I was just wandering through my profile when I noticed that I need 2 more exchanges to reach 100 people that's I've met through letterboxing. That's just amazing to me. A little over a year ago I attended my first gathering (WNY) and was scared to be in a group of people I only knew by a stamped image. I remember sitting in the car and telling Katchick that even though we drove 2 hours to get there, there was NO WAY I was walking into that pavilion (little known fact: I'm horribly shy. I cover it up by incessant talking :P).

So a little over a year ago I had no idea that Red Barn Photos would become such a good friend that would help me buy luggage and who my cat actually approved of. I had no idea that Craftymouse was obsessed with crafting (and Twilight!) as I am or that Dandelion was more addicted to feathers than his cat. I didn't know that Aceohearts boys would cuddle with any person around or that Fuchsia Fairydust and Camper Dude were some of the most articulate children I'd ever meet. I had no idea that Walker63 was a man you could trust to stick his hand in the grimy hidey hole as the sole hero in a group of women or that The Point was so sweet and nice.

I didn't know that JackBear could carve stamps and put them on a beer bottle (and therefore becoming Brentaroni's favorite boxer) or that Kitten without mittens could carve images so tiny that I had trouble believing they weren't magic. I didn't know that 3 Blind Mice had such beautiful little girls or that I could meet Infinity out on the trail at 8am on a Sunday morning and talk about our love of Get Fuzzy. I didn't know that Jiggs had such AWESOME and wonderful kids or that he was one of the jolliest guys I'd ever meet. I didn't know that 1/2 of The Doctors B was the only person I'd ever meet outside of college that I could talk Devonian invertebrates with or that Lock Wench was just as short as I am :P I was completely unaware that Party Pig and Wes would drive across a high school lawn to try and find a trailhead to get to a box or that I could exchange with Green Tortuga without even knowing who he was.

A year ago I had no idea that the 98 people I have met even existed and now I call some of them my good friends. Katchick is leaving me soon and I'm sad to lose my letterboxing partner but I know that finding someone to go with me is only an AQMail away. So thanks for the last year, New York. I can't wait for the next one :)