how long..............

My best and closest friend I met at work 36years ago. We are always there for each other usually by telephone as we live too far away from each other to meet on a regular basis. We usually meet only once a year and really enjoy our time together.

The friends I have known the longest are secondary school pals ..we maintain friendship via the internet with maybe a couple of meet ups a year as we are widely scattered! But the friends I see very regularly, share holidays with etc I have known since the 70s. They are older than me by 12-13years. My OH was a student where one was a lecturer & as students we happened to live close by so babysat for them and over the years we have become close and good friends. In turn we have got to know & become good friends with several neighbours of theirs too. We have moved home several times since we were students whereas our friends stayed put! I have recently caught up again with friends made at the school gate 30 odd years ago and feel we will maintain contact now we are all retired and have time!!

My oldest friend I've known for 54 years but she mainly lives in Barbados and jets around the world a lot.
My local friends, about 30 yrs and one good friend only for 5 yrs. I wouldn't be without any of them, they've seen me through major traumas.

Nor so much 'closest friends' as 'only friends'.
I have known one friend 48 years, the next friend 42 years, the next two 23 years, last one 7 years. Unfortunately they're widely scattered so I rarely see any of them more than once a year, we stay in touch via email. I value them highly,

Don`t really have any "old" friends, but a couple of fairly recently acquainted with people who I like to think of as friends, hope they wouldn`t mind my saying so.

I met my closest friend 48 years ago when we started at College training to be nannies. We have been through everything together including two bouts of cancer for her and divorce and remarriage for me. My only sadness is that she lives in Yorkshire and I am in London,but it is wonderful when we get together. I met another when we lived in Japan with small children 40 years ago a nod another pushing our babies in the park. I have one very good friend who is 20 years younger than me, it is shared laughter that binds us.

I have known my best friend since we were 9 years of age so have been friends for 54 years. I also am still in touch with secondary school friends whom I have known for 52 years. I am one of those people you don't get rid of easily.

I've known my closest friend for 31 years now. We met when we worked in the same place. The friendship is very strong, and I know I could tell her anything. She is around the same age as me. I also have a good friend who is 11 years older than I am, and I've known her for 26 years, again having met her at my workplace when I changed my job. Both of these women have the same sense of humour as I do - which is possibly what attracted us to each other! DH's close friend and he were born within 3 weeks of each other, 73 years ago, and are still really close, being able to share the memories of their whole lives.

I met the friend I have known longest longest when we were 11. We have stayed in touch throughout all our moves and very different lives and are now living about a mile apart. I'm meeting her later today.

My oldest friend is 89 and my youngest is probably my DS3's fiancee who is 24 and we are such great friends. I think I have friends of all ages which is great for me.

my 'best friend' and I have just celebrated our 80th birthdays, my friend spoke at my celebration and I spoke at hers. We met on the day we started infants' school at the age of 5 and we have been friends ever since. How's that! I also have a young friend who is in his thirties, we just seemed to hit it off , that is a gap approaching 50 years.