Sheffield and AFCS, 20 years on (July 13th 2016)

A group of University friends met up in Sheffield again recently to remember a dear friend who died this year and also to catch up, 20 years on. We all looked reassuring the same - perhaps a few more laughter lines, sprinkling of grey hairs. We were all also reassuring the same in essence! Some brought kids of all sizes, some of us came alone for some blessed peace! We talked about our jobs, our hopes, our fears, how quickly time has passed and how we now find ourselves mid careers and mid life.

We remembered with love and sadness our dear friend Nat, sharing our memories of her. I lived with her for a year in our student house in Sheffield. She was the first one in the house to put on the kettle and listen to you, whilst also challenging your nonsense if you got too up yourself :-)

We had a short memorial and then lunch in the Upper Wincobank Chapel. We walked in the Peak DIstrict, as we had done so many times before during our student days. We ended up in a pub near the Ladybower Reservoir for drinks and a meal. We all realized the irony that the death of someone close to us, had finally pushed and motivated us to getting together. We should have done it long before....

I stayed over in Sheffield in a Broomhill hotel with Sal and Mags, so it was a great way to round off the evening. On the Sunday I  flew back from Manchester, so had time to drive over Snake Pass (A57, glorious drive and scenery) to get to Manchester and have lunch with Kate, her boys, Chris and his boy :-)