Interesting. I might know a relative or two on my dads side but I know they don't know me. If I was to see them on the street I'd be like 'that man over there is my uncle' and that would be it.

There are also cases where the dad is generally an unwelcome presence in the household, especially where he may have been one of those old school disciplinarians and the knock on effect is nobody wants anything to do with him or his side of the family and likewise this feeling will be mutual from his perspective.

Sad as the more people I meet, where before i would have been looking to share stories of growth it's like, 'so what's your story' and people are getting acquainted and finding friendship based on harsh realities more than unity and harmony.

The family structure has taken a severe battering, even someone getting married now is astonishing news - it's like the way we are living now is as good as it is going to get to the degree many probably wouldn't even have recognised anything as being odd.