Good Friends

I had expected to make friends when I came here, but I’d been thinking more ‘acquaintances’, people that I’d easily wave good bye to when I left. But it doesn’t seem to have turned out that way.

Thanks to my very good-hearted friend, Barbara, I have been absorbed into a walking group of friends who are good enough to include me in so much of their worlds. They’re made up of mostly come-from-aways, although most of them have lived in Orkney all their adult lives. As well as the weekly walks, I’ve been welcomed into many of their homes for coffee or a meal, hosted them here at the Cottage and introduced them to Nanaimo Bars, have been invited to movies and plays, and just generally made to feel a part of their community.

Then there are the ‘real’ Orcadians. In my first house in Papdale, the long-timers (and by long-timers I mean multiple generations) were so friendly. And more recently I’ve met Shirley: born & raised here; lived and raised a family in Ajax/Oshawa her entire working life, and is now back here in Orkney, semi-retired. She has started introducing me to her Orcadian friends-since-birth, and they too have made me feel so at home.

What really was the icing on the cake was yesterday: yesterday my walking group did a 3 km loop around the harbour and went for coffee and cake after. Halfway into our conversation I suddenly remembered that it was my 29th anniversary cancer-free, and mentioned it to the group. Later that afternoon one of the ladies, Mary, said that she and her hubby wanted to take me out to dinner to celebrate. So yesterday evening Scout & I met up with Bill & Mary at The Storehouse, one of Orkney’s nicer restaurants (yes, even posh restaurants welcome dogs here – gotta love it) for a lovely meal and a bottle of wine.

Seriously, how lucky am I?