The Friendship That’s Older Than the Kids

We just got back from five days in the Boston area with my friend of 28 years, and I am equal parts wiped out and full.

We flew in very late Wednesday night and hit the ground running — literally started with her son’s preschool graduation the next morning, which, come on, preschool graduations are the best kind of graduation. All the pomp and circumstance for four year olds who mostly just want their snack. After that we wandered her downtown area and checked out the local library, which is one of my favorite things to do in a new place. You learn a lot about a town from its library.

Friday we went into Boston proper and did the Mapparium, which if you’ve never been is this giant stained-glass globe you walk through on a glass bridge — genuinely one of the coolest things I’ve seen, and Aria was obsessed. Then lunch in Little Italy, which did not disappoint, and later Chinatown for snacks because apparently one carb-heavy neighborhood a day wasn’t enough for us.

We spent a day in Peabody at a small children’s museum that was the perfect size for Aria — not so big that she got overwhelmed, hands-on enough that she didn’t want to leave.

Salem was a whole day of its own — walked around, had lunch, and then did candlepin bowling nearby, which if you’re not from New England, is its own weird wonderful thing. Smaller ball, no finger holes, and somehow still incredibly fun to be bad at.

Our last day we spent entirely at the science museum and it did not disappoint. So interactive, so much to touch and do, the kind of place where you have to physically drag your kid out at closing time.

The best part of the whole trip honestly had nothing to do with any of the places — it was just getting to be with my friend again. Twenty-eight years of friendship and it still feels like no time has passed when we’re together. Watching our kids play and become friends the way we did decades ago hit different in the best way.

I will say — heat wave plus no AC in their house made for some interesting nights. The fans worked overtime and so did we, but it didn’t take anything away from the trip. Already looking forward to going back.