Finally I have a Black Sheep!

[Rubina]

Do you know, "But for the grace of God" is a saying that your post made me think of. None of us really know what we might do in circumstances that are presented to us.

There is no shame (although we may feel it) of having or having found a "Blacksheep" in the family (related by blood or not). But, for some reason we feel it. I have a close (ex) relation through marriage that went to prison in the 1980s for manufacturing illegal drugs (he was a policeman no less!!). I feel no shame - he made his choice.

We don't know (or need to know) the details of your current "blacksheep" but what you and your family need to remember (as we all do from our past or current blacksheep) is that none of us are responsible for what others do. We can only live our own lives!



look after yourself, Roob

[Hawk]

I can't believe its been so long since I first posted here about my current Black Sheep! An update: The little children are both now teenagers, fine and well-adjusted kids, mostly thanks to their Dad, Step-Mom and Grandparents. Things have worked out well for them.

I recently found an older Black Sheep - one I can chuckle over and share on here! It appears a cousin of my Mother ran off to Australia with - in my romantic and devilish mind - his mothers upstairs maid! That's my take, anyway. Sydney did leave home in 1914 for Australia on the same ship as a maid named Hilda. Now this wouldn't be a big deal, and nothing to even consider, except I have a letter written by Sydney to a solicitor including what I take to be a cheque, torn in half, regarding support for a child born to this maid! A lady in Australia had this letter, that her father had found in a house being demolished, and she sent it, and the torn cheque to me last year! Sidney's mother did have staff, and I simply had to imagine that Hilda worked in her household. That's, of course, speculation - but what a story!!! Sydney didn't marry Hilda, but some years later, married someone else, and stayed with her until his death in 1972. He was considered the Black Sheep by his own family, I think, as there was never any mention of him in letters from his Mother to mine, but I think he's much more interesting than his brothers - Barristers and Solicitors in London!

[Lesley Robertson]

Thanks for the update - I've always hated cliffhangers!
Did the letter say why the cheque was torn?

[Hawk]

No indication of why the cheque was torn. There's a note on the back of Sidney's letter, written by the solicitor, to hold off on any future payments until he heard from him. Another intriguing mystery!