My Meet-up With Fellow Blogger, Sherri Matthews

Sherri & Sarah Last Monday, I met up with the wonderful Sherri Matthews who blogs at A View From My Summerhouse.

Sherri and I have become firm emailing friends (the modern equivalent of pen friends) since she appeared as guest storyteller on my blog back in December. I’ve lost count of how many emails we’ve exchanged since then, but they’re probably exceeded the one hundred mark.

Although we live about 150 miles apart — Sussex and Somerset — we’ve discovered that in the past we shared many of the same stamping grounds, which makes it amazing we never crossed paths earlier in our lives; then again, maybe we did walk down the same street, never knowing we would become friends later.

In fact, it’s uncanny how many life coincidences and things we have in common. For example, one of Sherri’s grown up sons lives in the seaside town (these days a city) where I was born and went to school, while her other son lives in the county town where I attended Technical College and, later, where my husband had an antique shop.

Last weekend, Sherri was on one of her regular visits to this county town, which is only 17 miles from my home, and, to my great excitement, stayed on an extra day so we could finally meet.

Much as I suspected, we got along famously and never stopped talking. If anyone were to calculate the number of words shared between us in a few hours, these words would most likely equal the length of a novella! Needless to say, the time flew by far too fast.

Before I sign off, I just want to mention that Sherri hasn’t been able to blog for the past fortnight due to her new laptop breaking down and the retailers taking an age fixing it for her. This has meant she has had to use her old laptop, on which the internet moves slower than a snail. But at least the machine is useable for word-processing, so she can continue working on her memoir. Meanwhile, do check out Sherri’s blog and have a read of her old posts and say “hi”, so she has some lovely comments awaiting her when she returns to blogging in the near future.

Meanwhile, I say three cheers to WordPress for its grand blogging community, where friendships such as mine and Sherri’s are forged 🙂

Author: Sarah Potter Writes

Sarah is a British eccentric who writes offbeat fiction, haiku and tanka poetry. When stuck for words, she sketches or paints instead. She's into nature conservation, sustainability, gardening, dogs, natural health, and reading. Her sociability is something that happens in short bursts with long breathing spaces in between.

57 thoughts on “My Meet-up With Fellow Blogger, Sherri Matthews”

    1. Yes, some people shun the internet as if it’s all bad, but they’ve no idea what they’re missing out on, friendship-wise.
      I think you’ll love Sherri’s blog and will get along famously with each other if you decide on a mutual follow 🙂
      I was thinking the other day, that yours was one of the first blogs I followed and then, to my excitement, you followed me back. Thanks, Naomi, for being with me from the start on my blog journey 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  5. Brought a lump to my throat… two of my favourite bloggers, both high up on my own list of commenters, and now real-life friends meeting up in an area of the world I know only too well. So glad you gals enjoyed your time together 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. Now you’ve brought a lump to my throat, Spike. Such a lovely comment to find first thing this morning 🙂 Yes, I admit to reading my email notifications, plus news headlines, and the local weather forecast on my mobile phone with my morning tea!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Now, if I could just teleport across the Pond, Leigh, I could visit you, too, cutting out all the airports and crowds en route. How I wish.
      I did have an hour’s chat on Skype with one of my blogging friends in South Africa, once we had sorted out the time difference.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. That is so cool, talking on Skype with someone far away [husband has used it a few times, but I haven’t had the opp yet]! Anyway, I hate flying. One of my phobias. Yeah, we definitely need the ‘beaming’ abilities used in the Star Trek franchises, pronto, minus the teleporter ‘accidents’ sometimes depicted! We’ll just need to remember to never wear a red shirt.

        Liked by 1 person

  7. Thank you so much for such a lovely post Sarah, even though in one way it seems ages ago that we met, it also seems just like yesterday. It was a wonderfully happy day, just as I knew it would be, and as you say, here’s to many more! And so glad you are back to blogging again, you were missed very much. I look forward to sharing your post with my readers asap 🙂 xxxx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I’m so glad to be back to blogging, too, Sherri: or rather, half-returned, as I am aware that my project is by no means complete. Sharp learning curve has been happening this last week, as I discover how to format my Word document so it starts to look more like a book. Very interesting things I’ve discovered: things like inserting a drop letter at the beginning of each chapter; inserting a fancy fleuron to indicate scene breaks; choosing the most reader-friendly font; and getting the leading (line spacing) right — just to name a few. It’s a whole new world.
      Will email you soon. Have been having rather a busy weekend so far. The intention was there this morning, but the call of the sunshine became too great and I went for a long walk on the Downs instead of sitting at the computer. I noted that there were quite a few ripe blackberries, so a return visit sometime next week is planned.
      I hope you have plenty of sunshine this weekend down your way 🙂 xxxx

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. These sharp learning curves are time consuming but so satisfying when we at last get to figure out how something works. I am not there with formatting yet…all this to come, oh joy! Hope you are getting on well with it, exciting! It is so hard to sit at the computer when the sun is shining, far better to take a good walk along the Downs. The weekend was a good but busy one, and now here we are, Monday already. Where do the days go? Blackberry time…always reminds me of back to school and then my birthday. I must get picking too! I hope you had a super weekend and a productive, good week ahead. I am sorely lacking with my memoir writing…trying desperately to get back into the swing of my good routine that when I get it, I get it, but when it goes, everything goes with it 😦 Oh well…here’s to another week ahead my friend! No pressure with the email…I more than understand! Hugs… 🙂 xxxx

