Veían la hora de encontrarse ....
 

... veían la hora de encontrarse ...

Google translates this as ... they could not wait to meet ...

That seems to fit the context.
Is this a common expression as it doesn't appear to translate they well in a literal way.?

Just trying to imagine how Google figures this out if it is not a well used expression.

they couldn't wait to meet = no veían la hora de encontrarse

It's a set expression, provided there's a lot of longing or homesickness, and some degree of anxiety backing such eagerness. Otherwise, if some things need to be done or talked, it's "no podían demorar el encontrase".

As for "veían la hora de encontrarse" without the "no" before, I have a hard time finding an example or wrapping my head around it, as it only means some piece of contextual information in the past when the subjects were discussing their common schedule.

Thank you, yes I carelessly neglected to include the "no"
That's a great explanation

Cheers

In the same story the lady seems to be telling her husband that he is becoming too indiscrete too ready to blab about private information. She says - Con los años te estás convirtiendo en un estómago resfriado que no sabe guardar los secretos.
How is the a lose tongue related to a cold stomach?

I don't know why but "un estomago resfriado" is a person eager to disclose secrets they shouldn't talk about.

Thank you appreciated

From web search it seems to suggest an upset stomach "gripe" causes wind or belching, so perhaps talking too much is equated to uncontrollable bad noises from the mouth.

Provide more context. Maybe we can infer the meaning.

The meaning is crystal clear as it was provided.

I can speculate that "estómago resfriado" is a popular term for aerophagia, because of the belching that may be compared with the sneezing. If that's the case, an estomago resfriado "belches" what should've been kept inside or dealt silently, hence a probably connexion with the fact of being indiscreet.

EDIT: A source from the 17th century I've found includes "estómago resfriado" as an ailment. No description provided, but it may be acid reflux, or probably indigestion with pyloric spasm (because he proposes the same herbal treatment both for asthma and "estómago resfriado", which makes me think of a natural antispasmodic/anticholinergic).

Again the notion of something the stomach should retain and pass, but eventually regurgitates.

The context as explained is that the lady is complaining to her husband about his tendency to be too talkative and free with family secrets.

Just occurred to me that this must be almost literally and figuratively equivalent to gasbag.
There is a suggestion that some perhaps 17 century condition led to people uncontrollably belching gas.