Greenfield Comprehensive in Newton Aycliffe is poorer from tonight.

About a week after I took her to Sugar Hill for her first day at school, my daughter has completed her GCSE’s and left school. She’ll go to QE 6^th Form in Darlington from September, but for now, she’s chilling.

Between shifts.

It really does seem like a few days since I took her to Sugar Hill school for her 1^st day, Between then and now her mother left, I spent 7 years as a single dad.

Happily, her mother and I are on good terms and when the time came, after being made redundant and having to move to Scotland to find work, the bairn was able to live with her mother and see me regularly and often.

So then I move to America.

I miss her terribly of course. From the day she walked from my house in Aycliffe to her Mam’s car, and every day since when we haven’t shared those father & daughter daft moments, I’ve missed her.

I get back 3 or 4 times a year and she comes across here when we can do it. She’s working at a local restaurant and saving. Saving for July, when I’m bringing her over here for the first time this year. Her and a pal.

2 sixteen year old girls living with us for 3 weeks, that’s going to be interesting.

The day before she arrives I have to be in Dubai for a meeting, so Tracey will enjoy finding gigs for the girls and talking bullshit.

I can’t wait to see her.

And now for more thunder………….