Hi Dad, well we recently did our first weekend away without your there in person. At least you got to see it on the computer before you died but it would have been better to have you there with us. To be honest, if it hadn't already been booked I doubt we would have gone which would have been a shame as it was you that started the annual tradition and we will of course keep it going. It was a wonderful place and you would have loved it, one of the best we've been too. Perfect location, the dogs loved running round and round the garden. The view was amazing. We looked out over yellow fields and blue skies to the castle in the distance and the see beyond. There was a bench outside where you would have sat with your coffee and cigarettes. Bitter sweet for us as it was so obvious you weren't with us. Perhaps you were with us in spirit but it would have been better if you were there in person. We got mum a good one though...we thought it would be torture for her to sleep in the room and the empty bed opposite and silent (no snoring, no cowboys and Indians!) so we secretly arranged for Aunty Liz to join her but her train didn't get into Berwick until 10.30pm so how to get her to the cottage. We said we were going out for dinner for the best fish and chips which were in Berwick but by the time we got there it was shut (the abuse I got for that) and we still had 20mins to kill before Liz arrived. So, we decided to get a last drink at the pub next to the station and I said I needed the toilet but really went off to get Liz. She went in ahead of me and poor mum was so shocked she burs t into tears. She later said she thought it was strange that we were going out and had she been in her right mind she would have known that no way would I voluntarily go out at 9.30pm on Friday night!! I'm getting more anti-social as I get older so definitely take after you. On Sunday, Kirst let off a Chinese lantern for you and we watched it sail off into the distance...then Liz let hers go and it promptly went into a tree and went up in flames. Made us laugh as Liz it was just typical given all the crappy presents she had got you in the past that never worked! It's sad for us that you will never join us again but we look forward to seeing you again one day and we'll be together all the time. Love you dad - XXXX