The Trail of FriendsJan 2018

Why worry?

The problem with being "adventuresome" is it's a lot of damn work! Svend and I had this brilliant ides to buy a camper and retire. SO we bought a camper and are retiring. Sounds easy when you put it that way, but addd preparing to sell a house, clean, paint, repair and cull out said house, go through the process of selling a house, winding up our careers (OK his career, my part time job in a Catholic school - which PS, sometimes took up more of my time than his big-shot Port Engineer job -just saying) you can see how it gets to be a lot of damn work. Anyone who knows us, knows we have been threatening to retire get a camper and hit the world in a tin box.

So fast forward six months. We did the four months in Europe thing, holidays in Boston and now we are in out traveling villa. We are living the dream. Usually that is... there is the odd incident to report, like the time the back bumper bent  and the contents of the platform that was attached to it nearly splayed all over  route 95. 

We left the great state of Massachusetts on January 12 to begin the first of our crazy retirement camper trips. For many reasons our first stop was New Jersey, the most important being- that's where we have a lot of good friends. 

Sixteen years ago two students at Pope John High School were seated alphabetically in their freshman homeroom class.  I doubt the Misses Hansen and Hoffnagle could have predicted the parents would become such good friends, but so it has come to pass.We spent four cozy nights with Nancy and Terry at Hacienda Hoffnagle while the NJ temperature hovered around 10 degrees.

The Reverend Brown and PJ Middle school teachers still meet after school on Fridays to discuss a variety of professional best practices, the best of which is deciding which refreshing libation is best after a week in the trenches of teaching the youth of Sussex county. Mrs. Racioppi, Mrs. Gartland, Mrs Post, Mrs. Capasso, Mrs. McKeeby, Mrs. Velivus, Mrs. Hatvelis  and RB veterans Mrs. Lewis, Mrs Frey and Mrs. Hansen were in attendance along with “parent” Mrs. Hoffnagle. We could have started our own school right in Seridan's bar if we wanted to.

SO we had a great reunion for the afternoon and then the menfolk joined us for dinner.  It was one of those happy meetings where everything clicked. I'm sure we solved the world's problems from every angle that night. These people are wonderful friends that assure Northern NJ as a stop to and from the great state of Massachusetts. (where the woman are pretty and the taxes are high.)

Further down the east coast lies Virginia Beach, Virginia where we lived for six very important years. The first day I met up with my dear friend, Virginia from Virginia Beach, Virginia (that's her official name) I know she would not be insulted if I said she is a quirky woman, at least she doesn't seem to be when I say it to her face. She loves Sweet Adelines, her wonderful  family and being an Uber driver at eighty plus. She made a teenage girl stop "cussing" or she would throw her out of the car. See why I miss Virginia from Virginia Beach, Virginia?

 Va Beach is a wealth of friends for us, but of course Roe is our sister from another mother. She gave us her key so we could do laundry while she was at work, that's a friend!

The stars aligned so that or friends Andrea (and beau Steve) and Kim (we missed Don)  could meet us at a cool place called Repeal Burbon. Guess what they served there? And guess what we had there. I guess bourbon bars are the new thing, so chi chi.  They all came back to our Little Camper at the KOA. In the snow by the way.

Lots of super catching up, promising to keep in touch (praise  the Internet, texting and yes the occasional Facebook) I would call Va Beach a September location, after the non retirees leave.

Next stop was Raleigh and a couple of days with out beloved friend Elizabeth. We are friends from the years we spent in Sweden and our babies were 5 weeks apart in age. Despite all out efforts, it looks like Amelia and Anders will not be marringng and having perfect children, but you never know.

Svend Elizabeth and the Flea market Dog

Elizabeth is the quintessential positive person who works hard, exercises  eats right and yet, we still like her! Life is funny. Her house is lovely and we enjoyed a couple of days being "camper free." While there we also met up with Alicia, Amelia's friend who she met in Australia. This is what I love. I have seen Alicia probably 5 or 6 times, ranging from Australia, New Jersey, Denmark and North Carolina. The weekend was complete with joining Elizabeth's Mom Sue for a good old southern breakfast - yes with grits. Always enjoy seeing Sue,

Approximately three hours from Raliegh is Rock Hill SC which for some strange reason is the home of two of my first cousins and their families. It is never, ever dull to visit Mary and Patty who live on the same street. Mary's daughter Kathy was visiting and as luck would have it they were starting 1000 piece puzzle.  I, Svend, Kathy and Mary practically became addicted to doing that puzzle ("can we stop sight seeing now? I want to get back to the puzzle" - that was me!) 

1000 pieces!

We enjoyed getting to know the 2 princesses of Cole Ave, Olivia, 8 and Bailey, 5. They're sweet and funny and add what kids add -the knowledge that life is good.   

Rock Hill turns out to be a very cool town! Cool ladies too

Visiting with John, Randy, Ann, Milton and Kim rounded out the visit to the "Yankees in South Carolina" The whole clan from Boston is crazy and moving to Rock Hill SC did nothing to change that. But crazy is good in my book and sometimes Svend's. 

Am I not funny?

Our final portion of the "getting to Florida and using, (I mean reconnecting with) friends was a tree hour drive to Charleston, that wonderful low country city. Our former neighbor and forever friend Carolyn, or should I say Mrs. Head lives there (yes another Reverend Brown alumnus.) She and her husband John moved to that lovely part of the world 14 years ago to retire from Sparta, NJ. They had 12 wonderful years there, but sadly John passed away suddenly two years ago. Carolyn has moved to a super neighborhood near her supportive children. There are many sweet pictures of John in her charming home. Which by the way has an elevator! What a perfect home she has. Thanks do an unhappy knee, I was the elevator connoisseur for the three days. I'm positive I used it more than Carolyn has in two years.

We love Charleston. Such a charming city with wonderful history. Carolyn and her children actually live in Mt Pleasant, adjacent to Charleston and near the beautiful beach. All good! 

The last stop before Florida was two nights at Fort McMaster State park south of Savannah. It's a combination of an historical site and a pastoral setting nestled on the bank of a marsh and river that leads to the ocean. The fort was earthen battlements that survived several attacks during the civil war until General Sherman.

A Nod to Americorps -nice brochure

Next stop ... The Sunshine State