..as we know it, but you may prefer the official designation- the A470. Visitor numbers to Merryhall are low as not many people can truthfully say “just passing by and thought I’d just pop in”. One would have made a conscious decision to travel to Llandudno from Cardiff to be in such a position and who’d click that “go” button on the sat-nav, and more importantly, why? Well these two did and turned left at the track…

As an aside, who would go to a school reunion? I would be sceptical of it mainly because I didn’t have school friends. “What to talk about”? “We’ve not spoken in fifty years”, “will I recognise them”, “haven’t we all moved on”? So many understandable thoughts – all completely unfounded as we recently discovered. They say “the years just roll away”, and they do! And they did…

It was a long-arranged reunion of TWIGGS (Tunbridge Wells Independent Girls Grammar School) and they assembled at Merryhall last week. Not all of them, of course, we’ve not enough dormitories, but three members of the upper sixth of the class of ‘74 in particular. That year the three had an end of schooling trip to the Cotswolds to celebrate.

From that point, as we’ve all experienced, the three go two separate ways. Colleen and Tina tour North America for several weeks. Sandie has a lazy late summer before starting work in Customs and becoming a Civil Servant.

Fascinating hearing of their lives, trials, tribulations and adventures. As much as I would have loved hearing all the chatter, I found jobs to do and left them alone. And they had a ball. And I had a ball – so much humour, laughter and serious comment, and profoundness over meals. It was also good that we were jolted out of our routines and isolation which we do love, but human contact is also important – and you couldn’t get more human contact than these two breezing up.

Thank you!