Thieves Target Cash Machine

I was amazed to turn up at the Co-Op for the second birthday party of the new store in Oakham only to find loads of police tape around the cash point machine. It seems that thieves had tried to break unsuccessfully into the cash point machine just outside the main store in the early hours of Friday morning.

It seemed ironic that they pick this weekend to break into the cash point. The new store was opened because the old one was burnt down when similar robbery occurred. In that instance the cash point was on the outside wall of the supermarket, thankfully when they rebuilt the supermarket they put the machine in it own little building away from the store. One lesson wasn't learnt from the first break-in and that was the method of access to the site. In both cases the thieves crossed the fields to approach the site from the rear rather than going through the gates or the fence  at the front of the site. Hopefully the Co-Op will learn from this the second time round and improve the security at the rear of the store.

The police are looking for witnesses that might have any information that can help them find out who carried out the attempted theft.  They can be contacted on 0116 222 2222.

Colour of the World

It is nearly that time when the tree in the garden loses the last of it leaves. Over the last few days I have been watching the wind blow them away one by one. Now they litter the garden like a carpet and the colours are simply amazing. It is a reminder that winter will soon be upon us and as the autumn colours fades winter will bring its own beauty to the world. Nature is just amazing when you live close to it.

I'm finding that the colour of the world and the light are of particular interest now. What I have noticed about the light is it different qualities, not only at different times of the day but at different times of the year as well. It is remarkably different. The actual colour of the light changes from session to session. I guess someone who is an artist is aware of it, but for me it has came as a bit of surprise. The only thing I can put it down to is all the photography I have been doing over the last few years. I really notice the difference now.

Christmas Comes Early

I could believe my eyes when I walked into Tesco\s supermarket in Oakham on Monday. There before my ears before October was out and Halloween was over was a Christmas tree. I swear that every year these things appear earlier and earlier. To top that yesterday the CoOp supermarket started putting up decorations and happy christmas messages.

It's not that I have anything against Christmas or the decorations, in fact I love Christmas, but the commercialisation of of the whole affair is now getting out of hand. The fact that Halloween was even out of the way yet alone Bonfire Night. I know there is a recession on and the shops probably need all the cash they can get but they don't have to start Christmas so early. We are all still going to be buying presents, Christmas trees and food, because we want a break from it for at least one day.

I read that somewhere most customers aren’t too happy about this and same can be said of a lot of the workers at the shops. The later get fed up  having to listen to hours of Christmas music for hours on end. Of course if you complain to the management or the head offices of the supermarket chains and department stores and you will get know where. The just don't care, they just want your money and they see this as a way of getting it. So much for the customers opinions coming first let alone the workers.

Lucy turns Four

It is amazing to think that Lucy is four. It seems like yesterday I was holding in my arms for the first time. I will never forget the day she was born. It was all so spacial and even magical. Times like that are are moments you remember and never forget. How could you when with someone else you bring a life into this world through love. There is no more special moment  as man than seeing your child born. Despite all that has happened since nobody can take that moment of joy from me. It happened and it can be wiped out as if it didn't happen or there was no connection. I spent the first year of little Lucy life with her because I could and I won't ever regret it, ever. It was one of the best times of my life. It was amazing see grow in her first year.

It is hard to think she was so small once now, but I will never forget the day she was born and what it meant to me and everyone else at the time. The reason why she came in to this world seem now wasted away, but she is wanted as much now as she was back then. I just hope she knows how much she is loved by everyone in her life. I'm sure none of this was what anyone ever intended for her. All this coming and going and never seeing the people loves so much together.

The day she was born was so special. I remember in the morning going to the hospital being so worried that something might go wrong. It was Hamish. one of the doctors, who put us both at ease with his banter and jokes. If she had of been a boy I swear Lucy might have ended up been named after him, although her name would have been George by choice, we were so taken with him. He was wonderful. The whole process went much easier than I expected. I can still see her in my arms when she was born. I remember her weight in my arms, how relieved I was she was alright and hopping her mummy was too. Just when it seemed like everything was alright, Hamish detected a heart murmur and her her mummy was taken off to a side ward. I can't say I wasn't worried because I was, very worried.

The staff reassured me that everything was going to be alright and it was nothing to worry about and I was left to go up with Lucy to the main ward and await her mummies return. When we both arrived we were shown into, not a side ward, but a bit like a waiting area. I remember the sun was shinning in through the window and I pushed cot Lucy was into the sunlight that was teaming in the room to keep her warm and I welcomed her to the world. What was lovely is that I got to feed her for the first time, not something many dads get to do. She couldn't wait until her mum came off the side ward so there I was with a little spoon pouring milk into her little mouth. At one point the nurse said I could leave her and rest and I just didn't want to go. She was so perfect and so beautiful. I just wanted to look at her and never stop. I knew from that day she a special little person to me. The same feeling I had when I first held her big sisters for the first time. Those moments and many more will be with me until I die. It wasn't until she was asleep I left to check on her mummy and see she was alright. Thankfully she was, for the last thing I wanted was anything to happen to her, she meant the world to me too. It was lovely to see them reunited and Lucy in her mummy's arms at last.

Some people, especially without children, will wonder why I remember so much. The answer is simple just like all the births of the children that I have fathered seeing them born has been the most magical times of my life. The only regret I will ever have is not being at Emily's birth, but in her case I will remember the first time we met and my heart went out to her.

Sometimes I think my whole life has been messed up by all that has happened, but when I look at Emily, Catherine and Lucy I know I am so lucky to have the most amazing children. I love them all and they love me back. It is a special love that doesn't come with conditions. Yes, I have wanted more for them than they have now, some of that, at the moment, has been taken away and discarded. My dreams at times have seemed smashed to bits, but I know I will get what I want for them in the end, because I will chase my dreams and I know that they worth working for. I will love my children and I will cherish them for ever. It is about knowing who you are always there for in your life, the people you love no matter what or what they do to you, and believing that with your heart.

Finally, I was so grateful to Lucy mummy's for sending me a text asking if I wanted to talk to Lucy. I jumped at the opportunity. It was something I never expected to happen given how poor the communication is between us. It was nice to have my existence as Lucy's father acknowledge for once rather than feeling that Im some kind buried memory that has been cut of a life. I just hope that it is the start of something better, for it was lovely just to be able to wish her a happy birthday and talk to her however short the call. I want to be involved in her life as much as can for she is one very special little girl.

[Corrected - 11th November 2011]

Return of Him and Her

Tonight see the start of the second series of the sitcom, "Him and Her" on BBC Three. It is described by the makers as "an intimate anti-romantic comedy about real-life love in its lazy, messy, everyday glory." and it lives up to it billing beautifully.

It is a story of a working class couple, Steve and Becky, in the mid 20's and their relationship. Feeling more like a reality television programme than a comedy it is a warts and all look at their life together. Steve and Becky are both unemployed and living off benefits and they are united by dubious hygiene and an inability to get dressed. Their whole existence revolves around their love of eating, sleeping, drinking and having sex. Outside of that neither of them have any goals of ambitions. It seems they were made are for each other and they are perfect mates.

Personally I love the style of the show, the writing and find the chemistry between the lead actors special. It all works very well by taking the idea of an old fashioned romance as a central theme and adding to it a sense of realism of everyday living for a out of work couple whose life has no direction. You can just imagine a couple like this living somewhere near you or you might even know one. It is this that keeps you watching and laughing. It is a wonderful observation of life.

It is a must see and if you haven't seen it I urge you to watch it. I know I will. And remember, just in case you have missed the first episode you will be able to catch up on BBC iPlayer as long as you watch it within the next two months.