Reunited with fantastic friends.
The next leg of my journey was a relatively short drive from New Jersey into Pennsylvania to see on old friend from my days in Nova Scotia. When we first met back in the late 80s, Dave was in the US Navy and posted to Greenwood NS to work with our military. Dave is a very personable guy who made dozens of friends in Canada and I am grateful that we have kept in touch for over three decades. He is highly regarded and respected in our military community which is why we chuck shite at each other constantly.
An early afternoon arrival on Tuesday provided us ample opportunity to explore Lancaster and the surrounding area. The farmer’s market, lunch downtown, a walkabout the city, a visit to the haunted opera house, roof-top drinks with a magnificent view, and a visit to Dave’s gun club kept us fully occupied for the day. Dave was a fantastic tour guide and we finished the day on his deck with a nightcap and a beautiful sunset. Up early on Wednesday, we hit a local eatery for a big breakfast, headed out to the country to a nature reserve, and stopped for some amazing ice cream at a Mennonite shop. Overall, Dave kept me very busy and well-fed for the 24 hours I was with him. It was an absolute pleasure to spend some quality time with a very good friend and I hope when he visits me in Ottawa, I can reciprocate.
With plenty of time to make it to my next stop, Alexandria Virginia, I spent most of my time on winding back roads, enjoying the scenery and the cows of which there were plenty. GPS and operator miscalculations only added to the adventure and to my enjoyment of the rural ambiance. I was in heaven.
My evening was spend with my very dear friends and neighbours from my time in the DC area, Donna and Walt. It was such a pleasure to see these wonderful people again after four years since I left. During and after an incredible dinner, we chatted about the old days, current and future plans, and life in general. I love these people and am so grateful that we had this time together.
Tomorrow, I will have some time to wander about my old stomping grounds and to see a couple more dear friends. The smile on this mug continues to grow wide.
