It all started almost 17 years ago when we relocated from Myrtle Beach and moved to Charleston. We had just built our plant for the business in Ravenel and found a house close by on 8 1/2 acres. Rob didn't waste any time and went right to making changes to the landscape of our new property.
That's when our neighbors, James and Gloria Lewis, came by. Being out in the country, neighbors aren't that close by, but the Lewis's 25 acres bordered ours and our houses were actually quite close together. James saw us out there working and came over to offer a hand. Next thing we know, he's got his bush hog and is out clearing brush! We became immediate friends.
Fast forward - WAY forward - to this weekend and we find James and Gloria deciding to spend the Thanksgiving weekend with us here in St. Augustine. They arrived around 1 on Friday and we met at the local Mexican place (keeping in tradition with the many lunches at Senor Tequila back home we shared). At first they had not decided to spend more than one night but quickly changed their minds and their reservations and we had the whole weekend to work with.
The great thing about being with friends away from home is that you really get to know them. We stayed busy the whole weekend exploring this great city. We did everything from ride the carousel (I've been wanting to since we were here in spring), tour the winery, "gauk" at the Flagler Hotel that houses the Flagler College students, and visit countless watering holes along the way. We poked through the country's oldest drug store with the bottles of arsenic and lead tinctures and thoroughly wandered the weekend's Art and Craft Festival. We listened to numerous bands, ate lots of good food and tried a few new drinks and, all in all, got to know each other better than ever before.
To add to the fun, after the Lewis's left Sunday morning, friends from last year aboard Windward found their way to the mooring next to ours after their adventures offshore and we spent a delightful evening together catching up on this past year's happenings and the upcoming plans. Ian and Lynn were able to help us put some details together for our son Matt's upcoming visit with us in Nassau, something that is immeasurably helpful. They are traveling with two other boats and we all went for a walk through town enjoying the holiday lights.
Truly the best part about cruising are the friends you make and the visits from family and friends - keep it comin'!
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