Ordinarily you are closest to the people you face challenges with. It's one reason we often have great childhood friends that we never see--because we endured teen angst together. The bestest of my best friends do not live nearby, so I truly value the opportunities to see them. But I have new friends I've met through my community here, who I also treasure. But those relationships take time, and--at least for me--aren't as deep as with my teen, college, and Army buddies.
And as noted above, it helps that SFIrish is a true friend. We've always enjoy hanging out together (we're spouses, so we still argue over who cleans the bathroom and why the kids haven't done their chores, but you know, life).