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source: you had me at bonjour |
I'm feeling mighty blessed.
When I started this blog, I did so merely as a means to keep me sane, something to keep me busy when I first moved to The LPV two years ago. I had never even read a blog before and I had no idea of what I expected to happen. I definitely didn't expect that I would meet people and make friends, but I did and that's what this here today is all about.
You see, yesterday I received a package in the post from Ireland. I opened it up to find a lovely note and bags upon bags of Barry's Tea from Sharon of La Vie en Rose. Sharon is Irish, therefore Sharon knows that the only tea that really matters is Barry's and she also knows that little old me, living here in The LPV, can't get Barry's, so Sharon not wanting me to suffer through life without a decent cuppa, sent me some (if any of you even think of mentioning Lyons Tea, well to this I say hogwash).
And those tea bags got me thinking about this blog and all of the wonderful things that have come from it, so I thought I'd write something dedicated to my blog and to you, because without you, it would just be me, typing to myself, and that would be sad.
A few months after I started this blog, I received an email from a French girl named Sophie. Sophie had recently moved back to France after years in the U.S. and feeling a little bit homesick, decided to reach out to another homesick girl. We started emailing and occasionally skyping, and then one day, since Sophie is a French teacher, she said; why don't I help you with your French, and I said OK and that is how Sophie became La Professeur. And last weekend, The Husband and I paid a visit to Sophie and Sophie introduced us to Stellina Pizza, home of last year's world champion pizza maker (I had the Pizza Abruzzo... porcini mushroom cream sauce, fresh tomatoes, and a drizzle of truffle cream sauce… I'm still dreaming about it). So without this blog, I never would have met the world champion French teacher, and the world champion pizza maker. Thank you blog.
Remember when all of my china and Waterford that had been shipped from Dublin arrived shattered? I do. But besides the heartbreak of discovering all of those broken memories, I learned how supportive and loving the blogging community was. Not only did I receive 62 comments of support, encouragement, and advice, but a few days after, a package arrived in the post. Inside was a book called The Bronze Horseman. A girl named Bec had sent it with a note. The note said that she was so sorry for the loss of my crystal and china and if the same thing had happened to her she would curl up and cry, and when something does make her want to curl up and cry, she reads her favorite book, The Bronze Horseman, to make her feel better, so she thought it might make me feel better too. And it did. Not only did it become one of my favorite books ever, but Bec became one of my favorite people, and we met and became great friends and spent great times together, until she moved back to Australia (now we have great chats together on skype). Thank you blog.
Then a couple of months later when my Dad passed away, you guys were there. I was far from home, and your comments of love and warm thoughts and prayers meant more to me than you will ever know, then I ever thought. Thank you blog.
And of course there's Aidan. Without my blog I never would have met that other Texas girl who moved to Ireland before moving to the South of France. Sometimes I don't even think it's possible that we've only known each other for a little over a year because she feels so much like family. She's become my big sister and she makes living in France a lot easier and a whole lot more fun (even if her dog did eat my glasses). Thank you blog.
Then there's all of you. All of my blog friends, some I've met, some I haven't, but all friends. You have made my life here in The LPV so much more exciting. Because of you I write. Because of you I don't view any strange, inconvenient, or bizarre occurrence here as an annoying pain in the petunia, I now see it as a story, a tale to tell, and it helps me grin and bare the sometimes difficult times of being an expat in a teeny tiny village on top of a mountain in France. Thank you blog.
And thank you too.
bisou

P.S. Oh, and one more thing... because of this blog, Fifty now believes he is a celebrity and can be rather difficult to live with at times, so yeah, thank you blog. 
i loveeee this post because it sums up exactly how i feel too :) ive gotten JOBS because of my blog...friends all around the world, advice, free vacations, etc...it is crazy to think that it all started out of boredom (at a job haha). so glad to have met you through here!
