My good friend Yvonne lives in Boston, but she hasn’t always. When I was 14 we became best friends and stayed that way till I moved to Victoria in 1994. Over the years we seemed to have lost touch, as most people do at that age. In February we got in contact again and she kept me sane while I was stuck at home recovering from my sinus surgery as she was online in the afternoons (that would be the benefit of a 5 hour time difference!)
The beginning of May Smiley and I decided that we were going to Boston for the May bank holiday to see Yvonne and Chris. The flights were expensive but it didn’t matter we were going. At least the accommodation was cheap, we were staying with Yvonne and Chris.
Now I was nervous. I was worried that this was going to be one of those reunion where you meet up with an old friend and once you’ve reminisced over the past you no longer have anything else to say as you’ve both grown in different directions and no longer have anything in common but the past. But I was willing to risk it. Yvonne was the best friend that I ever had and if we could manage to be good friends again, it was worth a try!
Now 12 years is a long time to go without seeing someone and needless to say we’ve both changed, but I believe for the better.
(Yvonne and I - Boston Gardens - 2007)I love to walk when we go away. I find I see so much more when we walk and it sort of counter balances all the extra food I eat on holiday as well! I felt really bad as I dragged Yvonne and Chris all over Boston.
We arrived late on the Friday much to Yvonne and Chris’s Dismay…as they were starving! We went and had dinner and went back to the flat and chatted and went to bed…we were too tired to make much sense or be good company.
On Saturday we got a good early start and got to the T station (that would be the subway) and into the centre of Boston for 10:00. We booked tickets to go on the duck tour which was great fun. Yvonne and Chris had never done it before and glad that they did. This Duck tour started at the museum and took us all through town and showed us all sorts of sights including the Hancock tower and Mother goose! We then went into the water! So cool! And saw Boston from the river. It was very amusing as we got to “Quack” at pedestrians on the street!
Here is a picture of us in front of our Duck boat thingy!
(Another Duckboat that we passed in the water)We went to Harvard after that and had a wander round and I have a t-shirt…so does that mean I can say “I went to Harvard” ?
(Statue of John Harvard)
We headed back to the flat as friends were coming round for a bbq. But Chris had put seed on the lawn so we had to sit on the driveway. Was great as you could see what the neighbours were up to…which wasn’t very much. Chris made us some fabulous steak…which I could really do with right now…as I’m starving and they were SO good! Jeremy and Kristin were good fun and played along with our game even though they had no idea why they needed to put their thumb on their forehead except for the fact that if they didn’t the last one would get a slap!
I’ve decided that I don’t like the taxi service in Boston. We called 3 different companies a number of times and they all kept saying a car was on the way and it would be there in 5 minutes. An hour and a half later we walked up to the main street and flagged one down for them…turns out it was a completely different company!
Yvonne and I sat and talked after everyone had gone to bed like a couple of white trash wives drinking our bottles of beer on the driveway till 1:30 in the morning. We talked about the past, the present and the future. Our hopes and dreams and it was like we hadn’t been apart for the past 12 years.
Another early start on Sunday as we were out of the house and on our way to Martha’s Vineyard. This isn’t a Vineyard, it’s an island…in fact a lot of the island is “dry” meaning no alcohol is served anywhere. We took the bus down to one town (one that did serve alcohol!) and had lunch. Being totally unprepared none of us brought a jumper with us and with the wind from the sea it was a bit nippy…so we all bought jumpers from Martha’s Vineyard and looked like a load of tourists! Good thing we were! We went on to the next town and decided to go and look for the lighthouse. Too bad the map we were using wasn’t to scale. We walked for miles just looking for this lighthouse. And it was all up hill! We kept walking on the same road hoping it would take us to a bus stop or the next town. But it was too far…and Yvonne and Smiley had already tried to take a nap. So we flagged down a taxi and went back to the ferry terminal.
(Smiley and Yvonne taking a nap)
(A Beautiful Sunset shot taken at Martha's Vineyard)
It was a lovely day but we were all so tired from all the walking and fresh sea air. We got back into town so late that nothing was open…so Chris fired up the bbq again and we had burgers for dinner…was so nice! (except for the mouldy buns…ew!)
Monday we slept in…then went to IHOP for breaky…and didn’t get into town till around 2:30 or so. We hit up both Cheers bars and did part of the Freedom Trail. We managed to get to the British Beer Company JUST in time for dinner…and I mean just. The kitchen closed at 10 and we walked through the door at 9:55! But we got our fish and chips. We had a late night as we didn’t get home till around midnight and then had to pack as we needed to get up early to catch our flight at 9 back to Heathrow.
We had a lovely time and it didn’t matter what we saw in Boston…as we weren’t going to see the City (although Smiley will tell you that we went to see the Cheers Bar). We went to see Yvonne and meet Chris.
I had a great time and was so happy to see my friend again! It’s been two weeks since our weekend away and both Yvonne and I have been so busy! So busy in fact that neither of us have posted about this weekend till now. We’ve not talked much since we’ve got back and I’m worried that she doesn’t like me anymore…I'm hoping that these are just silly and insecure fears!
It is great to be back in touch with old friends…but something I don’t want to do…is lose touch again…just because I’m too busy!
Yvonne, we had a lovely time, don’t think for a second we didn’t. I’m very glad I got to see you again and can’t wait to see you again!
(Yvonne has been a doll and has posted all of our pictures HERE! Have a look!)
3 comments:
I'm so glad you had a good time, I had forgotten about the big Edmonton Temple portraits, and of course now I can place Yvonne, (sorry Yvonne put it down to me getting old). It looks like you had so much fun in Boston.
Love Mum
I don't think you look much different than in that first picture. Nice to look so young still. Glad to hear you had a great trip.
No, I still look pretty much the same and thank you Kirsten for saying I still look young. It comes from living young and mainly...not having any kids! The change I was talking about was not necessarily how we look...but who we are.
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