It has been a year so far for getting in touch with people we haven't seen for many, many years - or even never at all. All thanks to the marvels of modern technology.
Starting at the end first, I took up a free trial on Ancestry.co.uk, and looked up my dad. (Oh, must add that to the list of things I want to do when I retire - trace not only the UK side of the family, but also the German side if possible. All I remember about the German side is mum saying they originally came from Prussia, and that she had a big photo/painting of her grandfather as a Hussar but she lost it on the 3-day ride of the back of a coal truck on the railway journey from Berlin to Kiel to escape the Russians who were going to be the first into Berlin). Anyway, when I looked up my dad I found a family photo of him when he was a toddler, which I recognised as being in our family album (which my sister is now guardian of). However it wasn't my sister that put it there - and hey presto, I find a relative I never knew I had. Haven't worked out exactly what the relationship is yet, especially since I wasn't going to pay £100 for a membership to Ancestry and so can't access his first contact.
In addition, there was contact from an old friend from University - the only good thing that Linked-In has done in my view, and then a school friend via Friends ReUnited. Finally, going to the 1st Thursday of the month pub meeting in London, who should be there but Dave Hodson, who we haven't seen for 20+ years!
So, there's contact after: 20 years, 35 years, 50+ years and never! Not bad.
In doing all the catching up with these people, it's made me think that it was time I wrote out my life story since no-one (apart from John and my sister) knows everything - so that will be my next entry.
