The FastDay Forum

I've just re-read all the fantastic posts on this thread and am amazed at how we can find love in the most unexpected places and in so many different ways , via friends or family, work colleagues, studying, hobbies, blind dates etc. So far I don't think anyone's mentioned a holiday romance that led to a permanent relationship. Many thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences!

Having at 17 left my family and going "on my own". I was in a new city and had started work. Somehow, I truly don't remember where or when I met this girl (I am female too), she started to ask me to go to venues with her. This particular night we decided to go the the semi-final football function. After a while we decided that drunk football players were not our thing and went off to a local tavern. Having to waitat the bar for a drink for quite a while, I got courage and just pushed into the bar, separting a group of guys. Wasn't even looking at them, the barman had my eye and to add to this he was discounting our drinks. So when we needed a refil, I volunteered to go to the bar and got chatting to those guyswho were there before. They were going to go off to the Pizza place nextdoor for pizza and would we join them. We did. I came home with a telephone number which I duly rang later in the week. The guy on the other end sounded nice so we made a date to go out. The rest, as they say is history. Married 34 years on March 15, 2014. Three grown sons. At present we are empty nesters, no sign of grandies at all.

@cblaszI was single for 2 years when I met OH and even then, nothing happened for 3 months because he was "too old" for me and we were so different and he had grown up kids and it could go on an on like that but I was just a fool and completely blind

The most time between 2 relationships was, and I swear it's true, 12 years between 20 and 32 so, you see, there's always hope.....

Thanks! I haven't had a long term relationship in 8 years now (and that one really wasn't very good.) I had a short relationship about 5 years ago. I truly don't worry about it too much. For the most part, when I turned 40 I decided maybe it just wasn't in the cards for me and would enjoy my life anyway. And that actually was like a weight lifted. But, I still always have a little hope that I'll still find someone. You never know!

I LOVE this thread! I love that we can find love in unexpected places and that love just makes us so blooming happy

My story is that i had just come out of a horrid 4 year relationship two weeks before (discovered he'd cheated, he was a proper psychological bully etc etc) and was just having a tough time & looking for somewhere to live etc.

I was invited to my cousin's engagement party and just felt I had to go although wasn't really in the mood. My younger brother had brought a couple of friends with him as it was being held in a local pub. I went to the bar and my brother's mate was stood there and I just had a lightning bolt moment, we then chatted at the bar all night...at one point my brother warned him off me as he felt I was a little vulnerable but it was already too late I think! The next day I got to my parents house and the guy was there with my brother who was making little jokey remarks like 'yeah you just wanted to come and keep me company for an hour didn't you mate?' and we just chatted and chatted again. he then melted my heart completely by picking up a guitar and just strumming away, I've always been a sucker for a guy with a guitar. I didn't want to meet anyone and didn't feel ready but I just fell for him so fast, he added me on facebook and we chatted essays for a few weeks before going for a drink...and the rest is history! My brother did say that if he was going to trust any of his friends to look after me then this would be the only person he would, and he has done ever since.

Beaming like an idiot now thinking about my lovely, gorgeous, hilarious and totally supportive man.

I'm loving reading about everyone's stories here!

I met my other half at school and we went out for over a year when we were both 15 he was my first love. He left school before me and we lost touch I eventually got married in my 20s and was married for 16 years before separating. Spent a year on my own with my kids and one night while on Facebook saw the name of my first love. Added him as a friend and chatted for hours. Met up the next night and it was like we'd never been apart despite not having seen or heard from one another for 25 years!

We have been together for over 3 years now and i never thought i would ever meet anyone who could make me this happy and who would get on so well with my kids. My whole life has changed for the better, we all live together now and I feel like I have my soul mate.

I met my hubby at work. He was the quality control man and we worked in a cake factory. He was always giving me a row for my cakes being overweight cause I was putting too much cream in them. There was something about him that just drew me to him, I later found out that he saw me the day I went for my job interview and told his friend I was the girl he'd marry. I was 19 when we got married and we'll celebrate our 14th anniversary in may.

I met my OH singing (we're both opera singers; he's a tenor and I'm a soprano). I had just moved to New York City and was singing a New Year's Eve gig when he chatted me up. We didn't keep in contact, but were surprised to see each other the following April at another gig (he says he was jealous that he wasn't the tenor soloist so he could sing with me). We became solid friends at the reception after the concert and kept in touch. What sealed the deal was a month later when we were cast in an opera, so we were out of town together for 8 weeks that summer; we've been making beautiful music together ever since.

