Lost glasses spark new-found friendship

Who’d have thought that losing a pair of glasses could spark a lifelong friendship?

But that’s exactly what happened when Enid Barker misplaced her sunglasses back in the year 1999 when she had just moved into what was then the brand new RAAFA estate at Meadow Springs.

“I was searching on one of the street corners where I thought I might have dropped them, and along came Maisie to ask if I needed help,” explains Enid, who at the time had just emigrated from Yorkshire in the UK.

“We got chatting and the rest, as they say, is history – we’ve been great friends ever since.”

Over the course of the years, Maisie and Enid, along with their late husbands, enjoyed many holidays together, throughout Western Australia, Australia, and including Bali.

And now, despite the sad passing of their husbands, the pair is continuing to be there for each other and plan holidays together.

“We just gelled when we first met,” said Maisie. “And then our husbands became friends and we started to go to bowls together and also boot scooting,” she explains.

“Enid is like a sister to me, we go shopping, have meals together and have little rituals like meeting for coffee every Saturday.

“It’s fairly easy to make friends at the village because everyone is very friendly, but it’s particularly special to have a friend like Enid.”

And as for Enid, did she ever find those original sunglasses?

“I never did find them,” she laughs. “And I’m sorry to say I’ve lost a few more pairs since then – but what a small price to pay for finding such a deep, strong friendship.”