Driveway Friendship

Janine (J9)  and I share a driveway. I'm on the street side and she's on the back side. Until four years ago, we might as well have lived miles apart. I was working crazy long hours and our only contact was a once in awhile wave.

When I retired in 2008, we actually started chatting on the way to get our mail and since we both have dogs, our chats turned into morning walks with my dog, Bella, and her dogs, Hank and Paco. Not only did we walk, we provided one another with encouragement and support to try some new ventures. 

I started a photography business, www.BonnieKingPhotography.com and twisted J9's arm to let me take her photos to help build my portfolio. She said "yes" and we created beautiful results. She also allowed me to twist her arm again to take the Master Gardener 10 week horticulture course. We both made it through - somehow - with J9 asking repeatedly what I'd gotten her into! It was an intensive 10 weeks of study, online homework and testing. Felt like we were back in collage again. We then had to put in another 60 hours of volunteer work - which we did to finish out 2010. Even more importantly, we became best friends.

2011 was transition time for both of us. I was blessed to have two new grandsons in my life and my photography business started to take off. J9 was able to unwind from one business and begin a business of passion, www.J9Bing.com - floral services. Best of all, we had the opportunity to work together on weddings. As a certified designer, her work is truly remarkable.

2012 has seen both our businesses get very busy. We joke about having been "discovered." We're happy about that, but as close as we live to each other, our check-ins have been reduced to email and driveway encounters once again. We're planning another photo session of J9, once the dust clears, but there's no sign of clearing any time soon!

We may have returned to the days of hurried greetings, but with a difference. We're now connected by more than our driveway.