19 February 2010 ~~ the date my darling Emma first telephoned me out of the blue to discuss a showreel she was working on, on the recommendation of a mutual acquaintance now living in Birmingham, who used to live here in Cambridge and knew me as a theatre critic, & had told Emma I might be able to make some suggestions. We chatted away on the phone about this'n'that as well as the theatre in which she was making her way, & had several more most affable calls before we actually met face-to-face; & then, when she eventually came over to visit on 18 March 2010, this instant telephonic clicking continued in ♠♠♠; we partnered, spent some time in one another's homes; & eventually married on 12 June 2010, so are just coming up to 1st anniversary: & please believe if I say that not a cross word has been exchanged between us in that time; and the interests we share, despite age difference, I being in my 80th year now & she - er - not, from Eugene O'Neill to soccer on tv...

But for this rescue from the despond I had fallen into, my momentous date would have had to be the easy-to-remember 09 08 07, the death of my adored Valerie, my wife of the previous ½-century: & I couldn't have contributed it to this thread as would have had no wish to piss on this most agreeable parade. But my darling Emma has brought be back to a life worth endeavouring to maintain as long as may be, which you will appreciate was not the case before. How many at my time of life can have had this sort of wonderful fortune!

Luv

~Michael~

Ebbie ~~ Getting one's end away = sexual intercourse.