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I read this book, you may have noticed. I received a lovely note from the lady who wrote it. Janet MacLeod Trotter. Bless her, she must have forgiven me for getting her name wrong!
Apparently, it was one of a trilogy and me, being me, read the wrong one first.

I empathise with Catherine Cookson. She was born to an unmarried mother. More complications than me though. I always knew my mum was my mum!
But, she had an idea who her father was, she had a name. Not that she ever met him.
I am like that.

I know my biological father is dead. I have his name too. Unlike Catherine, I have spoken to my half brother. Only the once and since then, nothing. Seems they don't want to know.
Like Catherine who spent most of her lifetime, wondering and wishing, I feel the same.
It just feels, sometimes, that half of you is "missing."
All I needed from my half brother was some idea of what my father was like. His health, his life etc. It would have been lovely to meet half brother too. I did try. Went to San Francisco and that was an hour away from where he lived. Sent a postcard saying we were there. Nothing!
I suppose sister and I could have gone to his house, we did think of it.
To give him the benefit of doubt, he may have moved. Not got my postcard.
I sometimes regret not going now. But wouldn't want to turn up uninvited.
I did ring half brother's step sister, her husband answered the phone and said she didn't want to speak to me. WHY???? What do they think I want? She wrote to me once and told me to get a life. Yes, but they hold the key to some of it.
I would like my boys to know their full background and it would be nice if my granddaughter knew some of it too.

On my mother's side, I have been given family records back to 1788. I think that is wonderful. All this was thanks to my second cousin, twice removed. Thank you G. She did all the hard work.