You've said it's interesting to see what captures a foreigner's eye, and this may have you scratching your head... I love to tell a story, so bare with me if you're interested!
I mentioned our friends in Sydney (and you wouldn't believe how convoluted THAT story is as to how we came to know them so well!) But that accomplished, I was creating cards and projects with artistic rubber stamps back then. In a rubber stamp magazine, I saw an article about an Australian Stamp shop called "Inkum Dinkums", a play on the local phraseology for "The Real Deal". I showed the article to my friend, Melinda, who said there was a craft show in the Hunter Valley and she'd take me there to meet the owner! Meeting was a fortuitous delight, and as we headed back to Sydney, Enid, the shop owner, called Kaye (pictured) who worked the shop for her, to say we were coming in soon!
During our visit, we all became friends, she introduced us to other like-minded stampers, and before another year had passed, Enid brought two friends with her to visit in California! We took them sightseeing, sealed the friendship, and (stay with me here... Next chapter)
Enid, and her husband, Gordon, were the couple who had a friend in Lunenburg. They visited Jean there, and returned to say that Jean would love for us to come for a visit! At the end of the 1990s, Enid and Gordon decided to purchase a "6-month home" in Lunenburg, we visited, did the same, enjoyed 20+ years of friendship there, flying to Oz to visit our (now) many friends, and Enid and Gordon taking a layover with us in California each time they headed back to Nova Scotia or home again! I randomly picked a year, and, as was typical, we're with our friends from Oz at the same time my California neighbour was visiting us!
https://365project.org/Weezilou/365/2012-08-08
I'd like to think that this image begged for the story to be told, and there you have it!
@pamknowler I didn't realize you never knew the back story! You because one of those wonderful connections as well, and look at the friendships we now share in England, and Nova Scotia!
@allie912 I never miss the opportunity to strike up a conversation with someone if they seem to harbor something interesting about them! I need to write a book of the "coincidences" in my life that have happened as a result! Many are quite extraordinary!
@gardencat "A few rubber stamps..."! Before there was a "www." and there were bulletin boards even before chat rooms (anyone remember those?!) I went by the name of "Stamp Overload"... Enough said? The stamping circle I came to know was as pathetic as I was with their inability to pass up a new stamp!
@corinnec @illinilass Corinne and Dorothy, thanks. I do love to write, and my daughter gave me subscription this year to "Storywell" where she hopes Ken and I will write about growing up and compile those in a book for the grandchildren at the end of the year.