I’ve been thinking a lot about my Dad today. It’s coming up to eighteen years since he died, but the longing to have him back still occasionally hits just as hard now as it did all those years ago. Apart from being with his family, there was nothing my Dad loved more than having a pint and a blether, so it was especially poignant - on what would’ve been my Dad’s 75th birthday - to watch Alex and Ross heading out the door earlier for their first pint together down the local. If Dad had still been here, he’d definitely have been looking for an invite! I can actually picture him; walking in to the pub, grinning as he proudly tells everyone that this is a special occasion then raising his glass to toast Ross turning eighteen and being out for his first pint with his Dad and his Papa. That was just my Dad’s kind of thing.
Anyway, after having a great day catching up with Ross during his flying visit home, it was really lovely to watch him and his auld Dad head out earlier. Alex and Ross have shared plenty of beers before now, but now out in the pub. It's another rite of passage that brought a wee lump to my throat and a big, happy smile to my face.
