Castle people

Just getting back from a busy trip for work down to Conne River.  It was a very productive trip down, work-wise, but the best part of the trip was that I got to stay with the Castle People...aka Kerra and Phil Winsor. (Get it?... Winsor...Castle)

I met Kerra a few years ago when I was going to school. It was my very first day of going to school at MUN and we were on a field-school trip. I didn't know anyone, I had just transferred from UBC and the field-school was my first introduction to my new classmates and professors. I remember I was sitting on the big yellow wagon (bus) and I was chatting with the girl next to me (who turn out to be one of my best friends throughout the rest of my MUN days...and beyond). Jody-Beth was asking me all the usual first date questions like where I was from such. I told her that I had just moved to Newfoundland from Northern Alberta from a little tiny town called High Level. That's when I saw a little blond head whip around and say "from where?!"

Now I know there is a strong Newfoundland- Alberta connection, so it's not that unusual for people from here to know about towns in Alberta, but not many know about High Level.

"High Level" I confirmed.

I thought she was about to jump over the seat!

Not only did she know where High Level was, but she had lived there! And about the same time that we lived there too. So like anyone who knows someone from the same place, we started to play the "do you know?..." game. We went through a list of people and for the most part it was hit and miss. Then she asked if I knew a Dianne with the Town. I said, "kinda, she's my mom!" Kerra then told me that while in High Level she had worked for the Town and that my mom was her boss. Talk about small world!

This initial spark lead into a fun-filled friendship that fill my last 2 years of university.

Then came graduation, and like most people, you get out of school, you find a job, you move on with life. I still stayed in contact with a few people, but some people drifted away on their own paths. This is pretty much what had happened with me and Kerra, but I always wondered about where and what she was doing.

Flash forward to Summer of 2012. I had some work to do down in Conne River, on Newfoundland's south coast. Conne River is not very big and didn't have a hotel for me to stay in, so I had to stay in the next town over in Milltown...a town equally as small and not very much to do there.

After I had completed my work in Conne River, I was on my way back home. I had just pulled out of Milltown and was heading down the bumpy Bay d'Espoir highway when I get a text from an unknown number. "Is this Bailey?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"Kerra!"

Totally unexpected and out of the blue. So after a few messages back and forth and an address given for her wedding invitation, I asked her "where are you these days?" Her response: "Milltown!"

I was flabbergasted. I was just leaving Milltown! I told her that the next time I was in the area for work that we would get together. And we did just that.

On my second trip to Conne River, I went over to Kerra and Phil's house for a visit. It was an excellent visit complete with a couple bottles of wine and many laughs.

She said the next time I was back that I should stay with her. So as we were planning our third trip down to the area, I made a plan to stay with Kerra and Phil. This visit was equally as fun and wine-filled. Kerra made some excellent chicken pesto panini's one night and chinese food the next.

The best part was reconnecting with an old friend (and her new husband). The real test of a true friendship is when you can go weeks, months, even years without seeing each other, but when you do, the friendship picks up right where it left off without skipping a beat. There was no uncomfortable formalities, no awkward lulls in our conversations, just good ol' friends chatting and catching up.

Thanks Kerra and Phil for all your warm hospitality.  I enjoyed my visit very much! Thanks again :)