In 1996 Dad went and raced at Rob Roy despite his cancer being pretty advanced.

Though we are not having a party for your 80th birthday, I think if we did, you’d be up for it and be the last to leave.

I think if we had speeches at this not-happening party, I’m fairly certain I’d make a speech, you would make a speech and then Stephen would make one to beat us both.

It’s right that the young end up bettering the old.

Today we took your grandson off to get his broken arm set. It was an oddly proud moment as he joined the family proper. (In my family, you’re only truly “in” after you break a bone),

I think you’d like The Boy. He is very much one of us. He’s outgoing, talkative and always keen to have a go.

As for your grand daughter- well she’s quite a piece of work. Though only 3 months old, she’s well and truly got me worked out and already getting me to jump whenever she so chooses. And I love it.

So, while it’s your birthday, I can’t help but think about my own birthday this year- 40. I’m not far off the age you were when I was born and this has made me reflect on my own performance as a father. It’s probably not for me to say how I’m going (and it’s fair to say Harry’s broken arm has kinda put me back to the field…!), but I do often find myself wondering what you’d do in any given circumstance. Sometimes I don;t do what you would have done as I’m not so certain that it was or is the right thing to do. So in circumstances where you haven’t set a good example- you’re serving as an example. I’m sure I’ll end up the same with Harry.

It’s right that the son tries to be a better father than his own father. It’s for others to judge whether he has succeded.

If I have reflected on anything this year, it’s been the words that used to annoy the hell out of me when I misbehaved: “You know what’s expected of you..”

And you know what Dad? I think, maybe, after all these years, I’m beginning to understand what you meant.

I just wish you were here to see it.

Happy birthday old boy.

My Father, Richard Reynolds died from complications caused by prostate cancer in 1996.

Rachel is 12 weeks pregnant with our second baby!! I am beside myself with excitement. In fact I’m beside myself, beside myself.

I am so clucky it’s actually a bit pathetic.

We (that is to say I) have agreed to not find out what sex this one is. Rachel, being an only child, simply must a/ get her own way and b/ find out what her present is before the days it’s due to be opened. We’d like a girl, but I am convinced (and equally stoked) that it will be a boy…

Speaking of due- this one is due on the 4th of October, some 26 odd months behind Harry!

Here’s the three of us with member number four not quite in view:

Rachel's Birthday 2010.

A selection:

www.flickr.com thomasrdotorg’s Christmas 2009 photoset

This is from a post on a website elsewhere and I thought it’s worth a republish here:

I went to the Bourne Ultimatum with Wife and former (female) housemate. Before the cinematic event we enjoyed a lovely dinner where my wife and ex housie decided that a heroic dose of wine was called for.

Once drunk, they decided it was time for me to outline what happened in the two preceding films. The glazed eyes and repeated questions such as ”but WHY did he lose his memory?” indicates this is not going to go well.

Arrival at the cinema finds me in the queue behind Nadine Garner. I attempt to flirt with her, only ruined by the wife and ex housie ”mumble mumble HENDERSON KIDS!”.

One in the movie, the oversize handbag carried by ex housie turns out to be full of plastic glasses and a bottle of red. They open this (oh we’re late BTW) in the dark, pour some on the floor and sit back.

They eat snacks in manner that I’m pretty sure sounds not unlike the Germans shelling Stalingrad. Ex housie has to go to the toilet three times (the last one to throw up due to hand held camera angles and wine). Both ask me questions throughout the movie in that faux ”I AM WHISPERING’‘ yelling voice.

At one stage they put their hands up to ask me a question. This is , according to them, the funniest thing they have ever done.

I reach for a killing implement.

Wife crosses and uncrosses her legs- desperate to go to the toilet. Finally she goes, and the movie ends a minute later. Housie is still throwing up in the ladies. I ponder going home with Nadine Garner.

They want to kick on to a bar. I walk home through the golf course. At midnight, the sprinklers come on for no apparent reason and I get wet.