Peggy, the International Star!

 When I first started keeping a blog, so many years ago, it was more of a daily personal diary.  Over time, it has evolved more into op ed offerings of wisdom, humor, frustration, and fear.  I try not to take myself too seriously.

As a college English major and lifelong teacher of English, I do know how to write formally, but I'm retired now and have fallen into the habit of keeping the blog informal; i.e. deliberately misusing punctuation and/or producing incomplete sentences for emphasis.  Like this one.  That way, I can always fall back on that as my excuse, as my daughter once did, every time she stumbled or hit a doorknob with her arm: "I meant to do that!"  (Still, it does bug the dickens out of me when I re-read a post I've already published and find an error that I did not intend.) 

I live alone.  My choice.  My solitary life has always been enriched by: lunches out with former students; adult Sunday School at my church, plus a little club called Golden Girls comprised of older women from the church that meets every other Friday for fellowship and worship: dinners out with adult friends who are past child-rearing years; trips out to Washington to be with family for special occasions or just because; et cetera. The advent of the Corona Virus pandemic has changed all of that, of course.  I only go out for necessities, and no one is allowed in.  (Well...one person is.  This would be my housekeeper gal.  I held off as long as I could, thinking this mess would all be over soon.  Silly me!)  In short, I go whole days--sometimes weeks--without much by way of human conversation/interaction beyond Facebook and Google Hangouts.  Therein lies the reason that I end up relying on ancient memories to write about in my blog.  It's an outlet for me so I don't lose my ever-lovin' mind.

I am aware that my blog is stark.  No pictures or fancy borders.  (That's a learning curve for me.)  Basically just words.  I read other blogs of people I don't know and envy their styles and visual aplomb.  Thus, I understand that my blog isn't significant except to me and my family.   

One day this week, my phone rang.  Yikes!  My phone never rings, except for telemarketing or fundraising calls.  The Caller ID said it was from an Unknown Name, and the area code was a bit wonky, so I figured it was a scam or telemarketer and didn't pick up.

A couple of minutes later, I got called from that very same number.  Hmmm....  It's not like telemarketers to call back so soon, so I did pick up.  A heavily-accented female voice on the other end asked if she was talking to Peggy.  Aha!  Must be a scammer.  My response was, "Who is this?"  As she started to talk, I recognized her accent as Australian.  Usually scammers or telemarketers have Indian or Nigerian accents.  We didn't have the best connection, but as she was telling me who she was, I recognized the word "blog".  I asked her to speak slower because the combination of accent and connection was making it difficult for me to follow, but we finally got it right.  

Her name is Libby, short for "Elizabeth".  She was calling from Adelaide, Australia, where is was 2:00 AM.  She just wanted to chat for a bit because--and this is what blows my mind--she follows my blog and read something there that worried her about my health.  Wait!  "You read my blog in Australia??"  After I took my jaw up off the floor, we talked.  Libby is eight years younger than I, a mother and grandmother.  We chit-chatted for almost 20 minutes on her nickel.  (Would hate to see the bill on that call!)  And when it was all over, I was shocked, amazed, and thrilled.  Someone in another country--continent, actually--not only reads my lowly blog but says she likes my style!  And you know what?  I like her style, too.  How many people do you know would pick up the phone and call a blogger just to touch bases?  (I have no clue how she got my phone number, but there is no privacy on the internet these days.)  

It's that latter part that makes my daughter totally suspicious, and rightly so.  Meg said, "How many people do you know who read a blog and say, 'I think I'll just pick up the phone and call the author?' Be careful, Mom."  I was being careful.  My conversation with Libby had to do with health and family, and the benefit of cloth "nappies" (diapers) over disposables.  (She's about to become a grandma again.)  

So, Libby from Australia, if you aren't for real, don't tell me!  For what it's worth, you made my day when you called.  I'm still in awe that, somehow, you found my blog and stuck with it.  Thanks for the boost!