We set off for New Jersey through the great state of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania state is chuck full of United States history and we both wish we could spend some time here exploring and visiting some of the Keystone state’s historical treasures. I mean really, the first baseball stadium and the first golf course in the United States were built in Pennsylvania!
The trees are showing more and more fall colors as we move further east. We hit New Jersey a little after noon. I bet some of you didn’t know that New Jersey’s nickname is The Garden State. Driving through it, you can see it is called that because it is lush and green and really quite lovely. However, that is not why the state received that moniker. It was actually used as a way to advertise farmland across the country to prospective farmers during the early to mid 1800’s. However, it fits well enough as agriculture is New Jersey’s third largest industry. But I digress.
We are on our way to New Jersey to visit with one of Sandy’s closest friends from high school. Jan is a retired educator and was born and raised in New Jersey. She and her wife Sue, live in Kendall Park, a peaceful and lovely town very close to the Princeton area. In fact, Jan’s father worked at Princeton when Jan was growing up. We arrived right around 4 PM. Now understand that Sandy and Jan have not seen each other for 52 years so they were both a bit anxious about this long-delayed reunion. Their nervousness was unwarranted as they pretty much immediately started sharing their life experiences of the past 50 years and soon were in deep comfortable conversation. Sue and Michelle chatted and traded life stories as well. Needless to say, a good time was had by all. Jan and Sue have a very sweet dog named Tucker who is a year old and was thrilled to see Eddie. Eddie is usually quite shy around other dogs and Tucker’s youthful enthusiasm was at first a bit much for her so she took up residence on Sue’s lap to avoid his affections. Eventually she ventured into a bit of play with him. Thanks to her friend Maxi in the Coachella Valley she is more comfortable playing with other dogs. Thanks Maxi!
I like Tucker! He’s big and silly and lots of fun to play with around the house and yard. Plus, we both got lots of treats as Mommies’ wanted to encourage us. He’s big, but I’m older and wiser.
After sitting outside in their wonderful backyard and garden enjoying charcuterie, Sue prepared a lovely dinner of salmon and asparagus. Wine flowed. Old stories reminiscing and new stories filling in the gap since graduation were exchanged. It way tremendous fun and rewarding to know both lives, so far, are filled to the brim with great stories to tell.
Both Sandy and Jan seemed to feel that both have lived this first half century well. Now for the next few half centuries.
Conversation continued well into the night, sending Sue first, then Michelle, off to bed while the conversation between old friends continued.
I went to bed with Momma Michelle. I was tired and Tucker was tuckered out. Ha Ha.
Finally, around two, they surrendered to sleep. Sandy is looking forward to the next reunion.
