Postcards From the Lake: Welcome, Dear Friend!

Once upon a time, a family with a three year-old only child moved next door to a family of five with a two year-old daughter. The girls became fast friends and when the girls were four and five, the neighbor girl moved from Michigan to Montana. Would they ever see each other again?

Yes, they would! More than once, and most recently, the past week when Nancy, who now lives in Colorado, came to the lake for a visit. It wasn't long enough! Our conversations this past week looked just like these -- two friends, sitting on the couch, talking and laughing!

We had seen each other in 1968, 1973, 1998 and 2000 and one other time (we spent an inordinate amount of time trying to remember which year that was) but most of our communication in recent years has been long phone calls and emails.

It was our mothers who kept us in touch in the early years, when neither of us could write more than a scrawl. Birthday presents and cards crossed the mail until we could send letters or cards ourselves. And somehow, don't ask how, we managed to grow up "together" instead of growing "apart," despite the distance.

During one of our conversations, we noted that we weren't getting any younger and who knows what can happen and when. If we were going to see each other, we'd better do it now. 

I picked Nancy up at the Detroit airport and we hit the road for the lake. Our agenda? Just connect. Walk, swim, have fun -- but mostly just talk (and talk and talk). It was like no time had passed (apart from the fact that we were both MUCH older than four and five!).

 I took her on my usual walking route and we enjoyed stopping at the public bathing beach (about half-way) to enjoy the ducks, seagulls and yes, to talk! For both of us it was being with someone who knew our parents and sharing those stories, too. So few people of our age, especially those whose parents died long ago, have friends who actually knew them.

On the way back we noted this tree -- already changing color. It was the only one we saw (you never see trees change in Michigan until very late in August and those are rare).

We hit the farmer's market, bringing home peaches and black cherries!

And perhaps our most fun gathering was going to Boyne Valley Vineyards. 

My friend Tony was playing in his band, Jelly Roll, and the music was good! The wine was fine and the place was packed with people!

Of course we took the obligatory photos!

(Our time was cut short after I had a little dehydration incident. Let's just say that nothing to eat but fruit and yogurt at 10 a.m. and no food apart from a few pita chips on the way over, with stifling hot sun and a few sips of wine isn't a good combo! But the staff was great, as were the nearby patrons -- fortunately including a nurse and a doc!)

The next day we went to my favorite restaurant, Bennethums, restaurant to celebrate Nancy's birthday.

Mussels, crab rangoon, Piedmontese meatballs, coconut shrimp, whitefish dip and delicious bread, along with tasty wines, along with perfect weather,  made it a perfect experience.  

It was over all too soon -- back to Lansing, where we revisited the site of our childhood homes, still there! The next morning I saw Nancy off to the airport and back to Colorado.

It's often been said "old friends are the best." I have a few of those.

I'm so glad I was able to spend time with one of them!

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