| On line love- how it all began!
It would be true to say that myself and Joseph first met
in a pub and things went from there. It would also be true
to say that we first met on-line. You see we were posting
to an internet chat board as our alter-egos before we ever
set eyes on each other. I was (and still am) “Charlies
Angel” and he is “BigJoe” on Ireland’s
fastest growing internet chat site. I discovered the site
purely by accident one day at work and was instantly hooked
by the refreshingly frank and honest approach most of the
other posters took when replying to threads. So began the
relationship. Don’t get me wrong, we are no computer
geeks but “wasting time @ work” (which is the
tag line for the site) seemed better than actually doing
work!
The developers of the website then decided to see if anyone
who posted wanted to go for a drink to meet each other,
in real life! I took my courage in both hands and decided
to go for it. The time was 7pm and the place was the bar
in the Shelbourne Hotel. Needless to say, as I was meeting
a load of strangers, I didn’t know who I was meeting
or what they looked like and the first session ended for
me as quickly as it began. This wasn’t to continue.
The good people behind the wonderful website decided that
it would be a fun thing to start up the First Wednesday
meetings. This basically meant that on the first Wednesday
of the month, a Dublin pub was nominated and anyone who
wanted to go for a drink and who posted on the boards could
show up. The first large gathering was in The Cellar bar
(of the Merrion Hotel) and I never got to speak with Joseph
at all that night, but did catch a glimpse of him wearing
his red snakeskin shirt!
Shortly after that evening, I received an e-mail inviting
me for a drink with BigJoe and Busaras (the ‘handle’
of one of the site developers). You don’t have to
ask me twice! Just so I knew who I was meeting up with,
I dropped a quick e-mail to BigJoe asking him if he wanted
to meet up before we got to the main group. He said that
would be fine and we met for the first time in The Sackville
Lounge (beside Clerys). We then continued on to Ryans on
Parkgate Street which is where we had our first kiss. The
story differs based on which of us you ask but I say it
was a mutual decision to kiss. Joseph says that I jumped
him! Whichever you choose to believe it was there that BigJoe
and Charlies Angel left the singles market!
Things went on from there and we had our first date listening
to Don Baker the following Sunday afternoon in his gig in
Whelans on Wexford Street. This was in October 2000.
On Christmas day 2000, my sister got engaged and asked
me to be one of her bridesmaids. I was honoured and accepted
graciously. They planned to marry in December 2002.
Love blossomed all around and it was during 2001 that Joseph
and I planned to take our first holiday together. However,
it wasn’t written in the stars for us to take a holiday
as I discovered I was pregnant. The prospect of being a
parent both scared and delighted me as I’m sure it
does most women. I broke the news to him via text message
(I still regret how tactless and sterile that was). Luckily
for me, he was over the moon. Our child was due December
2001. We broke the news to our parents and they were surprised
to begin with (understandable) and delighted. At this stage
we were both still living in our respective homes (as we
were saving to buy a house). Neither of us had mentioned
marriage at this point.
Fast-forward to December 2001 and the delivery ward of
the National Maternity Hospital. I was having contractions
and was in labour, but it wasn’t progressing satisfactorily
for the doctors (or me for that matter) so they decided
to hurry things along by inducing me and then breaking my
waters (sorry if you’re squeamish and reading this).
It was discovered at this point that I would need to have
an emergency caesarean section in order for our baby to
be born. So, as with all the best hospital dramas and soaps,
I was rushed to theatre. Joseph was gowned up and looked
very George Clooney-esque and on 14th December our son was
born. About 10 seconds after our boy was born, Joseph asked
me to marry him. My instant response was yes! Our engagement
was the talk of the staff for the few days after!
At this point we had decided to marry, we had a baby, but
we didn’t have a house of our own. I was living at
home. I was a mother and a fiancée in quick succession
and there began my regular involvement with my local branch
of Easons. Parenting, home improvement and wedding magazines
were my reading material of choice. It was quite an expensive
time!
While on maternity leave Joseph suggested I undertake a
project - to find a home for our family!
In my next instalment, I’ll pick up from there.
Lynne |