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to thank you! I look forward to reading your blog daily, because it makes me laugh, cry, and lets me see that although us expats are far from home we are not alone. I relate in so many ways to your tales, even though I'm not in France. And tell Fifty he has a friend here in Spain (my furbaby of course!). Congratulations and keep on writing please!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, I luff yooooo. Blogging rocks, no doubt about it! It still blows my mind when a comment pings into my inbox from Australia/US/Canada and I think wow, someone all the way over there has just sent me a message right this minute. It's so amazing!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the demenagement, hope it all goes well for you x x
What a great post. I don't know where I would be without my blog sometimes.
ReplyDeleteIf you're moving what will become of Honey Jr? Is he moving too? This sounds like Big News.
ReplyDeleteSuch an interesting post and lovely to hear about the friends you have made through blogging.(How kind to send you tea bags from Ireland!)
ReplyDeletehttp://missbbobochic.blogspot.co.uk/
What a great post! I will second your Hallelujah to the blogging community. It was one of the only things that kept me sane when I lived in Middle of Nowhere, France. And it is one of the reasons I know so many amazing people now here in Paris. Which reminds me, if you do come up in the fall, we should do a bloggy happy hour somewhere! :)
ReplyDeleteAh Sara...you said it so well. I can't even begin to list the amazing things that have come my way because of my blog. It was a difficult decision to begin and now I wonder what I was worried about. My little world here in France became so much bigger...and en plus....it includes you!
ReplyDeleteI love this post. I too have many similar stories to share. The blog community is amazing!! Blogger's have the biggest hearts. My BFF only drinks Barry's tea - she's irish of course! xo
ReplyDeletethat was so touching! i have had similar experiences being an expat and feeling homesick and then finding a package of girl scout cookies from a reader...it's pretty incredible to find that there are some amazing people out there!
ReplyDeleteSara, it's great to read about how the blog has done so much for you, but I must say it does so much oir your readers, as you can see. Funny, charming, and interesting all the time. Now that I've arrived in France ( like Aidan, by way of Ireland) I want to start one of my own, which I've been considering for a long time. On verra. It looks warm now in Provence- I'm afraid we brought the Irish weather with us to Charente last week
ReplyDelete:-( Looking forward to reading about your move.
I know just how you feel. We are just coming up to our first anniversary in France and my first year of blogging. It is amazing to think that this time last year I hadn't met or heard of so many people who are now friends for life. The ex-pat community both real and virtual is such a support and so much fun. I definitely appreciate my experience in France more through writing about it.
ReplyDeleteIsn't the chain of events that happen around our little homemade sites just fascinating? I am so glad you wrote this! It makes me feel like I'm not the only one that gets a little nostalgic and teary-eyed when it comes to the BC..ok, can I just say that only on your blog do I use acronyms. I'm trying to be all down like you. I have to stop myself.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post Sara Louise! I'm glad that I "met" you too...I hope to do it in real life one of these days!
heart you sister-friend who lives the LPV that I've never met. you for sure have made moving here much easier :) x
ReplyDeleteVery sweet sentiments from a very sweet, caring girl.
ReplyDeleteVery sweet Sara and I know exactly how you feel. Pretty amazing that something so many people say is impersonal, like the internet, can add so much richness and....well personal connection. Cheers to you sweet girl.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet post! Its nice to read about all the special connections you have made through your blog. For me, you always make me smile with your unique take on life from LPV!
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely something people outside the blog world will never understand - the relationships built from it. Loved the recap - amazing to see the joy everyone's blogs have brought them
ReplyDeleteWow! Such a beautiful post! It makes me want to become more appreciate of my own blog!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post...can't wait to continue reading about your adventures!
ReplyDeleteYou are a gifted writer and have been SUCH a friend to me... and we SHALL meet this year- lets make that a goal! :) Thanks for sharing your tales of LPV!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful Thank You note to your Friends.
ReplyDeletem.
Wonderful story and one that many bloggers can relate to :) Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteleslie
I really like your blog, so thank YOU for blogging :) It's amazing how people around the world can connect like this. And I'm glad you will be staying in Provence, I hope to hear soon where you will be living, moving is always exciting time!
