The Queen and her Ladies-in-Waiting

Date: March 27, 2008

Time: Running late (It's my fate)

Place: An Italian restaurant (well, actually the restaurant isn't Italian; the food served there is Italian-American style cuisine)

Reason: The Queen of the Blogosphere (Mimi) was visiting Connecticut (gracing The Nutmeg State with her royal presence)

Like Linda, I had also received a royal summons, nearly a command, to travel many miles to dine with Blog Royalty. Since I am not nearly as well known in blogospheric circles as Mimi and Linda, I decided to keep my invitation under wraps. Although I must say I had some fun dropping hints about it.

One should never turn down an invitation from a Queen, especially this one.
So I gassed up the carriage and took a drive. I got to the restaurant and introduced myself to Her Highness, who had just minutes earlier met our friend Linda for the first time.

Linda and I soon became Ladies-in-Waiting.
We carried the Queen's purse. We gave her newly-charged batteries for her royal camera. We even let her have her own side of the restaurant booth to herself.

(Truth be told, the thought of sitting NEXT to a Queen struck fear in my heart. So I gracefully seated myself next to the much less intimidating Linda, who has been given the title of Linda, Duchess of Norwich-upon-the-Thames. Yes, Connecticut has a Thames River just like London does.)
We had a delightful dinner, free of alcoholic beverages, but filled with caffeine, pasta, and lots of laughter.

Sadly, however, other local blue bloods I know and love were not so fortunate.

Behold the following conversation overheard among two of my close friends who were visiting me just yesterday:

Prince: Cindy, I've heard that our Queen, the lovely Mimi, is visiting Connecticut and staying in an undisclosed location. She has even dined in public, crown-less. But I have not received a royal summons to spend time with her.
Havest thou?

Cinderella: Nope. I ain't got no invite to no dinner, lunch, breakfast or brunch. Not even to Happy Hour.

Prince: I feareth we no longer rateth.

Cinderella: You may be correcteth.

Prince: How caneth we get our revenge?

Cinderella: Hmmm ... I know! We can bloggeth about it. That would enrage the Queen.

Prince: I believe you are correcteth. That would be a royal mess, and one I would like to help maketh.

Cinderella: Next time I am going to make a public appearance, I ain't gonna call the Queen to ask her to join me. She can go pound sand.

Prince: Cindy, you are not only beautiful, but smart. Borderline brilliant, I dare sayeth.
That is why I lovest thou.

And so, the Prince and his lady love, Cindy, decided to forget about the Queen and her snobbish ways. They were slighted by her but they knew in their hearts they could get over it. They left Connecticut and moved to a less expensive state, where they lived happily ever after.

* * *

Here's Linda --->
snapping a photo of moi.

And here I am, warming up to the Queen:

(As for the three of us, we returned to our respective homes and computers, full of memories of a jolly good time.)

Jolly good.

~ ~ ~

UPDATE: Please read Linda's and Mimi's accounts of this special evening. They are great fun. And Mimi even got the videos to work.