Very First Letter from Cherie and Shopping

Dorothy and Julian are back again. Julian is looking fine, having made some clothes purchases and a lovely pair of red sandals. I hope to see Dorothy over the weekend.

I had my first contact the other day with my half sister, Cherie. It was a letter with a couple of photos describing her life and family. This was so exciting to receive, it has stayed in my bag since then! Romy, my work colleague, thought she could see a resem blance between Cherie and me, none between me and Roberto, and a very little between me and Mykel. I shall carry on corresponding with Cherie, but would really love to meet them all at some time.

My friend Johnny has invited me to his show. There is to be a second show after the sellout success of his first one. I have been begging Dorothy and Julian to catsit Malvolio for the night in a week or two as I would really love to go.

Oh dear, I have had a rash of purchasing.

I have bought some cheap summer clothes at half price in a catalogue, some of which are OK;

a pair of Birkenstocks in black since I had no black sandals and a lot of black clothes;

a cheap pair of pointy kitten heeled gold shoes (not at all sure about these);

two quite nice Indigo Moon light jackets with overlong arms (will take these to be altered today). They are quite nice and dressy and for once, with Indigo Moon, roughly symmetrically patterned.

I also bought (on a complete impulse) a premium tanzanite ring with a smallish stone, but a gorgeous colour

and, very oddly, considering the number of oven dishes I already own, a five piece set of Linda Barker oven dishes in pale pink. They have now arrived and it has finally dawned on me why they were so cheap - they are cream inside and matte pale pink on the outside - duh - ovens - burnt-on grease etc. Hell to clean. I shall use one or two as salad dishes. I may test one in the oven. Well at least they were cheap: £19 the set. And they look very nice, now!

Meeting Long Losts and Further Spendthriftery

Another email from Lauren, my new sister-in-law. She is making waistcoats for my half brother, Roberto, who is dashing over to France trying to decide whether to buy the bar they had originally settled on, or another one about 5km from their daughter's bar, which would also be good for them.

It really is exciting discovering a whole new family at my advanced age. I really must get down to Torquay some time and meet them. Unfortunately this could prove difficult. I have already booked two separate weeks to take the pensioners on holiday, with Dorothy and Julian cat-minding and cat injecting, so I am a bit reluctant to ask them to come and stay again for me to spend time in Torquay.

On the distaff side of the family, I am in contact with a couple of ladies who lunch from America or Canada who are very distantly (19thc) related and who have come back to do a trip to Devon to seek more information about the family history ( I think it is mainly gravestones!). I am meeting them in Kensington on 15th before their trip.

Oh dear, further purchases from the TV. I bought quite a nice pair of sandals, and a rather luxurious teal coloured Italian suede bag. This will go with the teal boots I purchased a few weeks ago.

Was Oldest of Three - Now Oldest of Six

I got it wrong, Mykel, ten years younger than me, is the eldest. Then Cherie, 13 years younger, then Roberto, who is 15 years younger than me. Roberto was a DJ and quizmaster for years in Torquay, which he gave up to move to Wales and do a cottage up there which he is now selling to move to France and join his stepdaughter and family in Brittany. Cherie is in the antiques business, and a technophobe regarding computers, and Mykel is a musician in a folk band, following in the family music tradition.

From what Roberto writes, they all sound a jolly,easy going lot, which is good. I have still to contact Mykel and Cherie.

The snaps I took of Stilton ice cream came back. They are not great. They definitely look more out of focus (which might be a good thing) in a large size print. Must purchase a folder for them and my pathetically small presentation paper.

Had a good day at work. Nice little working lunch in Borough Market, after which Romy went to visit some clients at home and I went to buy some stationery. We are working out the figures for the coach trip to France. We really must check each passport before leaving London - best to discover out-of-date ones before we leave - but with any luck they will all be OK. Must get a few euros myself.

Not looking forward to the audition. Romy is not sure whether she will be able to attend. I just have to sort out what to wear and remember to take the snaps and a few words on a cribsheet with me. Might take a bit of Colston Bassett also.

