Kay Shepley may not be able to attend the planned get together next May, in a remarkable story she tells us why......
I had the internet November 1998........... and used to have about an hour
on a Saturday and Sunday evening chatting on Mirc..... I got to chat to a
few people regularly, but only as friends. I had a friend who became
involved with someone on the net and remained sceptical as far as a
relationship on the net.
However, on Saturday 6th February 1999, after an hour on Mirc, and not
finding anyone I normally chatted to, I sent a message up on the main screen
(something I had NEVER done before) just saying
Mike had only been on the net a matter of a few weeks by then, and that
night we just 'clicked'..... I know it sounds like a cliché but that is
how it happened.
I told Mike about ICQ as a way of keeping in touch... right from the word go
we both knew this could lead somewhere, which sounds irrational but that is
how it was.
Mike sent me an email to wake up to, and on the Sunday morning I sent him a
pic of myself.
With the time difference, Toronto is 5 hours back, and the fact that Mike
works 4 days of 10 hour shifts... it was not going to be possible to chat in
the week, as well as the expense. it is OK for Canada, they don't pay!!! So
we agreed that he would send me an email when he was home from work, which I
would receive in the morning... and I would do one for him in the evening
which he would get on his arrival home from work. We then go on to chat for
2 hours on a Saturday and a Sunday.... unless he feels the need to phone
me.... which now is quite often. But we have discovered an internet phone
although sometimes it doesn't work very well.
At first he didn't have a scanner but went to buy one that week. He
scanned me a pic on Friday 12th February which I received when I came home
from a few drinks with Helen Robinson (nee Charlesworth) We had a chat on
icq but I could barely see the keyboard let alone type. Mike thought it was
funny!!
He phoned me for the first time (and took me by surprise) on Valentine's
Day....... as well as sending email cards.
This was the week his system crashed and had to go in for repair so he
phoned me the following day to tell me but I still sent an email every day..
he collected them all on Friday.
Other than a computer problem, we have emailed each other every single day
without fail.. even if we are tired or not well... we email to say
so.........
Typically just when I got myself back in the civil service after 13 years
out... doing a job I really enjoy. But none of that matters.
We did all the talking about ourselves and our lives and everything before
we met, and like Mike says, the physical stuff didn't get in the way. We
both knew we were going to get on well when we met.. neither of us had a
doubt....... but it is nice to have it confirmed. He brought a diamond
engagement ring out from Canada with him........... he admitted that he
bought it in March...... around the time he asked me how I felt about him
coming over for my birthday in July. Naturally I said go ahead and book a
flight.
We would have met earlier but Mike chose my birthday specifically to visit
to make it more special. We had already talked about getting married.......
we only had words......... it was like we had the end result sorted before
anything else could get in the way.
It was strange when we met... he arrived on my doorstep having been met by a
taxi driver at Manchester airport......... and although it felt a bit odd at
first, it didn't last long.
My 2 boys, Andrew 10 and Paul 8, are thrilled to bits with the idea..... and
the boys dad is fine with them moving to Canada because he says it will be a
good life for them. That was a possible problem as he has to give
permission. Mike has 2 boys Luke 16 and Matthew 18 from a previous
marriage, and as Matthew is the only one of legal age, he has asked if he
can be best man, and of course we have said that would be wonderful.
Nobody has told us yet that we are totally insane........... not that Mike's
mum can do anyway........his father died a few years ago.
He is a Canadian, born in Toronto, but his parents and grandparents are
Italian. When his father was 18 and his mother 15, they were each shown a
photo of the other and asked if they wanted to get married!!! they agreed,
but as his father was in Toronto and his mother was in Italy, they married
by proxy, with a translator (neither spoke the others language!!) over short
wave radio !!! Then his mum packed her bags and came to Canada!!! So at
least we have had the technology to get to know each other more than she
had. Romance must run in the family!!! Or at least crossing the Atlantic
Ocean!!!
Kay has promised to provide updates if you wish to e-mail her her address is in the e-mail list
Kay has sent a photograph of her and Mike and also some from when she was at school.
'Moondust says hi to everyone'
A message came back on the main screen (something Mike had never done
before) saying
'Spiritfeather' says hi to Moondust'
Then I clicked on to him for a private chat and the rest is history !! as
they say !!!
Neither of us was in a relationship........ but neither of us was actively
looking... it was just one of those flukes....... we were only on beginner
channel, not a romance one or such like.
From the word go we knew if this was to work, one of us would have to move
country. I told him he could not get a job here on the pay he gets there,
so it would make more sense for us to sell up and move to Canada. We are
going to visit from 3rd October to 21st October....... but if I have a sale
going through then we will stay. We have 90 days to get married so I can
legally stay there, but this is not a problem , we have asked about this.
So it really is a matter of when the house sells we are off to Canada. I am
getting 3 valuers round this week..... so it all starts here.