I will admit "Guilty as Charged".
I am descended from a Peter WHANNELL (pronounced WONNELL), who had 3 sons and 1 daughter. Most Whannells spell their names differently - Winel, Wanel, Wonel, all with or without extra Ns and/or Ls. There is even a large branch called WINDMILL.
One day I was doing a Google search and found an Elector's Register with 4 WHANNELLs all in one property and only 18 miles from my front door.
The temptation was too much. I printed out a descendant tree from the original Whannell to me. Put it all on CD and a thumb drive and armed with photo ID, off I went.
I introduced myself with "Hi, I am descended from Peter Whannell of Ayr in Scotland and I think that we are related." The son called the father, who called the mother, who called the daughter. They had done some Family history, but had hit the proverbial brick wall.
Between the 5 of us we believe that the original Whannell had another son, but in 1922 the IRA burnt down the National Library and Records Office. No records at all - not even a name.
We still keep in touch - Christmas cards and I went to the daughter's wedding. Not quite the same, I know. But I had only 2 options - visit or write a letter. I chose to visit.
Regards
Chas