Dorothy, You Have Two New Uncles and Another Aunt

Finally, a letter from my little brother Roberto. It's real - I really am the oldest of six! His wife Lauren had been writing to me before. It seems they live in Wales and are in the process of selling up and buying a pub in France.

The oldest of those three, my sister Cherie, lives in Torquay and my other brother Mykel, lives and always has lived where I was born, in Paignton. They are all happy to be in touch with me. This is the brother whose name and address Romy uncovered in her researches.

Roberto tells me that my papa gave up his career to look after the children.(There must be another story here). He also did a bit of work as an ornamental plasterer for a film set, makings some concrete steps look like marble, and also had a bit part playing the trumpet in the film 'Isadora'. He was, as my mother had told me, a very talented musician.

Having been absolutely terrified of identity fraud, and not having these new relatives, I have gone through a huge rollercoaster of emotions, but now realise that in fact I can be happy again that they do actually exist - have always wanted to belong to a 'tribe'.

I shall reply to Roberto, and get in touch with the other two. I would really love to meet them all. If we didn't get on it would not matter as we all have our own lives but if we did, so much the better. After the worries of the past couple of days, I now feel happy and excited again.

Am I a Fraud Victim?

Oh dear, Dorothy thinks the people who have contacted me via Genes Reunited are conmen doing some identity fraud which of course is quite possible. He says I am the ideal person to fall for this as I have been looking for a relative. Rather unfortunate that I have given them a lot of information. Interestingly, and more worryingly, have not heard anything from them since. It is a pity I did not see his comment re this before I gave them all my information. Have now taken my family tree off the site - probably shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted as my grandmother would have said. I do hope he is wrong, but am now very worried indeed.

More Long Losts, Falling, Fromage and Entertainer

Just received another email. I have two new brothers and a sister! More later.

I now have one half sister, two half brothers, and nephews and nieces and their offspring, some actual and some expected arrivals. I thought I was one of three and now it turns out I am the oldest of six - quite the matriarch - as my sister started calling me when our mother died!

Julian has sent me some wonderful snaps from Woburn Safari Park. She really is a brilliant photographer, as is Dorothy.

Had a long chat with my ex sister in law, Madeleine. She is very excited by my new family. She is still having computer problems but is hoping to sort these out soon. Unfortunately my ex mother in law is still having falls at night, despite four visits from helpers during the day. Madeleine is very worried about it all but trying to keep her out of a nursing home. I am afraid this may not be possible for much longer.

Madeleine wants to go and see The Entertainer at the Old Vic and will attempt to source some tickets, as I would also enjoy this, though it may be too late to get these.

Today I shall hope for a ray or two of sunshine or at least decent light so I can finally snap the damned Stilton ice cream. I shall take several shots - one of the smetana mix and one of the double cream mix, all with various garnishes and from different angles and sent these off to be printed - maybe A4. I shall find a display folder from somewhere and write some stuff about how I first came to make it etc. so there is a bit of a story about it. I shall just have to force myself to take the thing seriously - ha ha. Madeleine has suggested I wear magenta, though this is not a colour featuring in my current wardrobe. A magenta shawl maybe?

Sibling Curiosity and Stilton Lace

I have not yet heard again from my half brother. Maybe never will. Things that make me curious are a) my current siblings are all from different fathers. My sister looks like her father, my brother looks like his father. I do not recall my father, but apparently he was short and fat, which would explain my appearance, as no one else in my maternal family is at all overweight, though some are short,b) Whether I have any other siblings, which is also possible. Do I thus have nephews and nieces, how many, what sex, what age? I don't think I have any uncles or aunts, at least still living, but who knows? What kind of man was my father? Did he tell people of his previous marriage? Did he and his next wife stay together? Are the other two siblings from the same mother? I have suddenly become deeply curious about all this.

