Nicola's Baby Blog

Have I ever told you...

...how Stephen and I met? 

The story starts in early 1999 when my Dad started showing me his computer.  I knew nothing about computers and couldn't imagine ever wanting to use this strange thing they called "The Internet".  But I quickly picked up the basics and my Dad felt that it was time to build me a PC from some pieces he had lying around.

I was given a slow-running PC of minimal specs.  So minimal, in fact, that it would only run Windows 3.1!  Remember Windows 3.1?  Ah, them's were the days.

Anyway, I digress.

I played around with that for a while but it was different from the amazing Windows 95 (or possibly 98, I can't remember which) that my Dad was using that I started to feel a bit frustrated.  It was so slow and had no space left on the hard drive.  It was driving me nuts.

So I took out a small loan from my bank and bought a brand-spanking new machine.  Not top of the line, but such an amazing improvement that it didn't matter. 

Then I just started re-learning how to use this new version of Windows, so different from the version I was used to.

Then my Dad introduced me to a program called ICQ.  It's great, he told me.  He used it to "chat" to my uncles and grandparents in England.  Free!  Wow!  Nowadays, we'd compare it to MSN Messenger or Yahoo Messenger.

So I downloaded it and was terrified to mark myself as "Available to Chat" in case someone actually contacted me.  What would I say?  Would they know who I was?  Could I be traced?  So scary!

Finally, I decided to mark myself as "Available", but didn't have the nerve to answer the first few messages I received.  Being female, I started getting tons of messages and my confidence grew.  A little while later, I was answering these messages (the vast majority being from men) and even keeping a notebook next to me to jot things down because I could never remember who was who.

Then, October 28th, I believe, I received a message from Stephen.  He'd read in my info that I liked F1. His message said something about how he too was a fan but that he didn't like Schumacher.  That got my attention, as those were my sentiments exactly.  I wrote back and we discussed F1.

We soon exchanged emails, then photos.  He was handsome and charming.  He lived in the South of England, was divorcing, and had three daughters who were 10, 14 and 15 at the time.

At the time, I knew that I liked talking to him, but I didn't envision a future together.  He lived in the UK and I lived in Montreal, Canada!  I could never have imagined moving away either.  But I soon realized that Stephen felt differently.  He wanted to come visit me and get to know me, but I was just so nervous about it.  We spent quite a while bickering because he wanted to come over and I didn't want him to.

Finally, around April, I knew that I really liked him.  I felt on the verge of inviting over.  All of a sudden, he announced that he was coming over and that I could meet up with him if I wanted to.  If not, he'd tour Montreal and enjoy a holiday.  That threw me for a loop, but I was secretly happy.

He booked his flight for July 23rd, 2000 - London to Dorval Airport in Montreal.  How exciting!  I arranged accomodation for him at a nearby Bed & Breakfast, as we didn't think it was appropriate for him to stay at my apartment.

As time drew nearer, we started spending hours on the phone.  My feeling grew stronger and I told him that I loved him.  That threw him for a loop!

Twice, he sent huge bouquets of flowers to my workplace.  My colleagues were falling love!

July 23rd finally came and I went to meet him at the airport.  It was such an amazing day.  Such an amazing feeling!  He was as handsome as ever and we kissed for the first time.  It was so nice to finally touch him and be touch by him after only talking for so long.

We went back to my apartment and quickly decided that he should cancel his Bed & Breakfast booking and stay with me.  And he did, every night for two shorts weeks, he stayed with me.

While he was in Montreal, we got engaged and decided that I would move to England, as Stephen had three kids, a house and job to get back to.  We announced it to my parents.  My Mum had heard so much about Stephen already that she wasn't surprised.  My Dad was a bit more cautious, quite wary of Stephen who, he said, was too good at saying all the right things.

My moving to England also made sense because I was born there and had citizenship.  How convenient!

Stephen flew back to England, leaving me with a broken heart and a lot of packing to do.  I booked my flight for October 8th, 2000, sold all my furniture, gave away my fish and my cat, and arranged to ship my personal items.  Then I made the Trans-Atlantic flight myself.  I sat next to a stinky, fat guy. 

I landed at Gatwick completely exhausted, but my eyes lit up when I saw Stephen waiting with flowers.  He bundled me into the car and took me to our new flat, where I curled up next to him in bed and slept...

...while he watched the Grand Prix.

* Note:  For those with a sharp eye, you'll have noticed that I was living with Stephen in England within a year of his first message to me.  I move quick! 

23.3.06 03:22