Ours was quite a busy household growing up, lots of friends in and out, mum doing all her am dram and chapel, grandma always there for a story and dad, as we remember it, working all the time. However, having spent a whole day looking through thousands of transparencies this week I realise that although our recollection was that dad was always working we did in fact do a lot as a family. We visited all the stately homes, we drove 8 hours to drop grandma off in Brixham (and all the way back) we went to the Isle of Wight on a hovercraft (we stayed in a guesthouse and Rog locked himself in the loo and dad had to take the lock off to get him out) as well as all those trips to Tenby. I have seen photos now of dad holding Roger and myself which mirror those of him holding James and Michael or Joe.
I didn’t have any hobbies dad could support me with (I read and played the guitar) but he did accompany the family to all those amateur dramatic performances all over the Midlands which gave me my love of musical theatre. He also played lots of music at home which means I can usually sing the correct words to most songs (though less tunefully than dad). 
I remember how lonely I felt the day he dropped me at Lancaster University. I remember how disappointed he was when I said I didn’t want to go on a school cruise because none of my friends were going - he didn’t like to see opportunities missed and as usual he was right because I changed school for 6th form and met lots of people going on that same cruise - I’d missed out and learned a lesson. 
I came back from Spain to live at home - joining Roger, Amanda and James. This seemed quite normal - 30 years old - come home and regroup. He would drive to Tenby via Bangor (?!) to drop off some wood for the log burner and a chocolate cake while I was studying there. 
When I was left alone with  Joe in Lichfield he gave up his dream of living in Wales so Joe would have a father figure and good male role model.
It’s been tough seeing dad lose his independence over the last couple of years. So time to put your feet up dad. I’m still feeding the birds and watering the flowers so - job done!