O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!

I slept well last night.

Because I was tired, oh so tired, and happy, yes, oh so happy.

I'd had a wonderful day.

Himself drove me to Trenton in the early hours, and there I caught the express to New York City (yes, I'm such a rube that I call it by its full name). I got to town earlier than anticipated, before my first destination would even open (at eleven o'clock), so I took my time walking there, despite the cold and considerable wind. I took a couple of pictures of personal landmarks my older son would remember from the years he lived there, and sent them to him. Then I arrived at City Quilter, where I prowled around for quite a while.

There's this stereotype about NYC people being brusque and impatient and unhelpful and, friends, I tell you I did not meet one of those people yesterday.

The City Quilter people were so friendly and helpful, even urging me to take photographs (perhaps to be published later). I bought a book, some black on white FQs (my current craze) and FQs from two Australian lines. There was an exhibit of gorgeous quilts and I photographed them (don't be so impatient!).

My next stop was Papyrus where I picked up some surprise add-on Christmas gifts. Then I was off for the reason for my visit. I was lunching with a long-time virtual friend before she moves to another continent.

Neither of us could remember how we initially "met." Our lives are vastly different, yet in the important ways, so similar. No, she's not a quilter [yet] but she's mad about William Morris, knows how important raising her children is, struggles with issues of meaning and relationship and purpose, is a better writer than I am, equally good story-teller and listener, and oh so much more. We'd read each other's blogs, Friended each other, and sent Christmas cards and a handful of emails over the six or so years since connecting. Getting together was like reconnecting with an old, dear friend I'd lost track of.

After lunch she graciously accompanied me to my other destinations, sharing stories and thoughts as we trekked to Marimekko where I picked up a coffee mug (which I deemed a peculiar purchase at my age but bought it nonetheless). I was determined to get to Gudrun Sjoden and she joyfully accompanied me to a place she'd never been, where each of us bought wonderful, colorful apparel in gorgeous cloth bags. Purl Soho, I'd learned was really just around the corner, so of course I had to put in an appearance. We ogled and fondled the Liberties and then went on our way; it was perhaps a good thing I'd already spent so much money -- otherwise I might well have succumbed to a beckoning dear little bundle of F8s for $55!

My chauffeur met me once again in Trenton and even sprang for Jules Thin Crust on the way home; with nearly 11,000 steps on the Fitbit, I retired early and, as mentioned, slept well and dreamed beautiful dreams.