I always believed it would always be just me and Dad. Until one day a work friend of his, Phil invited dad to his in Wooton to come meet his Mother in Law – Patricia Anne with an E! (Pat) As she was visiting the island from Burnley & stopping with Phil and Ali for a while. So off we went, I was very shy as a child, so when we went in I hid behind dads legs as he stood so tall and proud in front of the kitchen door looking into the lounge, where Pat and Ali were sat. Dad introduced me – ‘Hello, this is Jode, my daughter’ Pat said (in her very strong northern accent) ‘Ooo Hellooooo Jo’ – JO?? Who is Jo? I’m Jode or Jodie. Nobody had ever called me JO!!
Anyway, time went on & Dad & Pat met up a few times, went for meals and dates. I went out for a few dinners with them, as I was still Dad’s shadow, one of them we were sat in the conservatory part of the pub in Brighstone called The Countryman. It was lovely in there, however that place has now been demolished.
Pat started being more present in our lives & I wasn’t too keen. She started changing things around the house & decorating the way she liked it… I didn’t like it; it was MY house!!
After I don’t know how long, Dad took me into the bathroom & sat me on the side of the bath – Random location I know! But he asked me how I would feel if Pat moved in – WHAT?? NO!! WHY?? But I agreed & she moved in shortly after. He then asked me how I would feel about calling her Mum, I said no, as she wasn’t my mum, but in time as we got to know each other, Mum started coming out of my mouth & it just felt right. We were getting on well & she was making Dad happy.
By this time, my sister Charlotte had moved out & was living with Mark. He was also a prison officer. They had a flat in town & the spare bedroom was decorated with CareBear wallpaper, I loved it there. They eventually moved around the corner from us on Northumberland Rd, I went with them to look around the house before they brought it, I’m not sure why? I remember the back garden being completely overgrown & the wallpaper hanging off the walls. Charlotte was the biggest role model in my life, I loved spending time with her and Mark.
When I was about 8, Pat/Mum decided we should have a family holiday. Dad and I had never been abroad, so this sounded quite exciting! A holiday to Roda in Corfu was booked. Dad couldn’t swim & was worrying about the swimming pools, so we went to swimming lessons together! Me being 8 & Dad was about 50ish? He was the oldest learner there, but he did well & we went on to have fun in the swimming pool & sea on holiday.
Mum was great at encouraging the both of us to do things & to do better! She used to be a teacher, and always had a teacher head on, for both of us!
The holiday was great, our hotel was overlooking the Albanian mountains, we had lovely food & the town was close by. We went into the town most nights, a lot of the Greek men liked me, as I had bright white, natural long blonde hair. Dad wasn’t overly fond of the men talking to me & quite rightly so! I was only 8!
We went on to holiday every year after that, we have visited many lovely places. Tenerife, Rhodes, Fuerteventura just to name a few. My best friend, Natalie came along too, and I would holiday with her family too. Her parents were great! Just like second parents to me. We would walk in and out of each others houses, like we lived there. But neither of our parents minded.
Nat would always try her hardest to annoy my Mum & Dad, it never worked, they just ignored her, she got bored & gave up 😂 She would sing ‘I know a song that’ll get on your nerves’ Over and over!
One year, Me and Nat’s family were traveling out of Gatwick in the morning & Mum and Dad were going in the afternoon. We wrote a letter for them & left it on the windowsill in the pub over looking the runway. Dad still has it now I think 😊
My life! 