Apologies

It has been a little while since my last post, which was around about the same time as my birthday.

The reason for my absence, two days after my birthday my Dad died, it was very very unexpected and very shocking. For days I was locked into a haze of emotions, that almost crippled me, at times I could see nothing and feel even less.

As the eldest son it was my duty to say a few words at the requiem mass held for my father, below is what I said.

First of all on behalf of my mother and the immediate family, I would like to thank you all for coming here today, to say farewell to my father Francis C.

I have thought long and hard, wrote pages and pages of notes and stories, to try and give you an idea of "Our Dad", an idea or snapshot that I could pass onto you, but words would and could never be enough.

My Dad was not perfect, he was a man, nothing more nothing less, a good man, an honest man, a gentleman. But he was the best man I knew, if I can be one tenth the man he was then I feel I will have achieved something.

In closing all I ask is that everyone takes stock for a moment and think of their loved ones, tell them how you feel, tell them you love them. The last words I heard my father say were on my birthday when he and my Mum called to wish me many happy returns, he at the end of the call said "I Love You Son, Bye". For this I am eternally grateful!

Thank you for everything Dad, I love you Goodbye!

The phonecall I mentioned happened two days before he died, once again, Thank you for everything Dad, I love you Goodnight and Goodbye, Your everloving Son Alan x x x

I would like to thank Karen my wife for her help in getting me through this, my eldest son's Craig and Jamie, for being my anchorage points, even in the midst of their own grief. My great friend Graham for being one of the Pallbearers, the list of people to thank could go on and on, so many many thanks to everyone.
My love always and ever to Mum and my sister Sharon x x x