Where Did The Time Go?

So, catching up. 

The weather continued wet for the majority of our time at Sandy Balls and we did little away from the campsite. What we did do, was to join the Gym for a week and had some, for us, strenuous sessions on the simpler machines there before our afternoon swimming time.

One evening last week I received a sad call from my sister, with the news that an old friend of mine had died. She was the younger sister of my boyfriend from my late teenage years.

The relationship with her brother was quite intense and lasted nearly 3 years. We saw each other almost every day, even though he lived about 12 miles away and I spent most weekends at their large country house. His sister and I became like sisters ourselves, doing so much together, even having a joint 16 and 18th birthday party.

I'd known the end was near for her, as even though she was living in America, family and friends were in touch and would pass on news of her battle with breast cancer.

That wasn't a good day for me, as on the same day, we discovered The Goddess had an oil leak. Bad enough in a car but this is our home. I was in a very dark place that evening, partly fearing for the immediate future and possible costs, which to be honest, after all the December vehicle expense, was a big worry but also I was transported back to those happy teenage years with feelings and memories to many to put down here.

We’d lost touch when I split up with her brother and married outside our circle of friends in 1973. Looking back at the 3 years when we were so close is like looking at a photo of a summer’s day in the middle of winter. I am not a poet, as will be obvious but I wanted to capture what the loss of Debbie meant to me.

Debbie.

Giggling secrets

Whispered confidences

Long, shiny, golden hair,

Endless tanned legs

Shortest of skirts

We wanted to make the boys stare

We were the teenagers

Everyone wanted to date

A carefree happy pair

That is how you will be

Forever in my mind

Life is so unfair.