When I started to prepare for this, I knew it would be difficult for me so I tried to think of how Dad would do it.

I soon realised that sitting at the front, my back to you, behind a closed door and using a PA system - just wouldn’t work.
I know he would do it with preparation, competence and humour as that is how he approached everything in life.

I don’t think I have those skills at this moment so had to dig a little deeper.
 Kirsten and I have always remembered an exchange I had with Dad 20 years ago in the kitchen at Porton, after our flat had flooded. There was a lot of worry, stress, panic and tears about the whole situation.
Dad took me to one side and said to me “away from all this emotional rubbish, what are we going to do?”
So, I’m trying to put the “emotional rubbish” to one side for this moment – I can’t promise I’ll achieve it but I’ll have a good go.
I have so many memories of Dad but want to focus on the many trips he and I had together, it’s a good job I like the United States as he wasn’t going anywhere else!
Each trip was planned meticulously around what we would see, eat and drink and each trip was fantastic.
It just felt like friends travelling together seeing the world (well one country anyway).
There’s only one time I remember us not being in 100% agreement:
Seated in economy class, a stewardess asked if we would like to move to Club Class. Dad’s answer was “no” as he preferred laying down across the empty seats next to him.
The stewardess saw my face and offered to give us some time to discuss – needless to say we spent the flight in Club Class.
I think this shows the man he was, fuss free and quietly prepared to sacrifice his preferences for others.

I have highlights from each of these trips that I would like to share:
Breakfast together in a diner in New York
Visiting the blues clubs of Chicago
Our trip to Washington DC where everything was a highlight
Eating lobster by the harbour in Boston
Sharing fondue in Atlanta
Appearing on a webcam outside the Alamo
Visiting QVC studios in Philadelphia – Pretty certain Mum was on the phone ordering at the same time
Seeing the gunfight at the OK Corral in Arizona
Looking for witches in Salem


It was a great set of trips and without them how would I ever know the delight of eating a rare prime rib with an ice cold beer

Aside from the times I had with Dad I would also like to speak about the man that he was.

Dad was someone who succeeded at everything he did and through my life, I saw him computer programming (writing his own version of solitaire well before Microsoft), he became a prolific painter and his projects around the home always amazed me:

Putting in double glazing, central heating, decorating, laying carpets, building a garage

These were all things that I expected to do when I had my own place – I tried the decorating once and laid one carpet and that was it for me.

All of the above was achieved through thorough research and determination and I think he is the only person I know who always read the instruction manuals.

I remember the discipline he showed in spending 5 years recording episodes of Mash at 9pm every Thursday night, even writing to the BBC to complain if they missed an episode.

I believe he was the number one in the world for playing Tetris when we had the image of the game burnt into our computer screen.

But I think his biggest success in life was marrying my Mum - to me they were the perfect partnership and perfect parents

This has been the first time I have stopped to truly reflect on Dad and I have realised what a kind, uncomplicated, funny and great man he was.

What I also realised is that “My Dad is My Hero”