We met Jerry and Cheryl at Lake In Wood three years ago. We became fast friends and have 
spent much time in each other’s company since then. Jerry is the maintenance supervisor at LIW and Cheryl works in the office taking care of accounts payable with the utilities of the seasonal residents. Even when not at our northern retreat, our paths cross ofter during the winter months when all workers head South. Just this past Sunday they pulled into Willow Tree and have camped the week here until their journey northward again to the Amish lands of eastern Pa. Jerry is anxious to see the new changes in administration since the campground has been sold to the Sun Communities Corporation. We spend our days shopping, dining at various venues, looking at real estate, walking the beach, and going to movies. This now makes five couples down here at various points of North Myrtle Beach, all hailing from the mountain retreat in Lancaster County.
The other night we were all invited to Gail and Mike’s (the porkmeister) home for dinner. It’s always a pleasure going to their home to see the new purchases that Gail has made. She’s the queen of the yard sale kingdom and she has an uncanny knack of decorating and knowing exactly what will go where in her home when positioned in the garage or driveway of some stranger. Mike on the other hand tolerates her antics like a schoolboy still in love. He is quite the chef and never ceases to surprise us with something new from the grill. His marinated eggplant was quite the delicacy, that seemed to standout above all else on my palate. They prepared an excellent spread of hors de oeuvres, grilled finger foods, roast beef, and Italian meatballs, not to mention gallons of gallons of wine to wash it down. The coup de grace was a medley of pies, cookies, cake and candy as if we didn’t have enough of a selection with which to expand the belt line. I knew the wine had taken its toll when Gail proudly displayed her boob tattoo for us to admire. Robin and Cheryl both regaled in the silliness of our crew who acted more like frat brothers and sorority sisters instead of senior grown-ups acting their age. Oh, so good it is to make like a child in the company of friends.
