The comfort of old friends

should never be underestimated.
I took yesterday afternoon away from the computer screen because a friend came to visit. She was, briefly, here from New Zealand. When she returned to New Zealand several years ago we promised to "keep in touch" and we have - sporadically. 
Both of us lead busy lives and the messages have sometimes been brief but yes, we are still in touch. She called me Monday morning to say she had arrived. Did I want to see her for a short time that day or a longer time on Thursday? If it was Thursday she could bring another old friend with her as well.
Thursday! I suggested inviting another friend I knew she would like to catch up with as well. 
    "Oh, it will be good to see her again," the Senior Cat told me. 
Yesterday's weather was cold, wet and windy. I stayed in and did something I haven't done for a very long time. I made cake for afternoon tea. We don't usually have such things but I thought we should celebrate her visit.
All three visitors appeared just after two o'clock. It has been almost four years since I saw my Kiwi friend but we simply "picked up where we left off". Out came the knitting...and, aside from catching up on news about some people we know in common, we talked about knitting and patterns, what I had been teaching, who she was teaching and more. 
Was it time to put the kettle on? I made tea. My Kiwi friend, a coffee person, made "proper" coffee just as she always has. 
The Senior Cat prowled out from his afternoon nap and was hugged and kissed. He sat there letting the conversation flow over him, and talked to her about the problems of gardening in a different climate.
Her daughter arrived to collect her and the friend she had brought with her. I offered her some of the afternoon tea because more cake had been brought and there were still a few scones left. It's been a while since I saw her as well but she fitted in happily.
After they had eventually departed into the dark, wet and windy late afternoon (it was well after five) I washed up the last of the afternoon tea things. Yes, the last of the things because of course they did as they have always done and cleared things away and done at least some of the washing up.
The depth of our friendship shows in that sort of thing. They don't expect to be waited on here. It isn't "home" of course. There are things they would not do here they would do in their own homes but they are sufficiently "at home" to make their visits welcome.
I miss my Kiwi friend. She is an intelligent woman with a responsible job. She gets things done and makes the most of the time available to her. It was typical of her to say, "Thursday because we will have more time together."
More time together is a good thing with friends like that.