Happy July 4th

It's Independence Day here in America today, and for me it's the anniversary of the first day I went to base in England, a day that started the path to where I am now.

My friend, Kay, and her mum, Queenie, all talked about going to the base, but I had never been. It was a free place to party, they said, and lots of fun. For me, a single mum at the time, free was good. I rarely spent money on me back then, it went on my kids. Christmas started as soon as one was over, as I began picking up bits and pieces for the next, and began knitting/sewing the goodies for them, my girl's dolls or pillows for their beds. Money was tight. I bought a 56lb sack of potatoes every 10 days or so, and that meant they always came in to a cooked meal after school, fish fingers and chips, bangers and mash, something filling ... and cheap!

So a day out, and a freebie concert, sounded great!My best buddy, Olga, and I decided we'd go.

It was an awesome day, and we met loads of new people. I realised how easy it would be to get a job working out there, and within a couple of weeks was hired as a maid at RAF Mildenhall. 5 years later, in June 1985, it was at Mildenhall that I met my hubby.

If I had never gone to that July 4th celebration, I would never have made the change that led to me meeting him and then marrying him and coming to the US.

Next month is our 32nd wedding anniversary.