Words I’ve heard since Dad passed….
He really was my favourite
He was like a father to me
He was a huge support for me
He was so kind natured and loving
He was an amazing man
 
Our Dad was all of these and so much more. Not only was he a loving and supportive Dad, he was also a brilliant Grandad. Always full of fun and with an adventurous side that he shared with us, much to Mum’s worry. 
 
Over the years he took us skydiving in Australia, Bungee jumping in Greece and Scuba diving in Barbados where he couldn’t get the buoyancy right and ended up rising to the surface and bobbing around in the middle of a group of people swimming.
He took us on many ski trips igniting our love for the snow. We did these with Dan and Kate, and many with Bim and Sophie. The first time we went to Flaine in the Alps we learned that Dad was in fact barred from a restaurant for swinging off the rafters on one of his many lad’s trips, always the one to make people laugh.
 
Considering he built a business in IT he wasn’t great with technology. I once asked him to video me Wakeboarding and when I watched the video back he’d somehow managed to switch it to selfie mode and recorded a 5 minute video of his head bobbing up and down in a boat.
 
When we were young we were always having family parties, bbq’s, rounders games, and many board game nights. One Christmas we got a Nintendo Wii and had a ski jumping competition, Dad appears dressed head to toe in his ski gear, ski boots and skis included. Surprisingly he didn’t win the competition, but he did make everyone laugh which is what Dad was all about.
 
Dad loved his music, he would often blast it out in the living room, but Dad wasn’t a dancer. Instead, he would air play every instrument in the song, piano, guitar, even the saxophone. The more there was to air play, the happier he was.
 
We had a happy childhood growing up, we were always outside with the horses, playing in the stables and running around the fields. So much so that Dad, very pleased with himself, nicknamed me Muckpile. This stuck for most of my childhood. Paul on the other hand was called Pablo and sometimes Spud. I think he got the better end of the deal.
 
When we were kids Dad would often take us into London for the day to somewhere like Madam Tussauds and then onto The Hard Rock Café which we loved. It was here Dad had a true “Dad” moment. Good Thing by The Fine Young Cannibals was the song of the time and was playing in the restaurant. Dad, trying to be cool starting singing quite loudly but got the words wrong and instead of Good Thing sang Heatwave. To this day we never let him live this down.
 
Our Dad had so many stories which I and I’m sure many others here today loved listening to. When he would re-tell his stories I would listen and feel so proud that he was my Dad. I seek comfort from remembering his stories now as it shows that he lived his life and most importantly he enjoyed his life. 
 
Dad was very supportive and we always knew he’d be there for us. In 2011 he helped Hannah and I start our business and has been a crucial part of it as well as being a mentor ever since. No matter how many times we asked if he wanted to stop so he could enjoy his retirement, he never wanted to. We loved having him involved and I will greatly miss his guidance and support, but most importantly I will miss speaking to him every day.
 
Dad, I have so much to be thankful to you for. You were the perfect Dad in my eyes and you taught me so much, I wouldn’t be the person I am today without you. You were so loving, caring and funny. I will miss how you filled the room with your sense of humour and your loud laugh. I will miss your unconditional support and guidance, and how you always knew what to say. I will miss the many happy times we spent together, especially over the recent years with the girls. I will miss enjoying a bottle of Nuit Saint George with you on Christmas Day. But most of all Dad, I will miss you!