Ummmm, if you guessed "Shelley," you are correct!

DH and I traveled to Arizona last Thursday through yesterday, and I had the divine pleasure of meeting our own Historical Mystery lover and hostess of challenges, Jeanne!  That dear, sweet woman drove 85 miles across the wilds of Arizona from her home north of Tuscon to outside of Mesa where my sister-in-law and brother-in-law have their winter home.  Crazy, crazy Jeanne!  (I felt a little less guilty about making her drive all over when I learned she was going to combine the trip to see me with a stop at her daughter's house to visit her over her birthday.) 

We met at a coffee shop and visited over a latte (Jeanne) and a salad (me, who was starving after spending the morning at the World's Biggest Flea Market) for (unfortunately) just a couple of hours.  Our trip was short, and that was all the time I could spare.  The hours flew by!  The lovely Ms. Jeanne brought me a gift!  A brand new (advanced, I think as the cover says "Coming March 2011) copy of Elizabeth Chadwick's To Defy A King.  Wow!  A brand new Chadwick!  Could it get any better?? 

Turns out it could.  Jeanne is an awesome, awesome lady.  So vibrant, cheery, full of life, with a pretty smile and a quick laugh.  She talked so fondly of her family, friends, church and of her life in general.  What a wonderful person to call "friend."  I'm so thankful to Jeanne for making the effort to visit with me.  I just love having a face, a voice and some mannerisms to hold in my mind when I correspond with her over the internet!

Than you, Jeanne, I had a terrific time!

Here we are -

http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/tt161/ssgilby/IMG_0481.jpg

 Okay, you'll have to click the link for now while I try to figure out how to embed the picture directly into the post!

Thanks for sharing, and what a lovely photo of you ladies.

Awesome! I've never had the chance to meet any of you IRL....such happy smiles!

Oh, that's awesome! I'm so glad you got to visit!

Yep, meeting Shelley was a great treat! She is gorgeous! And smart, and witty and fun! Yeah, she has all the right stuff and there she is taking time out of her VERY short vacation to meet with that little old lady!!! I have to tell you, Shelley, that my finger hovered over that link for quite a bit before I had the courage to press the button and see that picture!

It truly is nice to be able to now KNOW the person you've been communicating with only through a computer! I would have made that trip even if it wasn't combined with any other event. I have to say that since neither of us had any knowledge of the area, it was almost a miracle that we found a place to meet up - and neither of us got lost.  Ah, it was meant to be!!

That is so cool that the two of you met. Great photo. Wish I could have been there as well!

Waaaaaaay cool! I love the photo. The two of you look exactly as I pictured you. (she says while whistling and crossing fingers behind her back.)

I get to meet Deb B. for the second time this Saturday. Yipee!

Thanks, guys! It truly is so fun to meet someone face to face that you've "known" for quite some time - and especially so when it turns out that they are just as nice and interesting and as much like a person you'd like to call "friend" in real life as they are in the virtual world!

I told Jeanne I would have to give Cheryl, Letty and REK a bad time!  They all live much closer to me than Jeanne does, and we've never met!  We seriously need to have some sort of Minneosta get-together!

Genie & Deb - A pic, please! We love faces to go with names.  We saw Deb, Linda and Kelly when they met.  Now it's time to see Genie!!  Have fun you guys!

Wonderful picture, girls! So much fun! ... Kelly

I agree with Shelley - it's so much fun to get to know someone from this forum and it helps so much to know what they look like! Please send pictures! And really, Cheryl, Letty and Ruth - you gals need to meet with Shelley. I'm sure you would have a blast!!!

Oooh Shelley! Can you imagine what our meet would be like if Deb had joined us??? what a kick! We'd probably still be there!!!

This is so exciting, that's a great photo of you two.   Shelly you did bring the warmth back it was in the 40's today!

