Good Friends

Laverne & Jean Buckwalter, in their 'yard' in Timmonsville, SC

Jim and Jeannie Nearhoof, at their condo on Hilton Head Island

Once upon a time, in what now seems a far, far galaxy ago, the DeWalt's got to know the Buckwalter's when Ken and Laverne worked at the original Stauffer's of Kissel Hill Store in Lititz, PA.  The Buckwalter's soon travelled south to enter ministries of many kinds and we only saw each other occasionally over the next 40 years.

Jim Nearhoof worked for years as a Landscape Architect with Stauffer's Landscape Company and we and they became friends through Ken's work with the management team at SKH over those many years.  We saw more of each other over time but still only occasionally.

Now all six of us are in or near retirement; traveling different roads but still very connected by what first brought us together: Love for the Lord, fun, wit, and humor, and simple human friendship. We've prayed for each other in hard times, and laughed together personally or in writing in better.  We have remained connected.

Last evening we had the joy of being hosted by the Nearhoof's at their vacation Marriott Condo on Hilton Head Island. Then this afternoon the Buckwalter's took us to a more than complete southern CHINESE buffet. What memories, and new news, we shared!
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You might think that having such experiences would dim our desire to live on the road, away from such friends, and family, too.  But instead, they make us more eager to hit the road.  You see, we have many friends and family scattered all over the North American Continent.  From San Diego to Fairbanks, Alaska.  And from Massachusetts to the Port of New Orleans. And if we ever figure out it's financially feasible to transport Quo & Toad by tramp steamer to Europe, from Amsterdam to Naples.

If we have learned anything from lives of Student Exchange with Rotary International, travel with my brother Jim, and our own travels as we could take them, the best part of them all was not the wonderful sights and marvelous histories beneath our feet, but the old and new friends, who became over time more than friends; the FAMILY of FRIENDS we've made all over the planet.

I doubt any feasibility will get our rig to Chile, or the Phillipines, Japan or Ghana, so Facebook, emails, and maybe, just maybe, future flights will keep those relationships closer. But we've heard of RV caravans that take groups down the Baja Peninsula of Mexico to avoid the gang gunfire for the wonderful beaches and ex-patriot American communities there.  Wagooooooonnnnnnssss  HOOOooooooooooooooo!

-Ken