicious foodstuffs.
I brought a salad. And stains from said salad down the front of my dress. And my sparkling, but occasionally shy, personality.
Everybody was so nice! And I felt stretched by meeting 8 whole new people! Because I am more introverted than I like to admit!
I felt like I filled my quota for social interaction. That’s not a statement on the company at all - in fact, I’m embarrassed to even admit it. But really?
I’m so tired. I’m tired of doing new things and going new places and meeting new people. Many of the constants in my life 2 months ago are basically gone, and I guess I’m overwhelmed. Sort of like when Foxie Doxie gets overwhelmed and hides under the blankets on our bed.
Except, instead of finding someplace at the hostess’s house to hide, I stayed at the party. And I hope the other guests didn’t think I was a freak. I guess staying at the party and being on the quiet side was far less freaky than, oh, say, hiding under the covers in the master bedroom of someone I’d just met. So, kudos to me, right?
It takes a lot of energy and bravery to push our boundaries. Mrs. G. is doing a fine job of it right now. It will be my turn … later. And that’s OK.
I will be hosting the NE Ohio contingent on the road trip---at a restaurant---and Mrs G at my house. We all stretch and grow :)
ReplyDeleteFellow introvert here. I'm following your lead. Loin girding commences immediately. Great post.
ReplyDeletethe idea of actually meeting people really scares me to death. sometimes it even freaks me out on-line.
ReplyDeletekudos to you for hosting and meeting new people.
I just lost my comment but I'll try again.
ReplyDeleteFrom one fellow introvert to another, I found nothing freaky about your behavior.
I sometimes think to myself that the introverts are needed to balance the extroverts. And it's been my experience that it usually evens out and everyone gets or takes their turn when it's the right time.
It was great meeting you and thanks for hosting Mrs. G.
I had such a great time, Cha Cha. Thank you for sticking your sweet, introverted neck out! And thank you to Z. for making me feel so at home. You guys are good eggs!
ReplyDeleteCha Cha, I'm so glad you came to the party (and stayed!)! And if you did have the need to hide out in my bed, I would have been honored, because the bedroom was nice and clean and for once, didn't have random Lego bits and Nerf darts lying about. It was wonderful to meet you! :)
ReplyDeleteDespite the fact that I was celebrating our anniversary (and the marriage of a co-worker) in breezy Aspen, I'm still envious of the time everyone spent with Mrs. G. Seeing her is still a dream of mine.
ReplyDeletehow to live up to your wild party ways.
ReplyDeleteI am the NC stop there are no gay bars in fact we don't even have a grocery store near by.
We are going to have figure out some fun and quick!
This has been good for all of us- next trip- how to get us all in one place.
Good for you, Cha Cha! I am So SO jealous that you two met--two of my favorite Derfs. It sounds like it was a perfectly swell time. Damn that I couldn't crash your party and push you over the edge with a 9th party guest;)
ReplyDeleteMy mom is hosting Mrs. G next week in Atlanta.
ReplyDeletehi...i'm here from mrs. g's....isn't she just about the most lovely thing ever???
ReplyDeletei met her (along with 2 other blogging buddies) in march. i love the whole meeting up with people you've "known" for years idea...(my boys and i actually stayed with one friend and her family that we had just met. nope. it was great!!) i met 2 large groups of "friends" a few years ago in california. sure...it's kind of weird, but....for me...when the door opened to that first house and the hostesses were standing there with their arms open, waiting for hugs? i felt like i was home!! it was great!!
i'm going to go now and read some more of your posts...as a "texan at heart", i think i'm going to like coming here...especially since you have homemade peach ice cream!
Yes, kudos to you! (I was the introvert in one of those groups Debbie (dkuroiwa) met -- it was great.)
ReplyDelete