It was at the age of six that I had my first encounter with Thunderbirds. I could hear my older brother calling for me, from the lounge, to come and watch this program about puppets; I remember ignoring him because I was so intent on practising my ballet jumps, plus I was an incredibly stubborn six year old. Well after several more attempts at coaxing me down from my bedroom he won, and I went to see what all the fuss was about. Over the next half hour I sat, transfixed by "Terror in New York City". Call it childish curiosity but I wanted to watch these wonderful "puppets" again...and again...and again! So at the grand old age of six I now had two things I wanted to be when I grew up... a Ballet Dancer and a member of International Rescue.

I entered my teens and whenever I could I would watch TB over and over again, developing a crush on a certain Scott Tracy that has shamelessly never left me.

Once I left home to pursue a career in dancing I took with me many childhood memories, a grubby Snoopy and my secret passion...Thunderbirds.

So the years passed and I made it into my first ballet company. I had bought most of the videos of Thunderbirds and taped the opening countdown sequence onto my answering machine. Was I mad? Most of my friends thought so. But surely somewhere out there someone felt just as passionately as I did about Scott Tracy and his family?

Over the next thirteen years my life as a dancer continued, touring extensively and moving from one Ballet Company to another; but my infatuation for my wonderful men in blue was always there. I watched whenever an episode of Thunderbirds appeared on the television, and took every opportunity when I had time to look at my videos, always hoping to find someone with the same passion that I had. But no, there was no one.

Then wham...my career was over. WHAT NOW? Call it fate but I discovered computers and the INTERNET. A whole new world opened up to me. There where people out there that felt just a strongly about this wonderful show as I did, and they wrote about them. I became a fan-fic addict; I was like a kid in a candy shop.

Through these wonderful people and my favourite series I discovered a new art form...WRITING. I discovered you could express yourself through words, and what's more, I could write as much as I wanted about Scott and his family...YIPPEE!

I often ask myself, what is it about these puppets that makes them so endearing to so many people? Maybe it's because they are so human, real heroes who love what they do and risk their lives doing it. Maybe we can relate to them through our own experiences and lives or just maybe their world is a place where we can escape our own world...I know I did that over years. Whatever the answer is, at last I have finally managed to write a short story that I hope you will enjoy, and I hope to add others very soon. I feel proud to be part of this wonderful site! It's a perfect home for our boys where our memories of them will be preserved and they will be well looked after (hands off Scottie!)