I met a blog friend!

Since I met the folks at Alabama Bloggers, I've had the opportunity to meet many local bloggers. Several of them have become IRL (in real life) friends. We have such a wonderful community of bloggers in our state, and in Birmingham in particular.

One blogger I've followed for a couple of years but have never met in person (although we were both at a local Lisa Leonard event a couple of years ago at the same time) is Robin at Alabama Slacker Mama.

She and her entire family came into Birmingham for a company picnic last Saturday, and she Tweeted that she'd be within 20 miles or so of me. Since I'd picked up a Pioneer Woman cookbook for her at Ree's signing earlier this month, I Tweeted her asking if they wanted to come by and get it.

You know how you might Tweet a complete stranger on the spur of the moment and invite them to your house? (I'M SURE YOU DO. I'M SURE YOU DO THAT ALL THE TIME.) Well, I didn't expect her to say yes -- although I hoped she would -- but she did!

So although I had:

1. Not taken a shower that day

2. Just come in from the ballpark after sweating through two baseball games

3. Not reapplied deoderant

4. All the furniture in my den upended because we were having our new TV delivered and had to put it together

I STILL INVITED THEM IN. This shows personal growth on my part, Internet. Because who wants to invite people they've never met before into a house that's a complete wreck while they are sweating profusely and wearing a pank shirt? In the past, not I. But on Saturday, I did.

PERSONAL GROWTH. See it in action.

For the first hour or so, Jake, Amelia and I were the only ones home. And Amelia was smitten with Marty, Robin's husband. SMITTEN, I tell you. Here she is, looking up at him, captivated.

Maybe it was the boots.

Or the beard. Because she had never seen a man with a beard, to my knowledge.

Or boots, probably. Has anyone ever called Marty "exotic," Robin? Because I do believe that's what Amelia thought he was. EXOTIC.

Robin was just as personable and entertaining in person as she is on her blog. And Chelsea and Jameson were just the sweetest guests. They stayed and visited for, I don't know, two hours or so? Three? Who knows ... the time flew by!

We had so much fun and were so relaxed ... it was wonderful to meet them all and enjoy them on a leisurely Saturday afternoon. And no time to stress out! Just a total spur-of-the-moment thing.

What a joy! Thanks, Robin, for taking a risk on me! Hope you enjoy your cookbook.