BFF

circa 2004

I'm in count-down mode for my departure to South Africa; this time next week I will be landing in Cape Town!  Before I carry on much further in my blogging, I feel that it is importnat to introduce my co-star in this adventure, Shanley.  Perhaps you've been astute in reading the blog so far and will note that I have mentioned my dear friend before.  Well here's photo evidence that she does exist!

These days I strongly dislike cheesy colloquial acronyms, but nonetheless "BFF" is reminiscent of the early days in our friendship when life was blissfully consumed with slumber parties and Sanrio characters.  Truly, we have been friends that long... 

Here are the startling statistics: we have been friends for approximately 67% of our lives thus far; 27% of that time we were devoted penpals while Shanley and her family lived in Nigeria, Africa (we sent letters via snail mail because email was not widely available until later); another 33% of that time we lived 150+ miles apart.  Together we survived Mrs. Pointer's 3rd grade class, the Clinton AND Bush administrations, two junior high school dances, one senior prom and a 13.1 mile half-marathon.  The numbers don't lie... we have a pretty impressive track-record, and we're about to add to it: 10,226 miles and 74 days of traveling!