I don’t usually do the ‘personal’ on this blog, because as the man says, we don’t use our children as ‘props’… do we? But the last couple of days here at Piper Towers have been a bit traumatic as Mrs P. and my daughter Sian have been packing for a trip to Peru.
Mrs P. is going along for the ride as a holiday, and to help Sian settle in, but she will be back in three weeks time. The real trauma, and tears, was over the fact that Sian is staying on in Peru on her own to work with a charity project. She has been away from home before, but then it was only a couple of hours away at University in Liverpool, and Peru seems a heck of a long way from Bearwood, West Midlands this morning.
She’s a great kid, (with eccentric eating habits) and like any dad, I suppose, I’m going to be worrying myself sick over the next few months wondering how she’s getting on. As I’m sure most parents will agree, you want you children to grow up, to move on and forge their own lives, but letting go isn’t easy.
Anyway, I know you’ll be reading this sometime tonight or tomorrow in Lima, so take care babe. Missing you already*.
love dad x
* PS – And your mom, of course.
- For a fundamental and irreversible shift in the balance of power and wealth in favour of working people and their families...
-
On the Side of the Angels
- A Very Public Sociologist
- Beau Bo D'Or
- Bench
- Bloggerheads
- Bloggers4Labour
- Chicken Yoghurt
- Councillor Tim
- Dave Osler
- Fat Man in the Bathtub
- Frank Owen's Paintbrush
- Freemania
- From One End of Kent
- Grimmer Up North
- Hagley Road to Ladywood
- Hopi Sen
- Jailhouse Lawyer
- Jon's Union Blog
- Julian's Musings
- Labour List
- Labour of Love
- Labour Uncut
- Left Foot Forward
- Liberal Conspiracy
- Luke's Blog
- Ministry of Truth
- Never Trust a Hippy
- Next Left
- Obsolete
- Our Man in Hanoi
- Paul Linford
- Political Hack
- Raincoat Optimism
- Skipper
- Skuds
- Slugger O'Toole
- Stephen Newton's Diary
- The Daily (Maybe)
- The Methodist Preacher
- The Middle of the Line
- Though Cowards Flinch
- Three Score Years & Ten
- Tom Watson MP
The Dark Side
The Media
-
Recent Posts
-
Archives
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- August 2005
- July 2005
- June 2005
- May 2005
- April 2005
- March 2005
- February 2005
- January 2005
- December 2004
- November 2004
- October 2004
- September 2004
- August 2004
- July 2004
- June 2004
- May 2004
- April 2004
- March 2004
- February 2004
Meta
The hardest job in the world is to be agood parent and we prepare ourselves for day when the kids go their own way from their first day at school but as you say it isn’t easy.I know your kids are independent,confident,caring and intelligent (must have got these from the missus) I’m sure Sian will love the experience and you should be proud. I was giving up drink but I will put it off for another six months just in case you need a pint, no its ok I dont mind the sacrifice. And of course there’s an open invitation to eat whenever. Pass on our love and best wishes to them both and see you soon.
Cheers Mick. I’ll take you up on the offer of a pint next week, and Parminder has already promised me the Aloo Chaat, so in a couple of weeks time you’ll be turning the lights out pretending you’re not at home.
Bob,
I feel somewhat vicariously very proud of her. I am sure you must be too. I know how much parental support means when you’re overseas.
Tell her to blog. Tell her to get a flickr account. Get her chatting on skype. And if all that is too much she can at least update you on Twitter or some such. Living in far flung places is a lot easier than it used to be.
It’ll be the making of her. Just don’t expect her to settle down afterwards. I thought that once upon a time. But once you get the bug… She’s so lucky being so young and doing what she is doing.
All the retired volunteers I have met are kicking themselves they didn’t do it sooner then spend their lives having adventures.
I hope that doesn’t scare you, it wasn’t meant to. What more can parents want for their kids that a fulfilling existence?
And if all else fails in Peru the words “Nolberto Solano” will help her change any situation to her advantage.
