Sandee and Zane

It’s funny how life works. A few short weeks ago, I had no idea I would be meeting one of my favorite blog friends live and in person!

I need a number of CME hours every year to keep my medical license current. It’s a common routine among doctors to realize that the year is almost over and that we need CME hours pronto! Of course, by then the holidays are upon us, and the year end schedules are pretty much set in stone. So I looked at my calendar and realized I had a span of four short days in December that I could use for some of my needed educational hours. Of course I asked myself, “What are the chances I’ll find a good conference on those exact days?! Slim to none.” But I did a search anyway, and was surprised to find an excellent Cardiology conference put on by UCSF, on the exact days! I figured that was a sign from heaven and signed up on the spot.

I thought of Sandee immediately. As everyone knows, Sandee is the giver of “Big Hugs” who runs the Comedy Plus blog. She brings smiles, chuckles, and LOL’s to the whole wide world! I get her daily posts in my morning emails, and always look forward to the cheerful pick-me-up. I knew that Sandee lived close by. I had seen her many pictures of boating on the bay. So I dropped her an email informing her of my trip plans and inquiring if she and Zane would like to meet Gail and me for dinner. Her reply? “You bet!”

The rest is history, as well recorded on her blog earlier today. Each of us had a bit of an adventure getting to the yacht club for dinner, but we got there! The Encinal Yacht Club was gorgeous, the evening was pleasantly cool, and the slight fog gave the city lights a beautiful, soft glow. At this, our first meeting, I felt an instant bond with both Sandee and her husband, Zane. They had a Big Hug, open armed welcome for us, and the rest of the evening was spent in fun and friendly conversation and enjoying a splendid dinner! It was a wonderful feeling to meet Sandee and Zane live and in person, and to get a couple of her famous “Big Hugs” IRL!

For me, blogging is about making human connections with people of like minds. I have gravitated to a few such people, geographically scattered all over the place, usually far enough away that an actual meeting is unlikely. But I value those relationships in a very real way. And now, having actually met, I will treasure our friendship in a really real way!

Thank you Sandee and Zane! I am happy and proud to call you friends!! 🙂