Reunions

When I was a child I spent my summers in Moncton, NB (well the first summer was in Riverview across the river- at the farmhouse). My Mom would ship us out to stay with my Grandparents for July/August, we did this from the age of 4 to 12(ish). During my summers I would hang out with a variety of kids in the neighbourhood- but Jen Mullane was my best summer friend (and her brother John would hang out with my brothers- this is the same John of "In-Flight Safety" a couple of posts ago).
Through the miracles of facebook, Jen and I have recently re-connected with one another - after nearly TWENTY years!!! She was living in Halifax- but is moving to Toronto in September for a job. Her boyfriend is already here- so she came out for a visit, and she and I got together for dinner last week.
I was nervous about getting together, I mean- what would we talk about? Would we still get along? What if we had nothing in common?? I mean, one can only keep talking about the "good old days" of being a child/pre-teen for so long...
However, as my oldest friend Josephine reassured me "you will never run out of things to talk about Sarah"- we did not run out of things to talk about. Literally- we just picked up where we left off- and it was awesome!
We had a such a great visit and I'm so glad she's moving to Toronto in September... this is a person I had the fondest memories of, and thought I would never see again- and we've already (re)formed a lasting friendship.


Tonight we went with my friend Hayley and Jen's bf Mike to Czehoskis for a drink, and then to Johnny Banana (super yum) for dinner. If you live in Toronto and want good Mexican with wicked Mojitos and spiced hot chocolate- it's the best place to go! (Lola- if you ever get back to Toronto we're totally going there!)

The other totally crazy thing? I asked Jen if she knew anyone else in the city and she said that Mike knew a guy from his high school back in RIVERVIEW (can you see where this is going?!) who had opened a bar in the city- "Czehoskis" (partly why we were there tonight) and his name was "Dave Mitton". He happens to be my second cousin but I haven't seen him since i was 5. (and yes I realize only a girl would know that!)
I knew that he lived in Toronto but we hadn't reconnected... I did meet up with his sister Karen three years ago (only because she happened to be roommates with a colleague of mine), but hadn't met Dave.
So I've been going to Czeshoskis quite a bit in the last week hoping to introduce myself to the long lost relative - but no luck yet- and the people that work there are convinced I'm a stalker and give me funny looks now when I go in... but I'll meet him eventually.
It's like a mini maritimes festival. We all know each other- that's just how it is!! and I just LOVE how I could see my cousin Karen after 25 years- and it was fantastic- and I could see Jen after 20 years- and it was like no time had passed at all.
There is something to be said for friendships where you share memories linking back to the truly simple and pleasureable times of our youth. And if you can build on those friendships and create new memories as you get older- then you are just all the more blessed...