Yesterday, I had the pleasure to meet my blog friend Rosie Scribble (the one of Google+ fame) for lunch. A rather civilised affaire at the Covent Garden Hotel, with crisp white napkins, iced water in tall goblets and crunchy bread rolls that nestled neatly on small white plates to our lefts.

I love blogging for that. For creating friendships and slowly but surely spilling from online relationships into the real world. You might feel a little funny at first, sitting in front of someone you have only met in the flesh a couple of times, yet know so well. But as soon as you have gotten over yourself and the awkwardness, you are in for a great time.

Although Rosie and I are quite similar – similar upbringing with similar hurdles to overcome – I don’t think we would have managed to carve out a friendship in real life only. Rosie is living in Nottinghamshire and commuting between London and home. I am living in London with two small kids. There is little time for regular meet ups and keeping in touch. Thanks to blogging though, we knew what the other one had been up to, even though we hadn’t seen each other in a while.

It was lovely to see how much good the new job is doing Rosie. As if a light was shining right out of her.

We talked about the importance of having a constant source of success. An affirmation of skills and talents. Something that motherhood alone cannot offer. For me, there is no sense of achievement in constantly wiping bottoms, noses and/or surfaces. I don’t revel in keeping the house tidy, the kids happy and running five loads of washing a day. Having seen Rosie, I realised even more how much I need to hang on to my own career and push forward to get my book published*.

Where we went Brasserie Max at The Covent Garden Hotel, 10 Monmouth Street, London WC2H 9HB, Tel.: 020 7806 1007

What we ate Rosie: Penne with chargrilled broccoli, basil pesto and pine nuts; Deborah: Caesar Salad with chicken, followed by Eton Mess on both parts

*blog post on that matter to follow