Since my blog has been up and running, a few old friends have made contact with me via email.

It has been a lovely walk down memory lane for us all.

 

Just before the death of Alex I started googling both old school friends and work friends to see where they are these days.

I was all set to make contact with a few when Alex died so unexpectedly hence I was rudderless for a good eighteen months.

But I’m back….and in my spare time googling again.

What!!!

You were a mayor of a town in the South Island Kevin?

How fitting.  You were destined to be a star with your outgoing personality.

 

And Cyril, what do I say!!

I endured many years of you teasing me both at home and at school.

I wonder if you remember?

The silly thing is, I really liked your cheeky bravado personality so I didn’t take too much offence.

Occasionally you pushed it a bit too far like the time you threw my school bag out into the playground  just as our school bus was pulling up.

I sobbed my little heart out as I retrieved it from quite a distance.

You had a marvelous throwing arm Cyril.

And I will never forget your nicknames for me; Jap and Fang were two of the more polite ones.

I forgave you years ago you little sod!!

I have found out in recent months that you have a successful business and furthermore a lovely family.

Well-done Cyril.

 

Yesterday I googled Jill, an old school friend who I lost contact with after Primary School as she went off to Boarding School in Auckland.

I was so shocked and saddened to read that she died last year.

How devastated and cheated I feel as I left it too late to reconnect.

I so wanted to catch up and reminisce with her of school days.

But most of all I wanted to tell her that it did not surprise me how she was in a profession where she made a difference in the life of people.

Research via Google gave me an excellent overview of her work.

A memory of her upside down on the jungle gym brings a smile to my face.

Her gorgeous long blonde plaits blowing in the breeze.

Her running ability; she left me for dust.

A school photo taken of us when we were seven years of age sits on the table in front of me as I write.

How young, carefree, and innocent we were.

Goodbye Jill.

I will never forget you.

I have many more stories in my head from childhood but right now I am too sad thinking about Jill.

Sandra Hobbs signing off.