12 year old girls...

Hi Holly,

Yesterday I went to the football with a 12 year old girl... She got excited at all the right times and sat down with a big sigh when we let in the goal which meant that we lost 1-0... again...
It was fun, and it didn't even matter that it was raining, as we were fully kitted out in wet weather gear and we just chatted all the way through the game. Brighton have a new 18 year old striker playing for them, and I am reliably informed that he has 'nice legs'... I hadn't noticed myself but it's good to be kept informed about important matters like this.

It was a good afternoon - apart from the result - but at the same time, I felt very sad. I enjoyed the company of Glyn's daughter, Emma, who was born 10 days after you - but I couldn't help sitting there wishing it was you and that you had grown up liking football and being an Albion supporter... For all I know, you hate football and would never have wanted to come with me - but it's nice to think that maybe this is something we would have done together if things had been different - if your mother, at any time in the last 6 years had developed a sense of reason...

Anyway, life here has become quite hectic since Christmas. I have become incredibly busy at work, and have ended up working on Sundays most weeks. This is obviously better than having no work, but it does get a little stressful trying to remember so much information all at once - bit like when you do your GCSE's in 4 years time!

We had a bad day last month - Katie was involved in a really bad car crash, where she hit another car head on. She had a nasty cut on her head, another one above her eye and bad bruising to her knees and back. The lady in the other car broke her ankle, but they were both lucky that their injuries weren't worse. I went up to the hospital as soon as I heard, and she was sitting there covered in blood - it was a really horrible moment... Anyway, she has recovered now and has just gone back to work this week, but she has become a very careful driver as a result of her experience...

On a happier note, Mikey has been offered a place at Warwick University to study Classical Civilisation, so he will be going there in September. It's going to be a big step forward in his life, and I'm sure he will be nervous at the prospect of living on his own for the first time, but it's a nice University and I'm sure he will settle in there... As you know, Ian is already there, although his course ends this summer - so now he's got to go and find a job!!

So life here goes on, Holly. I still think of you every day and still have moments talking to your pictures which sit on my desk. I know you don't look like those pictures any more, and I still can't believe that your mother wouldn't even send me a picture of you... but I still hope that I get to see you before you read all this...and I still love you...

I'll write again soon...
Dad xxx