Características de una Red Neuronal

Frances was born in London in 1939. She worked as a secretary until her marriage to Peter in 1958. They had two children Christine born in 1961 and Julian born in 1963. When her children started school Frances trained as a primary school teacher and continues this occupation as a supply teacher. Peter started up a manufacturing business and continues to be self- employed. Frances and Peter were divorced in 1977 and Peter moved to the United States on his remarriage. Frances met George in 1978 and they married in 1979. They have a son Luke born in 1983.

FRANCES

We were married 19 years and had two children who were 15 and 16 when Peter left us. He went off with the eldest sister of one of ray daughter's friends. My daughter was 16, and this girl was 18. It was a sort of 40 plus passion. It was a big shock. I never expected him to do anything like that. I knew he had flutters. I knew he went off. He was away an awful

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lot on business and I knew that very often he had a sort of thing going with somebody but he always told me about it and I always thought if he's telling me it doesn't really mean very much. Back he always came but this time he didn't tell me. I knew something was going on but I didn't know who it was. I thought it was an older woman altogether. In fact for a while I thought it was the girl's mother because, you know, such a disparity in the ages.

It hit Julian very badly his father leaving. He was just about to do his 'O' levels. Christine was doing her 'A' levels bu t somehow she managed to shut it out and focus on what she was doing. She's always been able to do that.

I met George through a dating agency. You know, they send you a list of telephone numbers and names. He saw my name and saw that I lived quite close, so he rang me up. It started from that. As far as his children were concerned, at the time I thought there would be no problem at all. You see being a teacher and being involved with children. I'd done some fostering. I'd obviously thought there would be difficulties. I'd had difficulties with my own children with their father going. I knew that they would be feeling those sorts

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of feelings about their mother going but I didn't think there would be too many difficulties.

The first intimation that there would be was when I went to the meeting with George's eldest daughter, Sally. I didn't know it at the time because I'd never seen a photo of her or anything. We'd gone to the school to collect the children. His eldest daughter saw the car arrive, saw her father get out of the car and then she came to the car, took one look at me and then ran off. I didn't even realise it was her. I mean there you are in a boarding school full of girls and I just thought it might be a friend and she's gone to say that we're here or something. I didn't realise but she wouldn't come back for a long time. She was very angry actually, but not with me as such, she was just angry with the whole situation and that was the first time I sort of thought. I felt a bit nervous then.

It was a pretty fraught year. Christine and George didn't hit it off and it got sort of worse and worse and in the end I moved out wi t h her [Christine]. If I hadn't found out I was pregnant that would have been the end of our marriage actually. I was 45 when I had Luke. We had one son who would be 5 at Easter [Charles referred to below]. I had a miscarriage just after I

came back from our honeymoon. I then had another miscarriage and I then had Charles who was born perfectly except that his lungs weren't quite right. He died. I really still can't quite believe that that could happen. Then I had a rather nasty miscarriage. I fell down the stairs. George had got flu and it happened at Christmas time. We had Christmas, that was fine. Everybody was here for Christmas an d that was lovely but I actually fell down the stairs on Christmas day. George had flu and everybody went away, and on New Years day I started to bleed. The next day my daughter came back home and she and George weren't speaking then. She was absolutely incredible. She said "You don't look well mum". That was pretty awful really and after that I did really begin to think this is a silly game, you know. I don't want anymore. Then we had this tremendous break-up and Christine and I left.

Then I found I was expecting again. Christine was absolutely fantastic. She did all the shopping and cooking. Considering this was a child by a man that she hated. She did have a cry. "Mura" she said "I hate him. I wish you'd never married him, I w i s h you weren't having this baby, but if you're going to have it you're going to have it properly". She was going to college every day but she left a tray on my bed. She was

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absolutely marvellous* Occasionally George would come round. I think he felt very awkward. But ever since Peter left I had been determined not to be a drag on the children. I knew I would need a lot of help and the person to help me is my husband. So I came back home a little reluctantly. George was very good. He helped a lot. He wanted another child. I really don't know why. I still can't really understand it but anyway we had him.

George talks about his feelings with regard to his first marriage, his children and stepchildren.