So I get this email from a sewing buddy ...

One of my closest sewing buddies, who is literally halfway around the world from me, emails somewhat out of the blue, "I'm thinking about a trip to the U.S., do you meet up with online friends?"

And I say, "Yes! You, of course." And she begins planning a stop by my place. I suggested she take in another city while she was in the U.S. ... I put out Las Vegas, either of the Disney monstrosities, or New York City as possible options.

Being several steps ahead, Kathleen had already planned to hit New York City. I, ever so casually, offered to accompany her on the remaining leg of her American journey. Assuming, of course, that 1) she would welcome the company, and 2) I wasn't intruding on other plans. And I wasn't. Yay! So here's our story ...

Kathleen arrived at IAH on Sunday the 30th of November. We stayed up until midnight chatting away and getting to know each other in person before I let her sleep for a couple of hours. While she was in Houston, we took in the spectacle ... Wal-Mart and huge trucks in the parking lot, the local malls (where we thoroughly dissected the sewing techniques and Kathleen found a gorgeous silk dress at Nordies), and our local fabric stores (Hancock's, JoAnn's, and Universal Fabric Center in the Rice Village, where they tried to charge me $50 a yard for a $16 a yard cotton/lycra ... sheesh).

I will always remember the comment she made about getting to used to "our" accents, our being myself and my immediate family. We don't have accents. My mother is from Colorado and my dad from several places, which gives my brother and I fairly accentless English ... until the ya'll comes out. We're obviously from North America, but even Canadians can't figure me out. :)

In no time at all, four days has rushed past. The night of the 4th found us hurriedly finishing the hem on a dress she needed later on in her journey, and trying to pack for our takeoff the next morning to New York City.