"If music be the food of love, sing on!"

-- Nermie

Callie same as me - April 1973. we celebrated 40 years last april in Mexico - that is where the avatar of mine is from!
Anyway I digress
Met Paul at a party when I was two days off my 15th Birthday ... we really liked each other as young as we were, he was 3 years older. got engaged when I was 16 on my 16th birthday and got married at 17-1/2.... everyone said it wouldnt last but here we are 41 years later and he is still my soulmate and bestie

Ah @Callyanna, congratulations! I do hope my OH and I get to see our 40th wedding anniversary - we'll both be in our eighties!

We met when I had just come back to live in this country and I joined a small choir in the town where we live now. He came along and auditioned to be our new music director. I thought he was very thin and needed looking after - - turned out he had just gone through a horrid divorce and was working all hours.

Anyway, I was on the committee and had called a meeting, which everyone else pull out of at the last minute for whatever reasons, leaving just him and me! We met and went for a meal, and we did discuss choir business, among other things... I remember asking him at one point 'is this a meeting, or a date?'

Basically we were inseparable from then on - it wasn't that we decided to live together, it was just that if I stayed at my place he stayed too, and vice versa - as if there was no other possbility - - engaged withiin 3 months, married within a year.

When you've made a mistake the first time, you don't hang around if you're lucky enough to then meet the right person!

I'm loving reading all these stories - keep 'em coming!

Callie same as me - April 1973. we celebrated 40 years last april in Mexico - that is where the avatar of mine is from!
Anyway I digress
Met Paul at a party when I was two days off my 15th Birthday ... we really liked each other as young as we were, he was 3 years older. got engaged when I was 16 on my 16th birthday and got married at 17-1/2.... everyone said it wouldnt last but here we are 41 years later and he is still my soulmate and bestie

Our ruby anniversary was last August @BlueHeather. We actually got married the day after hub's birthday so he's never had the excuse to forget the date!

Some beautiful stories here...I'm welling up!

Met my hubby when we were both 17 and I was going out with his best mate. Boyfriend dumped me for one of my best mates, so I started seeing his best mate out of spite, as you do at that age! My engagement ring was my 18th birthday present, but we didn't get married until we were 25 as everyone said it wouldn't last. (There seems to be a bit of a theme in some of these stories! )

It's been a tempestuous 26 years since that first date but I couldn't imagine life without him - well, most of the time!

Thanks! I haven't had a long term relationship in 8 years now (and that one really wasn't very good.) I had a short relationship about 5 years ago. I truly don't worry about it too much. For the most part, when I turned 40 I decided maybe it just wasn't in the cards for me and would enjoy my life anyway. And that actually was like a weight lifted. But, I still always have a little hope that I'll still find someone. You never know!

That's what I said as well, it wasn't i n the cards and I know I couldn't live with anyone as I am so used to live alone, the most difficult was to say I wouldn't have a child but after I accepted that possibility it wasn't so bad. Both OH and the man I met at 32 were unexpected, they really arrived when I was the least expected them,it's not a legend or a myth, it really happens. Just keep an open mind as the man you meet can be far away from the picture you have of the ideal man but be so perfect. I am now with a man who is 16 years older and who shouldn't be my type but who rocks my world for more than a year now..... Even when he drives me crazy.....

On the other hand my parents met in Valentine's day 1964, in a dance, and married June 4th 1964 and they are still married today even if everybody told them that it would never last (what a stupid idea to get married less than 4 months after you meet someone who is the public enemy n²1 ?)

Yes, I agree, the not having kids thing was definitely harder to accept. And who knows I might still adopt an older teenager or something. I generally just kinda live my life day to day and take it as it comes. But, that's great that you've found someone you love and can live with!!

My father brought my OH home. OH had moved interstate to work (same place as Dad) and my father thought he might be a bit lonely. I think also that Dad didn't really like my boyfriend at the time so hoped there might be a spark. Well that was when I was 18. Married at 21 and this year is our 30th anniversary. I guess sometimes father does know best.

And people who ask you all the time "when will you have kids ?" or "you shouldn't wait to have one". I could have strangle them at the time..... As if a woman had to have kids to really be a woman....

Thanks but no thanks, we don't live together, we even have 1000 km between us 3 days a week. We spend the rest of the time together but he only has a few things here. It's a way to keep our freedom, I guess