Bloggrrls Boogie on a Friday Night

What a laugh-riot! Last night, Susan, Nina, and I got together with Trixie, who is visiting the Cincinnati area from the 49th State, Seward's Folly, the great state of Alaska. Also joining us was Trixie's mom, who can party like it's 1999 (It was her house, after all!), Trixie's daughter, Vivi, and Susan's daughter, Isabelle. It was a Girls' Night In that spanned 3 generations, and boy, did we have fun. Of course, I have known Susan for a while and we have hung out together several times. I had met Nina before, too, at the Cincinnati Nature Center last summer, but it was my first chance to meet Trixie. I'm so glad we were able to arrange this visit.

Four different women, of varying ages, with different backgrounds and lives, coming together to share a love of nature, friendship, and blogging. Nina is as calm and serene as the beautiful photographs she posts at "Nature Remains."

Nina in an unguarded moment

Susan is a laugh-a-minute, raunchy and irreverent and crazy, but in a GOOD way, just like her "Susan Gets Native" blog.

Susan, uncharacteristically quiet

And Trixie, who I'm ashamed to say I have never read, is warm and funny and informative and a great hostess. I gotta go read her stuff now, too.

Trixie, a great new friend

Then, there was me. I'll leave it to the others to tell you who KatDoc is in person. Just don't believe it when they tell you I am directionally challenged. I am usually spot-on when it comes to finding my way to new places, but I was never so lost in my life as I was wandering through subdivisions and condo complexes last night!

Our conversation ranged far and wide, but the hottest topics were birds and nature, RAPTOR, how to avoid bear problems (dogs, noise, electric fences, and shooting them in the "bummy" with sandbags were all advocated, also, don't go running in a bear's backyard in the fall) and fixing Kathi's screwed-up love life. (No, it isn't fixed yet, but not for a lack of good advice from caring women.)


The littlest ones put on a fashion show, dragging out Mom's hats, scarves, shawls, and other knitwear, and accessorizing with an eclectic collection of jewelry and reading glasses before descending to the lower level to watch Scooby-Doo save the day yet again. Just in time for the talk to get a little smutty - just a little, mind you - before haring off in another direction. At one point, a mass descent on Whipple was proposed, to catch the Swinging Orangutangs at their Saturday night gig.


Nina provided us each with a lovely little black walnut cake, made with black walnuts from her own tree, and Susan distribute samples of her bead work. Trixie and Mom prepared a half dozen hors d'ouevers, and the wine flowed freely. (Hence, the suggestion we all drive across state the next day!)

The only down side was the trip home. The party didn't break up till 11pm, and the first thing we encountered on stepping outdoors was a dense fog bank. My throat closed up at the thought of getting back through the maze with a visibility of about 6 feet. Thankfully, Susan let me follow her till I reached familiar territory. As I headed south on the interstate, I realized I was going to be very late getting home, so sneaked into my mom's condo at midnight, where I keep a spare pair of PJ's and a toothbrush, thereby saving myself another hour's drive in the fog.

After too little sleep and a busy morning at the practice, I gathered up my dogs, facing extreme disapproval for leaving them in the kennel overnight, and made it back home in time for a Saturday afternoon nap. I can't handle these late nights any more!

Thanks, ladies, for a fun-filled evening.