Yesterday I got a new email address. And I won't tell you what it is because I only intend to use it for a solitary purpose...to chat with my dear friend who's spending a year in Kenya. She left in August and being back in Rochester without her has been less than satisfactory. North Chili and Rochester are our old stomping grounds. We've raked leaves, climbed trees, performed all over, picked apples, cooked meals, spent nights, you-name-it-we've-probably-done-it here. This is the first time since we became friends that we haven't lived in the same area and, let me tell you, it's not fun. The added distance and time difference that Kenya brings to the equation makes it harder to communicate. I write weekly letters and email often, but it's not the same as phone calls and face-to-face. It's not LIVE.
Yesterday we happened to email each other at the same time. And then we responded to the emails at the same time. It was email-chatting (something VWH and I did for two years in NC when he was at his uber-slow job) at its finest. But it was still slower than real time. So I bit the bullet and got the same email provider as she did so we can chat. (Kind of like switching to Verizon because you can call your friends who are also on Verizon for free.) I made the account too late yesterday to use it initially, but had it open all today in the hopes of catching her.
I did! Around 2PM I heard the most wonderful "ping" sound and saw a real-live greeting on my screen from Kenya. We were able to talk for about 20 minutes and it was glorious. Huzzah for technology and instant communication! Next up: a web cam! :)
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