Well, Letty, Shelley brought a LITTLE of the warmth back - it's been in the 80's here now! Can you see what Shelley is wearing and we were outside!! But don't worry - come summer when you are basking in those wonderful mild summer temps, we' ll be roasting down here! Thank heaven for AC!

What a wonderful photo!  I'm jealous of all you people getting to meet one another!  

pouting

Love the photo.  Yes all of us Minnesota gals should get together!

Well, no need to pout -- here's a chance for a whole bunch of us to meet.

I just discovered that this year the Library of Congress' annual National Book Festival will be a two-day (instead of a one-day) event.  Soooo, make your reservations to come to DC now. The dates are Sept. 24-25th. Once again, I will offer beds/floor space, fresh coffee (in the a.m.), wine (in the p.m.), and chocolate (24/7). Maybe Christa can get us a deal on that chocolate fountain from her BFF Ramsey. All are welcome. (We can always set up a tent in the backyard -- if you don't mind visits from our local deer).

Am not sure who's coming this year. Last year, as some of you may remember, Diana Gabaldon and Isabel Allende were two among many featured speakers.

Come one, come all. Bring books; take away books. We'll have a blast...

Deb wouldn't you be shocked if 20 of your book friends decended on you and set up camp.  It would be like Book Stock!

If Deb comes armed with a camera, I'm screwed. But for the curious, this is me.

The book fair in DC sounds like a great idea. Hmmm.

That is a fabulous picture! Two happy smiles and one big frowny face...cuz I'm so jealous! I wish we all really could meet at Deb's book festival...wouldn't that be amazing?! I would love to meet all of you!!

I'd love to go to Deb's festival, but she only serves wine in the PM.  Kind of a deal breaker for me.  I like to start my day chugging wine.   JK!  Yes, it would be awesome!

Minnesota people, we should seriously try to plan something.  Maybe in the fall when we're all done with all the busyness of summer.  For those of you not in MN, know that we all run around doing everything conceivable in the summer to take advantage of our limited months of nice weather.  We tend to get bored come fall and winter.  LOL! 

I'd love to go to Deb's festival, but she only serves wine in the PM.  Kind of a deal breaker for me.  I like to start my day chugging wine.

LOL -- ok, ok, I guess we can serve wine in the morning, but only if after chugging wine, Shelley performs her hoops for us. Have you all watched the videos of her hooping? I'm trying to figure out how she avoids knocking everything off the dresser or knocking herself in the head which I can pretty much guarantee I would do.

I am wholeheartedly behind mimosas in the morning, just saying.

Someday, I look forward to meeting everyone. 

Ah, Deb, I would have to hoop first and then chug wine. I've attempted hooping after a few cocktails, and it's not good.  That's when things get knocked down - or I knock myself out!

BTW, Minnesota readers, REK and I have PMd a bit.  We're thinking a HF get-together in the Twin Cities in September would be good.  What do you think?

Genie - Oh, thank you!  I love seeing your face!

And THAT, friends, is why I call her the FABULOUS Jeanne!  I'm am so dang jealous of Shelley!  Not only does she get to meet Jeanne, but she is cute as a button AND she can hoop, and knit and all those other cool creative things!

Yes, I think the chocolate fountain needs a trial run before the wedding and I can't think of a better place to do that than at an HF meet and greet.  Valli is not too far from me.  Maybe we can meet up half way and give it a whirl!

Ramsey is truly my BFF.  We thought we had a slight issue with the wedding date and he offered to move it if we needed to at no charge. Turns out we don't want to change it after all, but it was very nice of him to offer.  Hopefully an indication of things to come when the nitty meets the gritty.

We're thinking a HF get-together in the Twin Cities in September would be good.  I would love that but please not the Mall of America I would rather eat bugs chocolate covered of course rather than go there.

It would be like Book Stock!    LOLLLLLLL

OMG, you look like relatives.  I mean that in the nicest way.  You are have that same gleam in the eye and sparkle in the smile.   What a great photo of both of you.