Some of you may recall while searching for my birth mother, I turned up a couple of half brothers, Dale and Gerald, but when their birth certificates arrived it showed that they, like me, had been adopted.

I renewed my subscription with a well known on line research site thinking that I would try again at some point.

I don’t know about you but the more things I have to do the more reasons I find for not doing them.

I have entitled this, ‘work avoidance syndrome’ and so it was when suffering from this I took a quick peek at this research site and found a message. I answered it and then dismissed it from my mind, it had happened before.

Later in the week after I had delivered breakfast to the guests, I thought I’d better get on with writing my article.

However, at this point I had no idea what I would write.

Most unusual for me as I normally have something ready in good time. Not this week.

Once again I developed ‘WAS,‘ and thought I’ll just have a little play on the website for inspiration, so to speak.

I can’t tell you how knocked out I was when I read: Hi Dot, (my name before adoption), I am your half bother Dale and I have been looking for you for 20 years, followed by his telephone number.

My face must have been a picture, my mouth was open so wide you could have driven a truck in.

I shouted for Keith, I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or run down the street such was the power of the emotion I felt.

After a while I steadied myself and phoned. He was as surprised and pleased as I was.

He told me that he had met our late mother and is in contact with my other half brother Gerald.

I asked if he knew why mother gave us all up for adoption and he said he was not ready to tell me just yet.

He’s ringing me on Tuesday and as you might imagine - I can hardly wait.