Apologies for the lack of blogging. I've pretty much had a screen free week (well ok, the occasional peek at Pinterest and Instagram!). Instead I've been enjoying the company of a great friend visiting me from the UK. She has been on a bit of a extended vacation - Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia and then her final week with me. We go back around 15 years, meeting via a mutual wonderful friend, and the last time we saw each other was at our friend's wedding in 2009, and yet it seemed like yesterday!
C knows me from my single girl London life pre- husband / kids / grown-up responsibilities and living overseas. Pre-grey hair making an appearance and and more than a lines around the eyes! It felt so good catching up, shopping, sight seeing, watching movies, drinking cocktails on Saturday evening, after an afternoon shopping (memories of London life came swimming back).
Having moved back and forth between the Netherlands and the US twice during the past 10 years, there's an element of starting again, meeting and making new friends, putting yourself out there and welcoming a new life. I find as I've grown older that I really know the kind of person I like to become friends with, and of course that narrows your 'friend radar' more than a bit. And it takes a while to feel relaxed and really be yourself with new friends. Spending 5 days with my friend made me feel like I was 'Me' again - it was like a mini girls vacation. Housework got pretty much forgotten and the weekly schedule changed to accomodate day trips and evenings out. From excitement at the Trailblazers basketball game one night, where were laughed, danced, cheered and screamed for our team, too a peaceful morning wandering around the Portland Japanese Gardens. We watched two of my favourite movies - The American and Elizabethtown. A day at the beach, a day in town having brunch, pedicures and shopping. We ran the Portland Shamrock Run early on Sunday morning, and I ran a PB! We had brunch, lunch, coffees and cocktails this past week and I enjoyed every minute of our time together.
There is nothing like spending time with an 'old' friend. Nothing like someone who knows you well and has shared memories and laughter together.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Yahoo for friends visiting! What I love about my best friend is that we don't have to say anything at all to be comfortable with one another!
ReplyDeleteThose two quotes are wonderful and so true! It sounds like you have been having an amazing time and I would certainly enjoy everyone of those activities. There is something very special about 'old' friends. Enjoy the weekend.
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