ReplyDeleteI love this!
ReplyDeleteThe blogging world is pretty awesome, isn't it?
Yay blogging!!
HI! I just stembled across your blog from Chasing Hearts! So excited to meet another expat blogger and read more about your life!
ReplyDeletePS- I obsess over mexican food all.the.time. Black beans don't even exist in Germany, LOL!
Bailey
http://lostandfound-bailee.blogspot.de/
Yes yes and yes. And you're welcome. LOL I love your blog, as always, and it's totally awesome that you posted such a perfect note of gratitude. You make me happy that I joined the blogging world. :)
ReplyDeleteTen years ago I lived in Paris. When our family came to visit we would beg them to bring tea bags!! When they left I always got a little upset and a little homesick and I would always make a cup of Barry's tea and feel a little closer to home. Cheesy I know, but true. I am so glad I found your blog as I connect with so much of your life in France and hopefully one day we will get to have a cuppa together in person.
ReplyDeleteSharon
xxxx
Great post, Sara Louise. It's an amazing community out her in blogland. I love it that so many women support other women, without all that superficial stuff - age, race, weight, you know. You brighten my day!
ReplyDeleteGreat summary of the way blogging can change your life - I've had some of the greatest experiences abroad because of blogging (and even tweeting, met people & attended amazing wine maker dinners as the only silly American in the room!). It's a family, albeit a virtual one, but when you do meet your readers & other bloggers - well - it's something special. And I know we all WILL *clink* glasses one day! xoxo
ReplyDeleteBlogging has had much the same effect on me though it sounds like you have been lucky with learning France, I have a major problem. So many good friends have come into my life through blogging. Take care and I will be back to read more of your adventures. Diane
ReplyDeleteI've come very late to LPV but I am loving your stories and meeting your friends and family through it. I am quite new to blogging too - I don't have a huge number of followers or commentatrors, but you're right - their comments and virtual hugs can be very very rewarding.
ReplyDeleteDo carry on, and here's to many more years in LPV, or - as it seems to be - elsewhere in Provence.
And Fifty is right to think he's a celebrity. The Very Bad Kittens are definitely getting towards celebrity status with my readers!
Great post - very sweet and very true!
ReplyDeleteI loved this post Sara! I love how a blog can reach out beyond the borders of our own little world and help us connect on deeper levels with those all over the world. I'm very blessed to have found your blog and it's given me quite a few laughs and "I can relate"s! So thank you for having us here and for continuing to write :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post, Sara! It really touched my heart! I started blogging last month but I have already met so many great people and it makes me so happy.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry that your Dad passed away! I know how hard it is to lose a parent, my Mom died when I was 19.
Again, thank you so much for this post!
amazing post!! really touched me:) you have a new friend here!!:)
ReplyDeleteLeonor
thesparklinglemon.blogspot.com
Ditto to everything you said! Just last night, I had someone I met through blogging stay at my house because her family was in town and she needed a stop over. We bought our car and found our rental property through bloggers. Its amazing how you can reach out to people you would never know and how you build relationships with them through their posts.
ReplyDeleteThis made me cry :)
ReplyDeletebesitos, C
This put a great big smile on my face. It was really nice to read all the wonderful people you've meet just because of your blog. Life is strange like that, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteAshley
Oh, I made so many friends through blogging too! One I even met in real life after flying internationally! It's been so fun and such a great experience.
ReplyDeleteLove your story about your French teacher. You are too sweet! Can't wait to hear about your move. xo
This is a beautiful post! I'm glad blogging has brought you so much joy… it has me too! It definitely makes this life easier/better and my family can't stop gushing about how happy they are to know what's going on in my life in so much detail every single day!!!! I'm glad you found me, Sara! I love your blog.
ReplyDeleteWell without my blog I would have never of met you so thank you blog!
ReplyDeletexxx
aw, yes!!! making blogging friends is the absolute best! such a great post :)
ReplyDeletexo TJ
I don't know how it feel without blogging.
ReplyDelete