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Lunch at Yoder’s on Tuesday, September 20

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Cerwin’s sister Velda called a few days earlier to see if we wanted to join them and Lowell and Elaine when they met at Yoder’s Restaurant to celebrate their birthdays. Yes! It suited us. We hadn’t seen Lowell and Elaine for a couple of years.

Today (September 27) is Velda and Elaine’s birthday. I won’t tell you how old they are, but they met 70 years ago when they were 10 🙂 – after Velda sent out a request in Words of Cheer, a Mennonite publication for children. (I don’t think it is published anymore.) Velda was looking for a pen pal who shared her birthday. Elaine replied.

The two families lived about two hours apart and planned a meeting so the girls could meet. The families meshed so well that they kept meeting. If I remember correctly, they met twice a year for many years – one time near Elaine’s family (the Ruth’s) near Lansdale and the other near Velda’s family (the High’s) near Manheim. Usually a Sunday lunch. Later it became a once-a-year event. Most of Elaine and Velda’s siblings hosted some of those meals. Our children remember the Ruth family. Later, after our children married, there came a time when only the two couples met – including us every few years.

This was our group of six who met last Tuesday. Cerwin, Lowell, Mel, Velda, Elaine and me. We had a great time catching up on each other and our families lives.