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Karen making daisy chains, Me looking confused … and ummm … jeez .. her name slips me .. one of the “Seagulls!”

Today I had a lovely chat with an old friend from my Croydon days … we did catch up around 5 years ago, but as sometimes happens, friends slip into the background.

The most fantastic thing is that she is a motorhome owner and has a small dog! … we had a very brief catch up as I had to go to take a funeral, but we are planning to speak more over this weekend, to catch up more and to plan a wee holiday with our  motorhomes and dogs!

I cannot tell you how much this brightened my mood.  I have not been in the best frame of mind lately and it will be fantastic to meet up … we had some laughs way back then …

Our friendship started way back in 1993, in the “Frog and Nightgown” in the Elephant and Castle in London … I was with a group of friends and Karen came over to speak to someone at a table next to us.

Karen was dressed in thigh length boots … being the classy woman that I am, I turned around, stuck my cigarette packet in the top of her boots and said “hold them for me love” … she said I fascinated her because no-one have ever spoken to her with such disrespect before! … Later that night the DJ announced that she had to pull out of a planned trip to the Women’s Tennis in Eastbourne (four of us had planned to go) … and that if anyone wanted to take her place, they would have to share a room with me!

Karen volunteered.

Karen picked me up to take me to Eastbourne, in her classic open topped sports car … I was blown away!

We had a great week of laughter with two other friends…  and clubbing at the pubs and swimming pool in Eastbourne, it was full of gay women and a great atmosphere. Although it night two before we realised that the “seagull” noises from next door, were not seagulls at all! *grin*

On our last day, we didn’t stay for the final, but wanted to come back for London Pride … as we stood outside the stadium saying our goodbyes, I was leaning against Karen’s car when Martina Navatalova, Billie Jean King and some other women walked past.  Martina looked at me and said “nice car” … and I said ….. “thank you!

Karen was not happy that I did not come clean … but no way was I going to say “it’s not mine, it’s my friends!”

On our return home we went to London Pride and a couple of days later Karen invited me over to meet two friends of hers who owned a pet shop.   We were sitting chatting around the dinner table and the patio doors were open.  They owned about 8 dogs (I’m not sure how many) … when all of a sudden my feet became wet … I looked under the table to find that a full grown pig had just puked up all over me.

Happy, funny days … and I so look forward to seeing her again.