Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Friends - New Ones Become Old Ones, Old Ones Become New Ones

With a title like that I had better offer an explanation.  Like this....

We have met so many wonderful people in our nearly eight months on the road.  Although we may not have spent that much time with them because we have so much in common, they seem like old friends. (in this case the word "old" does not mean elderly).  Jeri and Terry, Janice and Jerry, Sandie & Jim, Jenna and Bruce, Joan and Ken, Nora and Dennis, Lori and Mike, Carole and Gerry, Jan and Murt, Sheila and Ray, Delcie and Freddie, Karla and Eric, Joyce and Don, you know what I mean.  Sometimes I get quite emotional about not being able to see some of you until next year.










Right now we are in Terrace, British Columbia, staying at The Wild Duck Motel and RV park which is owned by perhaps our oldest friends, Vera and Jim.  Vera is the much younger sister of my parents best friends and we met and became friends about 40 years ago.  Through the years we drifted apart for no apparent reason and then two years ago I found Vera on Facebook and discovered that while we dreamed of rv'ing, they dreamed of owning an RV park.  So now we are together in their park, many, many miles from where we were friends but right next door to where I grew up, Prince Rupert.  We have been here less than a week and it's like we were never apart.  Their park is great and so for any of you wanting to explore "the last frontier" as you Americans call Alaska, this would be a natural stopping place.  Terrace is a little past the turn-off to Alaska at Kitwanga, but there is nothing, really nothing at Kitwanga so this is the logical place.

http://www.lodging.bc.ca/member_allinfo.aspx?memberID=1307
And then last night, it was so weird, I met up with David.  David and his sister, Barbara lived next door to us in Prince Rupert when I was just a child.  Our families holidayed together.  David is my age, Barbara is my brother, Steve's age.  David is the high school principal here in Terrace and it was just by chance we met up.  Lo and behold, he and his wife are going to the homecoming in Prince Rupert and staying in the same park as we are.  I have not seen David in forty-four years.

So we will be off to the homecoming in Prince Rupert on Friday morning.  There are 2000 people coming "home".  How many more reunions will I have???

1 comment:

Wanderin' said...

You're right. Bonding happens almost automatically when you have so much in common with someone else! Take care and don't necessarily be good but we'll see you down the road, of course.