I’ve been married to my husband for 32 years and whilst a long-term relationship has its ups and downs I can honestly say having a partner to share your life with is a a wonderful thing. I can remember sitting at home on a Saturday night back when I was 17, watching Knots Landing and eating tinned ravioli alone. My friends were out with boyfriends and I remember wondering if I was ever going to find someone. There was no internet back then so there wasn’t even a free dating site to browse. Looking back I realise how young I was to be thinking that!
But whether it’s little things or bigger events, it’s good to have someone who enjoys the same things and share them together.
Hubby has had to work away from home quite a few times over the years and although it’s sometimes nice to have your own space and be left to your own thoughts, it can get quite lonely. Even watching a television programme with your other half is more satisfying … pointing out what we thought was good or bad about a dance on Strictly, turning to look at each other when something shocking happens on a drama we’re watching and especially getting him to catch me up on something if I’ve popped to the kitchen to make a cuppa.
It’s been wonderful to have a partner to share holidays with … even ones that didn’t go so smoothly! It’s fun to laugh about the bad bits afterwards.  One of my favourite things to do with my husband is to go for coffee when we’re out shopping. Sometimes we even just take a flash and a packed lunch with us if we’re out for the day. We’ll go and park at the sea front and just relax for an hour, eating lunch and having a laugh … and feeding the seagulls any leftovers.
I met my hubby when I was 19 and back then you met your future partners at bars or nightclubs … I met mine on an escalator at the local underground metro station. But if I was to be single again now, I think it would be so much harder. Bars and nightclubs don’t seem to be the best places to meet someone to share your life with and obviously you don’t want to be riding up and down escalators every night just on the off chance!
A friend of mine recently became single again and she was complaining to me that she’d never meet anyone. After joking about joining a pottery class (she laughed at this suggestion) I asked her if there were any online dating sites in Strathclyde (where she lives) she could try. About half an hour after our conversation she messaged me to say there was indeed a strathclyde dating site and she’d registered on it.
For anyone looking for love further south there are also dating sites in Kent.  So go and visit the Kent dating site and who knows, you could find love at Xmas. Or if you want to weed out those who you feel may be too young for you there’s a good senior dating site (senior being for those over 40!).
I’ve told our kids the story of the tinned ravioli many times and they always laugh at me, but having that special someone to go to parties with, share a laugh over a cup of coffee with or even just cuddle up and watch a film can really make a difference to your life. Looking forward to hearing about my friend’s dating adventures.