The original suspect

I'm not what the marketing types refer to as an early adopter. Slow to pick up, maybe I'll catch up. It was the same with blogs, late to the party. Once upon a time, meeting friends for lunch in KC and I was charged with finding somewhere to meet so I Googled my old neighborhood, searching for ideas.

First up was Mrs. Blandings blog. Having no idea what a blog was, I read, and was instantly captivated. I read her neighbors and friends, I read her archives. An hour later I forgot why I came. The next day I returned, and read not only Mrs. Blanding's post but her friends posts as well, and so it's been ever since.

Patricia Shackelford

Over the years Patricia and I have traded emails, I've picked her brain, teased, been counseled, and posted about her but had never had the honor of meeting her. Until this summer. Once again in KC, I emailed asking for a date. Well aware of my history of standing up attractive women she agreed, fully expecting I wouldn't show. I picked the neighborhood, she the place and time.

Mrs. T warned me not to go, reminding me of Faulkner, then suggesting we'd have nothing to talk about while warning that Mrs. B may be a serial killer. To Patricia's everlasting chagrin, I showed.

I chose the 'hood I lived in as a boy. I had walked to the school down the street, played in its creeks and byways, my memories preserved in amber. When Mrs. B arrived, I aped Ebenezer, cavorting with the ghost of Christmas past, regaling this wonderful woman with neighborhood stories from 20 years before her birth. I was a babbling schoolboy, she, ever so charming, captivated all over again. In real life Patricia is Mrs. Blandings, only more delightfully so. I enjoyed our time together immensely. Patricia now holds the dubious double distinction of being the first blogger I ever met as well as author of the first blog I ever read.

A month or so after my discovery of Mrs. Blandings blog, I took fingers to keyboard and began the pages you find buried in these archives. I wrote for my children, spread across the continent, filling them with stories of their family past, stories they may never hear otherwise. Somehow word spread, with encouragement from Patricia, and others, and now you're here.

Today, we begin year 4 together. Thank You from the bottom of my heart. Your visits, friendship, comments and raspberries enrich my life. I hope in some way I'm able to repay your kindness, and promise to continue to incite, inform, amuse, brighten or enlighten your day. Onward!

Toad

Photos and header: Mrs. Blandings