Pembroke Lane Reunion

In 1969 we, the Stumbo family--Nancy and John and our three children, Annette, Laurie and Paul--lived on Pembroke Lane in Topeka, Kansas.  Right next door were the Guilds, Fred and Joanne with their four daughters, Jenny, Leslie, Nanette, and Lisa.  Across the street lived the Hildyards, Hobart and Virginia and their three children Brent, Wendy and Wes.  Eventually everyone moved away from Pembroke Lane and then Topeka.  Everyone.  All the Guilds moved to the Northwest, in and around Seattle.  The Stumbos scattered everywhere, as did the Hildyards. Hobart and Virginia retired to the Northwest, to Whidbey Island, northwest of Seattle, in the 90s.  The three families did not keep in touch except for Hobart Hildyard and John Stumbo.

Two years ago Annette discovered Leslie Guild on Facebook, told me, and I quickly added her to my list of Facebook friends and we started to communicate with each other.  (God bless Facebook!)  When Hobart and I discovered each other and got together in March, Leslie realized that we would be close to where she lived on Whidbey Island and we made plans to get together sometime this summer. Last night was the night.

The surprise:  Leslie knew that Jenny and their parents, Fred and Joanne, were going to be at Jenny's second home near Oak Harbor on Saturday evening, so she contacted me and arranged for Hobart and Brent, who was here visiting from Phoenix, and me to pop in and surprise everyone else, who had no idea that Leslie and I had been in contact.  A Topeka, Kansas, Pembroke Lane reunion in Oak Harbor, WA!  What fun!  The Guilds were surprised and we were thrilled to see them and began to get caught up on the past three/four decades.  Friendships were renewed, stories and hugs exchanged, and memories recounted.  It was a marvelous reunion.  Thanks, Leslie.  

Jenny and Leslie

Fred and Joanne