This weekend my girlfriend, Linda, and I celebrated fifty years as best friends. We had originally decided to take a girl’s trip to Ogunquit, Maine, or to New York City, but a couple of months ago, she asked if I would consider a trip that included our husbands. Linda and her husband, Dennis, were going to be in Washington, D.C. for a business trip he was taking, and she thought it would be a great idea for us to drive up and meet them there for the weekend.
We met them on Friday afternoon, and Saturday the four of us drove to Annapolis and toured the Naval Academy and then walked around the lovely town. 
Dennis loves it when the four of us go somewhere together because our spouses can walk ahead of us and talk and not mind that Dennis and I are always lagging behind with our cameras, snapping pictures. Dennis is an amazing photographer, and if I could spend more time with him, I might even learn how to use my camera. Here is a picture I took of Linda and my husband walking ahead of us, deep in conversation while I captured Dennis taking a picture of a shadow of a tree on a wall.
Sunday morning, I awoke to a beautiful sunrise over the Potomac that I could see from our hotel window.
Our husbands had such a good time celebrating Linda’s and my fiftieth anniversary as best friends that I think including them will be the pattern from now on.
Coming East 
Okay, dear friend, for the next 50 years YOU can be the boss!!! HAHA! Can you believe that we are as OLD (Yes, I am the older one which you are so thoughtful to remind me!) as we are! DC was a terrific weekend……and I look forward to many more outings and adventures! NYC is only a month away!
Linda
Hey, you are a great boss, Linda! I don’t want to change! I hope the weather cooperates this time for our NYC trip. With global warming, maybe we’ll be in luck. George and I still talk about our DC trip. Nice to see your comments.
what a great idea – congrats on your fifty years of friendship! Would you share some wisdom on maintaining a friendship over the years?
Easy, Country Wife. Linda was always the boss. Ha-ha!
Sounds like a great trip. Happy anniversary! How wonderful to have had the same friend for such a long time.
It’s so nice that our husbands are such good friends, too, Robin.
Sounds like a great time for all of you. I remember a quote about friendship (can’t remember whose) that yours reminds me of; “A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.”
Good quote, Al.
That is one amazing friendship, and it looks like it has doubled! You got some great photos.
Thanks, Patti. It was a great weekend.
Friends like that are almost family. How fortunate you are to have such a friend and to share a 50th anniversary..
I agree, Dor. Linda is family, as far as I’m concerned.
Wonderful way to celebrate, Susan. I think I read a post you did about your friendship.
Good memory, Amy!
I don’t have good memory. It was your beautiful writing…
I’m going on 41 years with my longest friend – I don’t have a 50 year one yet, because I’m not still friends with anyone I met when I was 8. How wonderful for you to have that long-time friend from childhood to adulthood.
You are sooooo much younger than me HG. Linda and I have been friends since I was 13.
Not THAT much younger then.
In another year, HG, I’ll be eligible for Medicare. Where did the time go?
My husband will be too. Time definitely went by too fast – I don’t feel any older than I did back in college – until I look in the mirror anyway!
Me, too, HG. I still feel like a girl, and I don’t know who that old woman is looking back at me in the mirror.
So good to have a friend all that time. So many changes and being able to share them together.
I know, Val. Linda knows me as we’ll as my husband does. Maybe even better in some ways because we share emotions that are unique to women.
we were in the same place this weekend. I thought D.C. looked even prettier this past weekend. Glad you enjoyed your visit here. My visit is sadly ending this week. DAF
Annapolis or D.C., DAF? We should have coordinated our visit. How far are you from D.C?
I am in Old Town Alexandria until this Friday. Have spent five glorious weeks with my grandson and daughter and son in law. Can walk out of their apartment and look at the Washington Monument, and walk across the street to walk beside the Potomac. Can’t get any cooler than that! It would have been nice to meet.
Wow! Fantastic, DAF! We stayed in Crystal City because it is less expensive than staying right in D.C. We just took the Metro over. Pretty easy.
Nothing like old friendships. I guess my dearest friend and I have been at it for about 22 years, so we have a ways to go!
My niece and her son (who live in Texas) are traveling to D.C. next week to be tourists. We’re thinking of driving up to have a meal with them.
Annapolis is beautiful – we’ve been there a couple times!
That would be lovely, Dianna, if you met them in D.C. You are a little closer to it than we are.
Having a friend in your life for 50 years is indeed reason to celebrate. You certainly had a beautiful weekend to embrace your anniversary. The pictures are beautiful!
Thanks, Life. It’s important to celebrate friendship and not take it for granted.
Sounds like a wonderful weekend! How wonderful to have the comfort and consistency of a friend who has been by your side for 50 years of your life. And how wonderful that you make the time to celebrate that blessing!
We met when I was 13, Carol, and even though our formative years were spent together, we have not lived near each other since 1978. Yet we’ve managed to keep in touch through letters and visits all these years. When I called from the hospital to tell her my sister had just died, she said, “I’m coming.” And she hopped on a plane in Connecticut and flew to Texas to be with me.
That’s the kind of friend I strive to be Susan. How wonderful that you have her in your life. 🙂
I know, Judith. You don’t hear of too many people having friendships like that. I am so lucky. And blessed.
How lovely that you have had the same friend for 50 years. That sunrise is beautiful. 🙂
Thank you, Adin. Yes, I am so blessed to have had Linda in my life these past fifty years.