        Liked by 1 person

      2. The trouble with doing all this formatting is that I’m feeling very guilty about being behind reading my fellow bloggers’ posts. It’s a juggling act, indeed. At least I’ll be able to pass on all these formatting tips to you, Sherri, should you decide to self-pub. Obviously, if you decide to try the traditional route first, submissions to publishers and agents need formatting differently. As for getting into the swing of a good routine, we would have to live in splendid isolation to do that!
        Will email sometime this week, hopefully sooner rather than later. Then I can tell you about my first ever attempt at singing the alto part rather than soprano part in an anthem this weekend just gone. (Yay, success, and I believed it an impossibility!). xxxx

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Ha,yes, spending isolation! What’s that then? I keep thinking of Virginia Woolf’s Windmill House in Lewes. That would do nicely!! Oh that’s wonderful Sarah, I can’t wait to hear all about your singing. And I need to tell you too about my visit with my Dad on Sunday, his 83rd birthday, bless. First time since I was a child that I got to celebrate his birthday with him 🙂 xxxx

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Reblogged this on A View From My Summerhouse and commented:
    Two months ago, waaaay back in early summer (I am increasingly convinced that time moves differently in this blogging dimension), I had the pleasure of meeting up with my lovely blogger friend Sarah. Sarah has now returned to blogging after her month-long hiatus to edit her urban fantasy novel, so I’m delighted to now share her wonderful write-up of our happy time spent together. In Sarah’s own words, three cheers indeed to WordPress for our grand blogging community!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Three weeks on from my month-long hiatus, I’m still being very lax about blogging as I’m now trying to get my head around formatting prior to publication. Just so much to learn, and this whilst doing my read-through from hard copy, plus sorting out about artwork for the cover. Am certainly exercising my brain cells. Will try to get back into a proper blogging routine soon.
      Thank you, so much, for the reblog, Sherri, my lovely friend 🙂 xxxx

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. You are working so hard Sarah, I’m soooo proud of you ⭐ Talk about a huge learning curve, phew! You can only do what you can do blogging wise (as I tell myself all the time) but I’m so glad to be able to at last share your wonderful post, it’s my pleasure. I still smile at the memories of our happy afternoon, and here’s to the next one as soon as…
        Have a lovely, productive and hopefully as stress free day as possible my lovely friend 🙂 xxxx

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I am staying calm with the additional help of some B Vitamins. They seem to be working 🙂 Am feeling both excited and daunted about the whole publication exercise, though. I just downloaded a 65-page document from Create Space today, titled “PDF Submission Specification”. Good bedtime reading … hah, hah … yawn … technical overload headache coming on. The receptionist at the dentist told me yesterday that she would be buying my book for Christmas, so there’s no wriggling out of things now 🙂 xxxx

        Liked by 1 person

      3. I am taking my B Vitamins too Sarah, and I really do believe they help a lot. Oh I can well understand that, very exciting and how wonderful, your first sale (not including mine of course 🙂 . I feel the same with getting my first draft finished – very soon, I hope – one minute crushing self defeat and then utter elation at the thought that I’m actually going to do it! So for you it must be times 7!!! So glad you are staying calm, that’s great news! Bug hugs Sarah, you can do it, I know you can… 🙂 xxxx

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Jill, you are an angel and too kind as I don’t feel very awesome 😀 But you MUST come over. Remember, I have that seat reserved at The Snowdrop in Lewes – you know the one Sarah? – ready and waiting 🙂 xo

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  11. How wonderful that the two of you were able to meet up and share so many words. 🙂 I would love to meet both of you in person too. In fact there are quite a few bloggers whose company I know I would really enjoy.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  12. It’s always nice when bloggers can connect in real time not just virtual. I was fortunate to do that here as well. Love reading Sherri’s blog and the laptop debacle has been most unfortunate. It was nice to meet you through Sherri. Have a wonderful productive week.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Yes, I agree that it’s nice to meet one’s fellow bloggers in real time. With Sherri, our regular email exchanges have further enlivened and strengthened our friendship — something that would not have happened but for blogging. Thank you for visiting my blog and commenting. You have a wonderful productive week, too.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

    2. Lovely to see you here at Sarah’s wonderful blog Marlene, thank you so much for your lovely words. Thankfully, the laptop issues are a thing of the past now and long may they remain there! So happy that you got to meet Sarah too 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  14. Sarah, it’s delightful to “meet you” and read this wonderful post about meeting up with Sherri, one of my very favorite people. The picture of you two together is worth more than a thousand words, conveying the time you had together.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Dear Marylin, lovely you meeting lovely Sarah, I am absolutely delighted 🙂 How fantastic that through Sarah’s wonderful post, she has shared our happy day with you and our amazing blogging community 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  15. Pingback: December’s Guest Storyteller, Sherri Matthews | Sarah Potter Writes

Please comment, whatever your planet of origin.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.