Tuesday 12 January 2021

Strange, but True

 Hello Friends!

I just remembered something, which makes me want to sing "It's A Small World After All" and I apologise for giving you today's earworm.  However, strange as this story is, it's perfectly true and so, today's blog is short and sweet, but I really do want to share it with you.

In 1983 I moved to the most picturesque village in northern California called Ferndale.  You can visit it virtually here, for I don't have many photos as it predates digital, and most of what I have is too faded to share, or not that good.  It has changed a lot since I lived there, but I tell you it was one of the happiest times in my life.

I digress.  On Main Street there was an old fashioned artisan butcher's shop where I bought all my meat {they did the most amazing smoked turkey crown to order at Christmas} and on a Saturday there was a young local lad, a cheeky chap, full of energy and enthusiasm, working in the back of the shop.

Time passes, I moved away, life rolled on as it does, and my time in Ferndale became compartmentalised in the region of my brain devoted to Happy Memories.

At some point along the way, I discovered a wonderful magazine, which I know many of you enjoy, called Victoria Bliss {stay with me on this} but once I moved back to the UK, I had to give it up as overseas postage was prohibitive and my copies arrived damaged and months late.

Many years later, in 2007, I finally got internet and a computer at home, and started to explore this wonderful world of the t'interweb.  One of the first things I Googled was Victoria magazine, whereupon I discovered a forum of like minded kindreds.

Stay with me, if you are still here, it will become clear.

I joined the forum and made many good friends, some of whom comment and read my blog.  {Waving}

Now, here's where it gets a little complicated.  One of the forum ladies, let's call her L1, joined Facebook and persuaded me to join, which I did.  Somewhere along the way, L1 made a new friend, let's call her L2, with whom I quickly became good friends.  

Moving on, L2 introduce me to L3 {all these different ladies' names begin with L, by the way} and through L2 and L3, I met B1 and B2.  All these ladies know each other personally.  Eventually, I became friends with the sister of B1, M.  

Time passed, and as I got to know M, a strange, but true, story began to unfold.  Her son is a cameraman working on the film set of Diners, Drive Ins and Dives which I used to watch occasionally.  Turns out the cheeky, cheerful, and energetic young lad working in the back room of the butcher's shop in Ferndale California was none other than Guy Fieri, host of Triple D!

Who would ever have guessed that the young lad in California would be the start of a thread connecting me to a friend on Facebook all those years later, and the connections and friendships made along the way.

Strange but True.

Until next time
Stay safe and well
Deborah xoxo

20 comments:

  1. What a lovely coincidence and such a moving story. It is so amazing how there are so many connections as we go through life. A super post. Stay safe and well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, yes, it's amazing how connections happen.

      Delete
  2. It’s a small world, after all! Love this story, Deb! You’re a great story teller!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Now that is a wonderful story!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, I hope it wasn't too difficult to follow!

      Delete
  4. So glad you have the whole story, Deb. I believe there are many instances where we are connected and not realize it. What a lovely tale you have told us. Take care, my friend. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, yes, when M1 told me certain details, it all fell into place.

      Delete
  5. Deborah—what a great story. And yes, I believe it. It truly is a small world.
    Blessings
    Gert

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great story, truth is stranger than fiction! Have a wonderful day, stay, hugs, Valerie

    ReplyDelete
  7. Such a marvelous story! So glad you could piece it all together! Isn't there a saying - something about us all being connected by 7 people?

    ReplyDelete
  8. An old school friend who emigrate to South Africa tracked me down through my website. Forty years since we were last in contact and an email arrived out of the blue. She has since been on a visit and we now correspond regularly. If we could have emailed back then maybe we would never have lost touch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Strange, isn't it? I have another tale of visiting my ex in laws in Twin Falls, Idaho. I got a letter from home, while there, telling me Mrs AJ from the next street over in my tiny village has friends in Twin Falls!

      Delete
  9. Reality is often stranger than fiction. Nice that the cheeky young lad is doing so well for himself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, he does seem to be doing very well for himself, doesn't he?

      Delete
  10. Well, that's pretty cool! I like his show (He came to our town a few years ago -- he probably had to look hard to find the spots to visit that he did!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What I want to know is have you eaten in any of them?

      Delete