Second Helpings

I'm Seven Today

It's my seventh WDC Burpday today. Can you believe that? Seven years as a member of this site and still visiting it at least twice a day. I obviously don't have the seven year itch as yet.

I can't remember how I found this site initially, but I do remember joining and not doing much about it for a while. Eventually I figured out how to download some of my writing into my port and exploring some of the things on offer.

I received reviews, returned them, made a few friends and entered some competitions. I was given awardicons and placements, added more to my folder and was quite happy to think this might be just the place to inspire me to write more, maybe attempt a novel and seek publication.

But as with all plans, things happen to alter our destiny and little did I know what would lie ahead when I joined the ranks of the bloggers here in January 2005. Writing is important to me, always has been, but people are what I believe really matter in life. I still have to pinch myself to believe the events that have developed from simply clicking that blog option.

I had no readers to start with; didn't expect to have and was quite happy to ramble away to myself, although I was quite interested in looking at certain other bloggers on the site. I remember reading about a certain lady who had a wonderful way with words and a zany sense of humour which I identified with. I visited her port and was very impressed with her writing, particularly her descriptions of her cruises with her friend and a lovely photo of her swimming with dolphins.

I started to notice the hits on my blog and was driven to ask these anonymous readers to identify themselves. In April 2005 Nada confessed in a comment she'd been reading my blog for a while. I swiftly raced over to her blog and admitted to the same. We became regular commenters and fans of each other's blogs, as well as a few others we both enjoyed. Bonds of friendship were coming to mean a lot more than the desire to be a famous writer.

In March of 2005 Nada and I became snail mail pen pals and have sent each other many letters, cards and gifts which have lifted spirits, amused and touched hearts and souls.

We've enjoyed interactives with our friends here and started chatting online in the latter months of 2005. We clicked instantly; our lives may not have been similar but our personalities, humour and circumstances are not so different. Our friendship blossomed and grew; I think we both felt we'd found a friend to confide in and share the joys and sorrows life hands us.

When my son went travelling, then rocked our world with his announcement of marriage, Nada was the first person I turned to and that was the night she phoned me and I got to hear her voice. I will never forget the comfort and sound advice she gave me; putting into perspective a situation I was finding impossible to deal with.

My friends here helped me through that trauma and many others; my WDC membership was becoming more about people than writing, but it was still their words and mine which were important. Words from the heart, words of support and comfort, words which may never be published but have meant more to this simple soul than any publishing deal could.

This year has been another traumatic one and I may not have added much to my portfolio, but it will be remembered as a special one. The series Nada and I decided to write together has allowed us to express our feelings about our pasts, cement our friendship and compare notes. It seemed somehow fate intended us to do this; losing my Mum in the midst of this series made it seem very important to record the past for posterity.

The icing on the cake arrived in the form of Nada and Lance meeting us in London of September this year. I cannot express what that meeting meant to me and how it has assured me here is a lifelong friendship, no matter what it throws at us. We're back to chatting online, but with the added comfort of knowing we really do have a special bond which will help us through whatever the future dishes out for us both.

So, thank you WDC. I could never have envisioned what lay ahead when I signed up seven years ago. I could never have predicted the life events, heartbreaks and unexpected twists and turns simply being a member of this site has helped me to deal with. My writing may not have reached the heights I once contemplated, but being a member here has enriched my life far more than I could ever have anticipated.

A couple more things I could never have envisaged on that cold November morning I signed up are pictured here. Life is full of surprises amongst the humdrum and routine.

Thank you my faithful friends and readers for all the support and kindness you have given, which has made these past seven years here so special.

My grandson Dylan, aged three months.




My girl lollipop. Our Angel, aged two.




Nanna Scarlett with a grumpy Dylan.