my afternoon with prince harry

Last week, I got a blast-from-the-past email from a friend whom I haven't seen or spoken to in years.

She'd been watching TV coverage of Prince Harry's Washington, D.C., visit and thought she saw me in the background, stalking the royal uncle-in-waiting as he roamed the halls of Congress.

"I know that's something Patra from 8 years ago would do," she said, "was it you?"

If the MI6  has a file on me I wouldn't be surprised. I tend to make the paper(s) when the Brothers Wales dominate American headlines. I can't deny it's odd behavior for a lady of my age, but if the ginger prince came to your office wouldn't you try to catch a glimpse?

With just a little shame, I admitted to my friend that it was likely me, as the photos seen on the front page of UK Daily Mail (and also on CNN, HuffPo, WaPo, Gawker, USA Today and People) would confirm.  

In defense of all us curious anglophiles, I will tell you that the welcome we gave Harry was indeed hospitable but hardly the Beatles-crazed mania you read it was.  UK Daily (one of my favorite reads; I was highly amused to make its print) reported that police escorted us all back to our desks. That didn't happen (but should security have tried, I was ready to test the Reese Witherspoon I Am An American Citizen defense). Though mocked globally, our curiosities obstructed no one's justice. 

where the blogway meets the runway it's a small, small world

**enter here to win a $50 gift card from Tiny Prints!**

One fun fact about Washington is that you can bump into strangers on the street and hours later find yourself sharing secrets over dinner.  Now this doesn't happen every night, but in my years here it's happened a few times, and that's where today's story picks up.  Last night.

I was solo at Bloomingdales for a charity fashion show (which you can read more about over at Fedscoop!). Going to events alone makes me nervous and socially awkward so when through a cluster of geeks and glamazons I saw the familiar face of someone I "know" but have never met - MCW from Saving the Best for Last blog - I was thrilled!

When we locked eyes MCW rebuffed the gentleman vying for her attention by telling him she'd just seen an old friend. HAAA.

We've been reading each other's blogs for a while, even meaning to meet up for drinks. Life just kept getting the way. Until...life suddenly imitated Anna Wintour and landed us front and center beside the runway.  I call this The Devil Wears Forever 21......(cause that's where I bought my sunglasses). 

I mean, how often do you meet people who'll play Posh with you by pose-harding for sport? 

MCW was there with Landlocked Mermaid (center above; she blogs privately). Before we knew it the three of us were shopping for lip-gloss before gossiping over a late night dinner. I had SUCH a good time, and loved that a soiree I feared would leave me the wallflower instead made me a bonafide Disney princess.....

"The Disney Princesses" is what Mermaid's husband calls all the bloggers she knows and reads. Hysterical.  I'm so happy to be part of Mermaid and MCW's small blog world! 

My Naked Neighbor

Don't go thinking I'm some kind of Peeping Tom. I am not. Even if I was, though, out in my 'burbs, I wouldn't even have try...

My neighbor likes to cook in the buff. No lie. He lives alone, keeps always to himself, so if that's his thing, who am I to judge? My only thought is this: he needs new blinds.

His have a small break. It isn't huge, and even if he wore JUST an apron it'd be fine for the most part, but the breach in the blinds is big enough to know that when I see buns, it's not because he's cooking hamburgers. And when I see a weiner, it's well....you get it: not hot dog night.

He starts his supper about the time I pull in from work every night. The first time I saw {all of} him I was, admittedly, a little phased. I told Dan. He didn't believe me. Like I'd make up a naked neighbor?! It wasn't too long, though, before an innocent run to the mail box for Dan turned into....a peak at the male box. Oh yes. Now he believes me.

So...who wants to come over for dinner {heehee}?!