When I mentioned the brother to Dorian his first question was: 'Is he rich?'this had not occurred to me at all, probably since I am, though not at all wealthy, reasonably financially secure. In fact the reverse might be true, they may be quite impoverished!

The cheese 'lace' I made having been successful, I tried a similar method to make blue cheese 'lace'. However this was not wonderful as blue cheese, being softer, melts too much and the lacey pieces are a rather nasty dark grey colour after this melting. Might try it with Caerphilly or Cheshire cheese however. It really is all good fun. Made a second batch of Stilton ice cream using Smetana, sour cream from Lithuania. Not exactly true British, but probably any sour cream would do. Certainly before freezing it tasted better than that made with ordinary double cream. We shall see.

Questions About Long Lost Relatives and Nibby's New House

I am still wondering about my father. My 'new' brother and his family seem rather amazed at my existence. I am now wondering if perhaps my father did not tell his family he had previously been married and had a daughter. Quite possible I suppose. I even wonder if his next wife knew. I think she must have known. Anyway.

I am now wondering whether the other person with a relative with the same birth year and name as my father is in fact another half brother. However, he did not reply to my email.I may have at least two brothers I did not know about. Of course, at my age, one doesn't know who is still alive.

I rang Nibby who seems even more impressed even with this new brother and possible other siblings than I am. We chatted a bit about it and decided that even if they did not want to meet or take things further, at least I know they exist, which is interesting to me.

Nibby has now officially purchased her house in Kangaroo Valley and the workmen are in, converting bits, putting kitchen and bathroom in, etc. This is marvellous news. She has wonderful views from the house and it is exciting to have a project.

Ice Cream and Long Lost Relatives

I have made some ice cream and it's in the freezer. Bought a square white plate to snap it on when it is finished and there is a bit of sun, and some bits of garnish. Have managed to make that kind of cheese lace stuff by melting grated cheese.

In between had a message from someone on Genes Reunited who thinks he is related to me via my father. Nothing further, but I have told him the little I know and hopefully, he will come back and I can find out precisely how we are related. He is a bit cagey and won't show me his family tree because his wife's family are on this and he doesn't know that I am not a nutter, though that might be open to question according to some of my friends and relations.

I have just had a reply from Genes Reunited. From the wife of the guy who is related to me. She says he is working tonight so has asked her to reply. She says he is the youngest of three and is my father's son, i.e. my half brother and is about 48, i.e. much younger than me. So I could possibly have three more half brothers and sisters from my father's side. Amazing to discover this at my age. I shall keep in touch and endeavour to find out more about my father. Apparently he died when this son was only 15, presumably in 1972 or thereabouts, which would make him about 61 at the time.

Sans Camera, Sans Meetings, Avec Lunch but Sans Local

Oh dear. I forgot to mention that when I started taking photos at Woburn, my digital camera immediately ran out of power. I was going to recharge the battery today, but in all the household chaos I have managed to lose the cables and battery charging case. I know they were in a carrier bag and hope it has not inadvertently been thrown away. Have looked everywhere.

Trying to organise a meeting for the vixens. About 30 emails have passed back and forth. Three can do 25th May (just), three can do 26th May, three can do 5,7 and 13 June, and two can do 4,6 and 12 June. Will just have to wait until there is a date four people can actually make. It looks fairly hopeless so I shall give up for the time being and let the other three organise something.

Pouring with rain outside. I had a lunch del dia at La Bodeguita at the top of Elephant and Castle. This consisted of very good sopa de frijoles, which turned out to be soup with red kidney beans, followed by a pork kind of steak with plantain and rice plus a coke for £5, to which I added a cappucino afterwards. The staff are very well mannered and attentive. Excellent value.

My friend Dorian told me the pub up the road will be turned into a hotel or hostel, open to residents only. Most of the elderly people around here are regulars, which will make life very difficult for them as there is no other comparable place. They are also getting rid of the local chemist shop, again the only local one, which will be a nuisance. Not sure if the pub will be a proper hotel or a homeless hostel.