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I rang him and he was really interested and asked me to go and look as soon as possible, this I did and the lady said I could go right away. Lesley went with me. The flat was in Waveney, and was on the second floor which I wasn’t sure about as my Dad was 70 yrs old and with having partial paralysis in his left leg the stairs perhaps would not be practical.

The flat was really nice it had a huge lounge and a good-sized bedroom it was spotlessly clean. The kitchen and bathroom were small but adequate. It was decorated really nice it didn’t need anything doing to it at all. I went and rang my Dad and told him about the flat and he was really keen. Mike and I offered to go and bring him to see the flat before he said yes but he was adamant that my say so was enough for him. He knew I wouldn’t let him go to a place if I didn’t think it was right for him, my dad meant everything to me he was the most perfect Dad you could ever have. My Mum used to say we ganged up on her but we didn’t really it was just that she was a bit argumentative to put it mildly and my Dad and I thought there was safety in numbers.

I rang the lady, whose name I have forgotten , she said if it was ok with my Dad she would ask her sister to go and look at the bungalow and like my Dad she would make a decision on what her sister said about it.

Two days later she rang me and said she definitely wanted to exchange, she thought my Dads bungalow was just right for her. I rang my Dad, he was so pleased I couldn’t wait for him to be near us so I could keep an eye on him

I rang the council in Rotherham and asked them to send the relevant paperwork to me on my Dads behalf, as I was dealing with the exchange. To my surprise they agreed. It didn’t take long it was about 3 weeks before we received the ok and a date for the move. We then had to sort out with the lady in Grovehill a mutual date for the move. Mike and Dennis and a mate of Mikes were going to hire a van here then drive to Yorkshire for my Dads furniture etc. and himself of course. I had the day off work to go and clean the flat and wait for them to arrive and have a cup of tea ready. It was about 11.00pm by the time we had got everything arranged in the flat and had a bite to eat and everybody was shattered but it had been worth it my Dad seemed really pleased to be here. That night I said I would stay at the flat and sleep on the sofa just to keep my Dad company on his first night, then the next morning which was Saturday, I would take him to the local shops to familiarise him with his new location. Then I was going to take him to the main supermarket to fill his cupboards and freezer
So he wouldn’t have to bother shopping for a few days if he didn’t want to.

We sat up till about 1.00am talking about things like my Mums death and that he felt coming to Hemel would help him, although he said he had been quite friendly with the lady who lived next door to him, who I knew he and my Mum had gone to school with. He said that had got him through the loneliness he was experiencing since my Mum died. The next thing he said made me wonder if we had done the right thing bringing him here, although he hadn’t mentioned anything about Mrs Smith. He said they had been going out shopping and to shows a couple of times a week.

I had no idea about this and I asked him why he hadn’t told me and he said he thought I might be upset thinking she would take my Mums place, I said I was just pleased he had found someone to take away the loneliness and that I thought it was a wonderful thing, I was just worried about bringing him away from her to Hemel Hempstead when it could have possibly turned into a really nice relationship. I suggested he rang her the next day to let her know he had arrived safely and to possibly suggest either she could come to visit him or he could go to her, he thought he might do that.

Life was still as hectic with Sheila and the horse, ferrying her to the stables if the weather was bad before work and school and then again after work and of course weekends she would go to pony club gymkhanas and whatever else was happening. At weekends we took my Dad to watch he really loved it. He was so proud of Sheila she was absolutely fearless. This new horse Kim was a really kind horse and did everything that Sheila asked of him. Even Steve and Lesley would have a ride on him.

My Dad had settled in the flat but he had not been to well and I called the Doctor as he was really out of breath and felt really off-colour. The Doctor came and examined him and said he wanted to refer him to the hospital as he thought he may have Angina my Dad then shocked me by saying the doctor was right he had been diagnosed with Angina and had been given medication but because he had moved and his notes hadn’t arrived at the new doctor he hadn’t renewed his prescription I couldn’t believe what he had said fancy not telling me , if he had I would have sorted out his medication. The doctor said he had put himself at risk but he would now get it sorted. He also said he didn’t think he should be on the second floor as the steps were to much for him. He said he would write a letter to the council to try and at least get him a ground floor flat. I was really shocked I just couldn’t believe my Dad hadn’t told me, the diagnosis had been about 6months ago. After he got his tablets he soon felt better but I was scared leaving him in case of a problem.

Two weeks later my Dad rang me and said he had received a letter from Dacorum Council offering him a ground floor flat with garden in Gadebridge which was only about 2 miles away from where we lived. He could call in the council offices and collect the key to have a look at it . I said I would have the afternoon off work collect the keys and him and we could go and have a look. He was so excited for one thing to be near us and to have a garden, as he loved growing tomatoes and stuff.

I collected the keys and we drove to the flat which was in a really lovely spot looking on to fields and yet only 2mins. walk to the local shops. It was a ground floor one bed roomed flat with a three bed roomed maisonette above. It was very private and it had a fairly decent size garden just enough for my Dad to handle. It had a lovely big front room and good-sized bedroom, fairly small kitchen and bathroom. My Dad was over the moon he said it felt like home. We went straight to the council and accepted the flat and got a moving date. I arranged to get him some boxes and me and the kids would go and help him pack again. Mike and Dennis didn’t know it yet but they were going to be moving him again but I knew they would be pleased for him to be near us.

I asked my Dad if he had been in touch with Mrs Smith and he said he had and that when he got settled in his new flat he would go and visit her then bring her back with him for a few days. I was so pleased for him.