Cheers from Spy Girl

Yesterday morning, I woke up to an UNBELIEVABLE surprise! 

You all, of course, know Anne Bray, the talented Spy Girl, and her fun, inspired and inspiring Digital Catwalk where you can find so many of your favorite style bloggers and dear blogging friends. I loved Anne's fun sketches, and I have to admit, when I looked at them, I thought to myself that maybe some day... just maybe... I'm not saying it's gonna happen... but wouldn't it be wonderful if some day... (Yeah, I am a dreamer, what can I say.) But of course, I did not expect anything. And especially that some day will come so fast! Anne took me absolutely by surprise when she sent me this beautiful sketch of my modest red wine loving persona last morning. I was laughing and jumping, and I adored it! I still can't believe that it actually happened! I am amazed! 

Anne, you are AMAZING!  

I participated in Anne's 52 Pick-Me-Up: Libation week 

with this outfit inspired by my love of red wine.

I love the glass of wine in my hand - such a fun artistic touch! And I love the title Anne gave to the sketch. But I didn't get the cultural reference right away. Justin told me that Red Red Wine is a song title, so I had to Google it to get my proper music education up to speed. To my surprise, I recognized the song! Of course I did! I used to love UB40, and I love reggae - it's so happy and makes you want to start dancing (or, at least, wiggling). I bet I first heard this song in the early 90s, back in Russia, when I was making funky plaid or bright floral wide-legged "skirt-pants" (that's what we used to call culottes in Russian, юбка-брюки, this clothing item was considered very cool in those days), and if it wasn't culottes, then probably something else equally funky, while listening to the pirate MTV translation from Asia (I remember that it was black and white on my TV). Back then, I did not know much English. Not even enough to understand "red red wine". (I studied other foreign languages in school and college - I am practically a self-taught English speaker and writer, I only had a few initial lessons in the very beginning, before I moved to America.) But I appreciated the music, the rhythm, the voices, the energy! That pirate Asian MTV was my window to a new, unknown Western world. And my first English words came from MTV too. Who knows, where I would  be if not for that pirate translation! See, Anne, what memories you awoke. :) 

I am still in the state of amazement. I had no idea when I began this blog, what a fun and supportive community of women I would find online. Always, as long as I can remember, I trusted in women's friendship. For one reason or another, women need other women, we need to feel relevant, equal, loved, cared for, inspired and inspiring. We need friends who remember our kids' and pets' names, and who can always find a kind and encouraging word in their heart whether we feel happy and content, or we feel down and looking for support. So I just go ahead and tell you this. You probably don't even know what you all mean to me. Or maybe you do. Maybe that is exactly what you find in this wonderful, warm, accepting community?

...You are a source of inspiration and fresh ideas. You are a source of a good joke and a good mood. You are the healing source for my soul. I know that when I come here to post photos of myself, you will always accept, encourage, and sincerely compliment me, even though there are tons of ways to find a flaw or two in my looks. But you always, always have beautiful, kind words to say, day after day, post after post. Because kindness and honesty are actually not mutually exclusive, as some think. They are two sides of the same coin, and you, my beautiful friends, truly own this wisdom.

And that's what Anne does, giving so freely, so generously her fun, energetic sketches full of personality! She finds the best in each of us and makes a star of each of us. We will shine from her beautiful illustrations from now on, forever.

Needless to say that I will print this sketch and hang it in my home, so I will always be able to see it and be reminded of you, my dear amazing Anne! And I also will be reminded of all the beautiful community of friends that I found online. Thank you! Here is to Friendship! Cheers!