How fast was that???!!

Hi Holly,

I hope you had a great Christmas - I can't believe it's that time of year already - it seems like about 2 months ago since I last wrote, but I see now that it was May!! Sorry about that - I'll do better next year...

I got tired of having my Christmas presents to you returned unopened - it tends to make me rather emotional when that happens, so I didn't send one - but I was thinking about you a lot, as ever. I am sending you a birthday card for your 12th - so hopefully you will at least be allowed to see that.

It's Mikey's 18th birthday today, so we're going out for a meal and his first ever legal pint of beer tonight - actually it's more or less his first pint anyway - he's always been more of a diet coke than a beer man, but as it's traditional for my boys to have that first drink with me, he's going to have one anyway. Maybe in 6 years...

It's been a very busy year at work, and my business, Hudson Bay Financial has done quite well. We seem to be getting more work in than ever, which is good, but it has meant 6 day weeks and less holidays than I would have liked... We did however get to go to Washington DC for a week, which was great fun - you should put that on your list of places to go one day... I can recommend a good hotel..

Ian has got his finals in June and will be leaving university with a good degree, so it looks from all his results so far. It's all down to getting a job for him then.. Mikey's got his A levels this summer and then he's going to Warwick University too (That's where Ian is).. He's looking forward to it.

Jasper the bionic cat has fully regown all his fur now and looks normal again, although he does walk with a bit of a limp. We've been very lucky with him and he doesn't tend to wander far now, so I think he may have learned a lesson...

Well I've got to go as we're about to go out for Michael's meal. I'm still thinking of you every day and I miss you more than I can tell you. I hope the day when we can be together again is not too far away...

All my love, and enjoy your birthday Holly,

Dad. xxxxxxx