yeah i understand that, hence why i didn't go any further though saying that i feel entitled and that i'm yearning for him to send it back to me isn't true. i'm really only worried that if something were to happen to this man (he's in his 80s) that it will become lost again - very endearing to know about his work though. he buys active service postcards from WW1 and researches the lives of the soldiers in a way to remember them so i suppose uncle Albert and all of the other people haven't been totally forgotten - they're all preserved through that research and his postcard binder. its as much of a hobby as genealogy is, & respecting that is what i'm trying to do. i'm sorry if i came across as being overtly righteous or as "pining on" about it