If she does decide to blog I’d love to read of her adventures.
Pull yourself together fella, blogging is for men, blubbing is for the ladies.
Thanks Steve. I did tell her to mention Norberto – I thought it was safer than using his English nickname – because he is revered in Peru even more than in your neck of the woods.
The benefit if she does move permanently, or even semi-permanently, is that it will give me an excuse to visit. I don’t think she’ll blog… more likely to keep in touch with her facebook mates I suspect.
Bob I know how you feel My eldest went to USA and stayed. I now have two American grandkids. Be pround love em to bits and keep good communications even if it’s all one way sometimes.
Gets her looks form her mother ( thank god). Nothing worth doing is without risk Bob and learning that people are adults and must take their own risks and make their own decisions is what Conservatism is all about . Perhaps you will begin to learn this now …..
( You will not recall that when I told you I had two more little Newmanias , you took the opportunity to say ..
Cleary she gets her good looks from her mother’s side… not that your ugly Bob but the words ‘face’ and ‘old boot’ do come to mind.
I hopes she has a great time and comes home soon
Bob, she survived 2 years in Hubcap City so Lima, (the downtown parts of which resemble much of your ward, I’m told) should be a stroll in the park. Enjoy every minute, Sian.
The Manager sez;
1. It’s obvious from the photo that she gets her looks from her mother and -
2. He knows the bouncer on the door at Club X (a ‘gentleman’s’ club in Walsall) and can get you in if you fancy a classy night out….
She reamins one of the most popular baby sitters we have ever had! We will say a prayer for her!
“Nothing worth doing is without risk Bob and learning that people are adults and must take their own risks and make their own decisions is what Conservatism is all about . Perhaps you will begin to learn this now …..
”
Like taking absurd ‘risks’ (Oh what a tangled web….) with the Bank’s (ie customers) money, making a laughing stock of the national economy, pocketings huge amounts in bonuses, then expecting the general taxpayer to pick up the pieces after you’ve sh*t on them from a great height and have sailed into the distance on your luxury yatch.
Oh how I’ll be voting Tory at the next election! The party who worship ‘risk’ taking with other peoples cash even more than this centre-right New Labour lot. As Jim Royle might say : ‘Risk my arse’
Hope it all works out well for your daughter Bob, I’m sure it will.
Best wishes to Sian and to yourself and Mrs. P, Bob.
)))
Did you mention a drink??
Oh how I’ll be voting Tory at the next election! The party who worship ‘risk’ taking with other peoples cash even more than this centre-right New Labour lot
The only bank that has gone down here was Northern Rock the semi social entrepreneur which supported the miners and was a friend to Labour. Brown set up the tripartite regulatory system than failed personally . Had Brown not taken and squandered other peoples cash we would be in better shape to weather this storm .We would not be heading for the recession we are heading for if we had not got too badly into debt to offer tax cuts and if you want politicians running the banks well good luck I recall the great successes if the 20th century planned economies.
.
We have a hell of a long way down to go before we get there but don1 t worry I know a man who want to do just that Brown Brown bloody Brown
She’ll be fine, Bob, kids are more resilient than we realise. If I think back to what I was doing in my yoof travels it’s a miracle that I’m still alive.
Well, the very best of luck to her. I’m sure she’ll be fine and I hope she takes up blogging with the same aplomb as you. And don’t forget to tell her to register with the embassy.
xD.
Thanks for the kind comments… and hacked off, you ain’t a pretty picture yourself mate. Has the missus thrown out all of your mirrors?
Stop it, you old softie. You’ve brought a lump to my throat.
Very best wishes to your beautiful daughter, Bob.
With her Mum’s looks, and her Dad’s disposition, she’ll be fine.
Get her a job on the Guardian. She could be the next Max Gogarty…
I shall see myself out.
Thank you all for your nice messages – especially yours dad!! We
Bob – Sian has a great dad. You should be proud of yourself.