Fatherhood

I’ve just returned from shuffling cars with daughter and son.

William’s British Superbike team packed up before Christmas. He had been there for ten years, and passed his HGV driving test so he could drive the team’s vehicle to Spain.

Today he was back from his second trip to Germany for a local transport company, and with daughter Jill we picked him up at his depot not far from Arnside.

I am impressed with William. Although he has driven a massive truck abroad there is a difference between heading for a racing circuit supported with a co-driver, and launching off to an unfamiliar German destination, unable to speak the language, and with no experience of handling loads, observing tachograph procedures, and all the other tricks of the trade, but he seems to have coped well.

On W’s first trip he was threatened with a disruptive and time consuming vehicle search by German police, The resolving of that situation was to Willam's credit but not for further detail here. 

Readers may remember Jill’s redundancy last year, and whilst trying to create a website she spent an invaluable summer with daughter Katie during that period of childhood when development is so important - that was irreplaceable time well spent in my opinion. The website is still in embryo and may be developed later. Jill has now resorted to supply teaching, and was sent to a private secondary school in Barrow which lead to four and half days per week on supply rates until the summer with the likelihood of a full time job in September.

Katie-child-minding includes help from friends (and me), delivering and picking up at nursery school and playgroup, and at Jill’s school there is a nursery attached where Katie attends on Thursdays and Fridays. Teaching supports Jill’s vocational attitude with good behaviour and intelligent discussion and participation from pupils - they all  wear smart uniforms and stand up when Jill enters the classroom and say “good morning Miss Robinson”!

There is even a uniform for Katie’s nursery school which includes a Barbour look-alike jacket costing £40 (fortunately the school lent one for Katie) - I reckon she’ll be joining the Pony Club next?

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Taken with iPhone3 as video by mistake then lifted as "screenshot" from first frame, hence poor quality

Katie drives the truck

Katie, normally harum-scarum, but here uncharacteristically prim-and-proper in new school uniform.This photo sent to me by Jill gave me the best laugh for some time

The coat