Hi everybody! I struggled with whether to post this or not but finally decided I should. Some time ago on Goodreads I found something which indicated that Valli was active there in Jan of 2015. I sent her a message. A couple of days ago, I got a response! She didn't share a lot of detail other than to say that things had seriously changed in her life and she just kind of dropped out of most things. I hope that I hear from her again but at least we know that she is alive and kicking. Apparently she lurks a little bit on our forum as she was happy to see that some of us are still here.

Phew! I am relieved! Somehow, something made me archive all the PMs I had from her when she was still active here. Guess I never gave up on her. Deb B.- if you're checking this forum, send me a message if you see this!

Hi Jeanne,  I saw Valli's message, Misfit aka Cathy brought it to my attention as well, and Deb, Mimi, left her a message there as well..  

Thanks Jerelyn - I hope she stays in touch!

I had her address too REK, but all attempts to contact her proved fruitless.

That's such wonderful news!

Oh good!  I remember she left right around the time we were passing around that awful book by the author whose name I have blocked from my memory....I hope she is well, and things are settled for her now.  It would be nice to have her back here!

Thanks for this wonderful update, Jeanne!

She did pop in at the Goodreads PBS "Divas, etc." thread too. (Can't exactly remember the name of that thread but it has divas in it - LOL.....

Oh that is good news. Thanks so much! Debbie

Gosh, I think I must have come aboard right after Valli left. She must have been a well-loved presence here.

Oh believe me, Donna, she was pretty much the heart and soul of this forum!

Jeanne, thank you for the good news!  Lord knows I have pretty much dropped out from around here other than the odd post every few months, so I certainly can understand life changing.  I'm just glad to know she is alive!  I seriously was questionning whether something really, really awful had happened to her.  So glad today was one of those random, rare days when I decided to pop in!

She wrote me again today and gave me her phone number. I was going to call her today but she was called into work so we will try to connect up later. This is such a relief!  She was so happy to see many of you still around but she could also tell that things have changed quite a bit. I think we are needing a "Valli infusion" and since her budget may be limited, I plan to get her a PBS membership and send her some credits. Apparently in the upset, she lost ALL of her books and, of course, that is very disheartening to her.

Thanks again, Jeanne!  I would be happy to contribute.  Please keep me posted and let me know what you want/need. 

Here's a message from Valli:"please tell everyone at pbs, I would post there and say hello if I could. And please tell them I'm sorry for running away and worrying them. I just couldn't cope for a long while and then, after so much time had gone by, I was too ashamed to go back because I knew ditching everything was wrong, just didn't know how or feel capable of repairing the friendships I had lost and damaged. I really am so sorry for that!"

Jeanne, please tell Valli, and I'm sure I speak for all of us, that although we were worried, we certainly do not hold anything against her and would be happy to welcome her back with open arms!  I don't think she in any way lost or damaged any friendships here. I think if anything, we are sorry we missed the chance to comfort her or help her out in any way that we could.  Tell her we send her lots of love and hugs!

That's very sweet Shelley and I think that Valli is sometimes lurking on this forum but she can't post until she gets a membership. I'm requesting the necessary info from her. I also understand that she doesn't have computer access every day, so that makes it a little more complicated....

Okay! I just got off the phone with Valli after a loooong conversation. Suffice it to say that her life truly did "blow up" but she's getting back on track now. It took her some therapy and soul searching to decide what things from her "past" life she wanted to keep and what she needed to discard. The HF forum figured in the "to Keep" column - phew! I have arranged for her to have a standard membership and once I know that she is up and running here at PBS, I will send her some credits to get her started (apparently there was a fire and Valli lost all of her books). So, prepare yourselves to meet Valli again and hopefully, pretty soon. For those of you who didn't have the experience of knowing her, you are in for a treat. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say she was the life blood of this forum. Can you tell that I'm excited???

Oh how wonderful that she's coming back, but I'm so sorry to hear that she lost all her lovely books.  Things here just haven't been the same without her.

Hello old friends! I'm truly sorry for the way I left and so sorry for causing so much worry. My life blew up and I kinda turned into a hermit. I am crazy excited to be back though and to see so many of you still here is just wonderful. I could definitely use some friends in my life and I just don't know what made me stay away so long. I'm I'm excited to renew old friendships and just as excited to become friends with those of you here I don't know yet. 

Gosh, it feels good to be here!!!  Thank you for accepting the prodigal member back into the fold. I didn't realize how much I missed this forum and how badly I needed it until I talked to Jeanne. Thank you, Jeanne! 

Welcome back, dear friend! Your being here will bring an added ray of sunshine to this forum.

Hi Miss Valli, so glad to have you back.  I sent you a couple of credits to get you on your way.  I'll have to come in more often I too have kind of drifted off.

Yes, Letty! We want you back too!!!

Yea!!! Valli is back in da' house!!  So good to hear from you!!