Champion army!

Not had much time together of late as a family as it has been a truly manic couple of weeks, but snuck in, on a very cold bank holiday Monday, the Norwich City promotion celebrations and the charity match. Great to be able to share this with the girls and have their company. They were less than enamoured when a car sped past soaking them both from head to toe! I managed to escape this indignity! City's promotion has been a really emotional experience for me this year, having shared so many exhilarating moments with the girls throughout the season. They have chosen not to come next year and I am a bit sad about this if honest, but I understand they do not enjoy it so much when they come home wet and cold. Will push to get them the odd casual ticket next year and both are in agreement that is something they still want to do with their old dad. Never the less, the Hammonds are very much still part of the promotion army and always happy to share some time at the football with my girls. Simply just a great experience!

Thanks heavens for the abscess on my butt!!

It has been a cracking Easter weekend with beautiful weather where I have been able to scare the local community with my legs for the first time this year! We have sun worshipped, eaten a barbecue feast (I might have the meat sweats as we speak!), spent lovely time with friends and I even prevailed in the 'children v's old gits' footy match against Anna and her friend with an 8-7 victory. The biggest challenge of the weekend was a visit to 'Go Ape' tree climbing as a family. Hindered by me fear of heights when having nothing firm under my feet and the horrible newly emerged 'middle age' problem of an abscess on my butt. I manager to avoid this and fulfil the valuable role of 'bag holder' and official photographer instead of scaring the living daylights out of myself. So proud of Lucy, who really struggled and got a credible half way round. I am not sure she wants to go back though!. Amy soldiered on, despite her fears too and successfully completed the course. Makes me a bit of a wuss really, but my heart rate did not reach the dizzy heights of that of Mrs Hammond and I continue to wind down and feel very relaxed this weekend. I needed this time with family and friends and it was a great day out, followed by a sleep over too. Easter Sunday started with a cooked breakfast under the newly decorated family outside shack, dog walking, more delicious food at Libby's, Meg's first dip in a river and an espresso in the Hammock! I have not eaten a scrap of chocolate. The weekend also had some unprecedented footballing exhilaration, on my Friday date night with Looby Chick and an amazing ninety-seven minute equalising goal. Great stuff, pure joy and really enjoyed this time with my girl! Happy Easter Hammonds! xx

Should I evoke my parental right to embarass a teenager?

The girls, especially Lucy are becoming much more self sufficient and there most definitely is a wish to spend less time with their embarrassing parents! This got me thinking; if, in the mind of a teenager, I am the embarrassing father, then why don't I earn this reputation rather than gaining it by default. It would be good sport. After all I get huffed and puffed at every time I ask my eldest daughter to do a simple task. So I will put my mind to a few ideas to get things going. Drama number one is most definitely having her picture taken by her dad. Despite the fact in her Instagram life she takes hoards of selfies!?! Drama number two I am quite enjoying, in the 'come on, you wanted another dog - lets go for a walk'! Oh the pain, the hilarious and very real pain that I had asked daughter number one to take some exercise, get some fresh air and move away from the digital world! It really is quite fun. As I start to gently mock the girl whose sarcasm levels often move up to level five or above, it becomes very clear she can dish it out, but not necessarily take it!! I think I may just think on this for a few more days and take that complex decision as to whether I evoke that secret parental article in unwritten law of 'the right embarrass your teenager'. It could be just a little fun! Watch out Looby Chick...

Let the holidays begin and boy does everybody need it!!!

With reflection and real honesty, this term has been so very hard to get through for us as a family, with loosing Grandma and then having to move so quickly into a space of getting back into normal life, it has been tough. Everybody is ready for a break, some time to recharge their batteries. Amy and I are run down, full of cold and a bit battered! Anna, if you look at the picture seems to have completely lost herself! Although she's never been quite right! I am not prepared to post a picture of myself, as the bags under the bags under my eyes are not that endearing! Lucy is so very resilient and quite remarkable. Her end of term parents evening was astonishing and she is doing so very well at school, despite all the significant changes in her life in recent months. Quite amazing really, she truly is very stoic and just keeps going. Very proud of her indeed. So the family Hammond enters a period of lie ins, chilling out, resting, long walks with Meg (who arrives today), catching up with friends and a couple of weeks of rebuilding. All accept me sadly ,as I need to keep going with work projects until Easter, but give me another week and a half and I will be in the hammock in the Easter sunshine! Fingers crossed...

That's a long time putting up with me!

This week marked twenty three years since Amy and I shared our first date and maybe our first kiss! All those years later we have two wonderful and different children who enrich our lives every day. Tomorrow we celebrate mothering Sunday with a sneaky trip to Cambridge and much swag for her to enjoy. What an amazing mum she is to our girls. Kind, generous and loving. She works so very hard for them, helping them with homework, talking things through even when she is exhausted after a hard day at school. Our slightly high maintenance children, adore her to pieces even though they sometimes should show their appreciation just a tad more in their busy lives. (take note girls) We have been scheming about gifts for a week or so and I hope we have got it right and the lady of the house approves! We'll see in the morning - fingers crossed!

Learning what might be good for me.....

Recently I have struggled. I have to admit this and keep trying to change this set of circumstances. Lots of things in my life carry real responsibility and I take these very seriously indeed. My job, my role as a parent and my duty to support Grandma at the end of her life. I am still grieving and finding day to day life extremely difficult indeed. Adding anymore responsibility just feels like a tipping point too far. Amy believes differently, Amy believes I need a dog in my life to support me to find myself again. We have fought, quite horribly about this over the last couple of months, with me fretting and becoming very anxious about coping with anything else. Having thought through what she has said, she may be right. Meet Meg. Meg came to visit us yesterday with her owner, who is now getting to the stage where she will not be able to handle such a lively and young dog. The plan is Meg to come to us early school holidays. She is a proper dog (no disrespect Inky - still miss you, lovely soul that you were), she stays close off the lead, does as she's asked, loves playing with a ball. I loved spending time with her and she maybe just what I need to bring myself and life back on track. I need something or someone to help me relax and release the heavy weight of responsibility I still feel. I felt free, unburdened and a bit of spark returned that I has not been in me for over a year. I was quite sad when she left and overcome a bit. Family is everything to me and although I feel frightened and apprehensive, I am truly starting to look forward to Meg coming to us and becoming part of our family. Secretly, I want her to take her primary shine to me and we can build that bond I think I need to help me come out of feeling very lost at times.

Oh what a night!

Loved Anna's company last night at the game. We cheered, chanted, jumped, shared some chips and hot chocolate, talked footy and spent some great time together. It chucked it down and it just didn't matter as I was with my girl. The fact that we won to stay top of the league was a bonus too! I must say that we were not treated to the best of games, but we were treated to a screamer of a winning goal that cued much delirium and a chorus of 'On the ball city!' I am slowly starting to feel a bit like myself again, having had several months of struggling. I felt the need to be alone with my own thoughts after Grandma died, not really motivated to do much or be with others, even the ones I love so dearly;  and now that wish to enjoy experiences is slowly coming back. I really treasured last night. Football may not be for everybody, but for me it is an experience of emotions, exhilaration, tension and excitement. Made all the better for sharing it with someone I love. What can be better than seeing Anna in a hat again as well. Love the hats Wiggle, you know I do!