Strike while the iron's hot

[BC Wench]

Yesterday I was making a start on clearing out the loft, as you do when not doing genealogy, when I started pondering over some memorabilia I had kept from the 1960s when I used to have a pen-pal, Sherron Foell, who lived in New Mexico, USA.

We corresponded for about 8 years and for reasons such as leaving school, starting to go out to work for a living and Sherron going on to University etc. our correspondence stopped. Many times over the years I"™ve wondered "how is my pen-pal, what has she been doing with her life, is she happy, married, got children"¦.."

On finding this memorabilia yesterday, I thought right, with all this computer technology on offer, I"™m going to try and find her. After about just 10 minutes searching on the internet, I found in an Arizona newspaper that Sherron had died last year at the age of 61. I could not believe it, it was such a shock. All those years of thinking about her and never "getting around" trying to find her, I was absolutely gutted. I"™ve left a message on the newspaper"™s web site to make a plea on my behalf if any of Sherron"™s family would contact me.

On a brighter note. I found from Sherron"™s obituary, that she had received a Masters Degree from Northern Arizona University, she worked as a school psychologist and special education director, was a member of the First Southern Baptist Church in Cornville and enjoyed sewing and quilting. Sherron married Glen and they have a daughter and 3 grandchildren.

So folks, "strike while the iron"™s hot", and "don"™t put off until tomorrow what you can do today" because you could have regrets like I have.

[Maths girl]

This is certainly a timely lesson BCWench -- sorry it was such sad news.

Maths girl

[Lulu]

That was a shock for you, especially as she wasn't, by today's standards, very old.

I've had a surprising case of someone from my past getting in touch, on Tuesday. To say I nearly fell of my chair is an understatement.

I got engaged when I was 19 and married when I was 20. It was a disaster from the wedding day. Nine months later, we split up and that was it, never saw each other again. So the last thing I expected was an email from Friends Re-United, telling me I had a message from my Ex. We haven't communicated for 37 years and to be honest, there was little communication then. The message simply said Friends??

We exchanged pleasantries and tales of grandchildren etc and agreed, too much water had gone under the bridge for us to bring up past difficulties. I have always felt dreadful that there was this parting on bad terms and no way to lay the past to rest. I had often thought of contacting him but thought he might less than keen to hear from me. So I was pleased that he had finally taken the plunge.

We are meeting up for lunch, which my present Husband has no problem with, as we have a very secure relationship. Finally, after such a along time, we can lay the past to rest. As my Ex has had some serious health problems (we are vaguely related by marriage, so I have had occasional news) I really thought there would never be a chance to sort things out.

So, I would strongly advise people not to leave things too late. You never know how long any of us have.

[Northern Lass]

Then there is the other side to the coin
where you think wonder what happened to all my Uni mates
and all hell breaks lose

[Maths girl]

Then there is the other side to the coin
where you think wonder what happened to all my Uni mates
and all hell breaks lose

What did happen there? in sounds like a story!

[Northern Lass]

Then there is the other side to the coin
where you think wonder what happened to all my Uni mates
and all hell breaks lose

What did happen there? in sounds like a story!

as they say in Jane Austens novel............

and reader I married him!!

[Maths girl]

Then there is the other side to the coin
where you think wonder what happened to all my Uni mates
and all hell breaks lose

What did happen there? in sounds like a story!

as they say in Jane Austens novel............

and reader I married him!!

Ahhhh!

[Northern Lass]

Well I didn't really marry him but Jane Austen didnt say
Well reader I lived with him in the Midlands.............

But to get back to what BC Wench said
I agree life is too short to have what ifs and regrets

[BC Wench]

Nice one Lulu, hope everything goes well for you.

[Lulu]

It was lovely. It was like we'd never been apart there was no awkwardness and the nicest thing was, he was so sweet, I could see why I had fallen in love with him and the the horrible memories I had of him are no longer my only memory of him. It was so bad back in the early 70s, I honestly though he might have turned up today with a gun and shot me. I'm so pleased I've been able to put him back in perspective and rediscover what a nice person, he is. We were just the wrong people to marry each other.

And he bought the lunch.

[snoopysue]

It's great it turned out okay!

[BC Wench]

That's brill Lulu and top marks for such an understanding husband that you have.

[Lulu]

That's brill Lulu and top marks for such an understanding husband that you have.

I trained him well.

[Rob]

That's brill Lulu and top marks for such an understanding husband that you have.

[Lulu]

What's the matter Robbo? Have you got a problem with men being reasonable?