California Girl

In 1965 (when I was 12) I saw an notice in one of my girls comics asking if people wanted pen pals and giving an address to write to for further information.  I decided to apply and this is how I came to be matched with P (pictured above).  She was about a year and a half younger than me and lived in San Francisco.

So began our almost lifelong friendship which sadly ended yesterday when I received an e-mail from her daughter telling me that very sadly P had died.  I was shocked.  I knew that she hadn't been well but the day before her daughter said she would try and arrange for P and I to have a video call together.

In some ways we were very different (she was definitely more studious than me) but somehow or other we just clicked and wrote to each other for over 60 years.  We saw each other through highs and lows and talked about anything and everything in our letters.

We met 4 times.  Once in London when her and her husband were travelling around Europe; once she was visiting a friend in London and we met in York - we spent most of the day in York minster - she was enthralled with it.  In 2007 my husband, son (who was 15) and I did a tour of the West Coast of America and went to visit her and family at their home in San Francisco.  The next day she took us to the forest to see Giant Redwood trees.  Finally, in 2017 she came to stay with us.  We took her to see Alnwick Castle and Gardens (she liked Downton Abbey and some of that had been filmed there), the Roman Wall, Newcastle Quayside and the bridges and I took her out for afternoon tea.  She also got to meet my sister and brother-in-law.  She was an easy guest.  

So it is the end of an era but I am pleased that she was my friend and proud to that we wrote to each other on a regular basis for of 60 years but my goodness, I will miss her and her letters.