I was her fan...Now, we're buds...

I got to meet Ree Drummond, of The Pioneer Woman fame, last Saturday! It was a good, good day... well,even better than that!

Every day, I read this woman's blog: thepioneerwoman.com. Every week, I cook or bake something -- usually more than one thing -- from her cookbook. She's clever, witty, funny, smart, and now I know she's gracious, friendly and truly beautiful too. She always makes people feel good with her writing, her pictures, her humble accounts of the craziness of how she, a city slicker, ended up on a ranch in Oklahoma. I admire her...I want to be her! Well, with my own twist.

So, anyway, when I heard she was going to be in Seattle, and that my friend Tami was going and offering a ride...I HAD to go!! And what a time we had...

My companions on this adventure were: Kelly, Tami & Holly...

Oh! We had such a good time...so much talking, laughing, relating. Oh my!! These women are clever, witty, funny, smart, and gracious, friendly and truly beautiful too. I admire them...and now they're my buds too.

Of course, since we were in The Big City, we had to do a little shopping. Kelly and I spent just as much time doing some Big City coffee drinking (yep, Starbucks) and visiting, while Tami and Holly did some efficient and successful bargain hunting...Oh the joys! Bargains  in the Fancy Stores!!!

Over dinner, we discussed what we might say to P-Dub...I had no idea what I was going to say! "I like your blog" seemed pretty lame. Some of my other options seemed too personal: "I can spend hours looking at pictures of your kids riding horse", or silly:"I know my dog would like your dog", and more lameness: "Uh--I don't buy salsa anymore since I got your recipe." Tami decided to discuss spanx...(Ree is so gracious that this did not turn out to be a risky topic at all!) Holly had Ree sign books for her daughter and future DIL (as yet unknown) so she could talk about that. Kelly dipped in on a great conversation about Ree's former vegetarianism while we waited in the bookstore, so she was ready to relate that...As I said, these are clever, witty women!

After all my deliberation, all that came out of my mouth was : "Thanks!" and later, "Thanks for coming to Seattle."

Certainly nothing memorable came out of my mouth...but I think P-Dub just might remember this group. Undoubtedly, we were some of the noisiest, happiest and laughing-est"buds" there...

As much as I enjoy P-Dub, it's safe to say I will enjoy these women more...They are doing good work in my hometown, raising families, supporting their friends, contributing to community in so many ways...Sometimes just by laughing and talking and enjoying an adventure all together...

So it was a good, good day...One I'll remember with laughter and warm feelings for a long, long time. So thanks, Ree -- Thanks for coming to Seattle!