Daddy Cool

This photo portrays several important messages.  Firstly, I will never again sport a fringe - I just wish I could have been in charge of my own hair at this age.  Secondly, that the early 90's were clearly a time that when it came to sunglasses, the bigger the better.  And finally, that I was, and still am, a bit of a daddy's girl.

Daddy, affectionately referred to as 'D' for short (to distract people's attention away from the shame that I still am not allowed to call him Dad) is one of the greats.  Having been always surrounded by us Alexander women, he is one of the gentlest men I know - the idea of him getting rowdy in a pub is unthinkable.  

He's always been quite dapper.  Having worked closely with their advertising team for years, it was D's copy of Vogue I'd steal each month as a little girl.  I grew up thinking that all gentleman's wardrobes were meticulously organised, that every man owned wooden shoe trees and a colour-coordinated tie hanger, and that an endless supply of white cotton handkerchiefs ironed to perfection was the norm.  He rocks a winter coat, he's got a great head of hair, and packs for trips using tissue paper after every layer of shirts. I guess this explains my disappointment when I discover a boys wardrobe is an unruly mess of bad decisions, and my glee when my first boyfriend had his own alphabetised aftershave cabinet.  

He bought me up on a concoction of Blackadder, Fawlty Towers and Shooting Stars.  He taught me to dance and at weddings we are still the most dedicated partnership on the dance floor.  In Portugal and at Christmas he steals the odd cigarette from me which he knows I love.  He gave me an education in The Beach Boys each Summer.  He calls me to sing Frank Sinatra down the phone every time he goes to New York.  He calming me down when he got  daily crying phone calls when I was stuck in the most awful job I have ever had and didn't know what to do.    He said it was ok every parents evening when the three of us sat through a less than perfect review of my performance in sport, walking away saying he didn't respect the opinion of a woman who considers tracksuits as appropriate night time attire.  And he has worked so hard to make sure we are all ok.  And it is this generosity, kindness and humour, and his love for Mummy, his daughters and grandchildren, that makes him thoroughly worthy of this little homage on Father's Day.  I think he is, quite simply, the best xxx