Richard Isaacs

My Family

Welcome to the world of my family - both northern and southern

This is Catherine. I had known Catherine as the daughter of Kay, the family that Dad knew many years ago. I had always admired a picture of her on her Mum's wall but never in my wildest dreams did I ever consider that C and me would be together but it has been nearly five years now since I moved up north - not bad considering the only met up properly on 8 August 2002! We were engaged on her birthday, 1 January 2003, broke up in 2006 and 2007 but we are back together and go engaged again, exactly five years after we did it the first time. I love her to bits and could not be happier.

This is Hannah or Hannie Hops, as she is known. She is 9 and in Year 4 at Our Lady of Grace Catholic School. She was just 4 when I came on the scene but she has been fantastic. She is loving, caring and kind - much like her mum! She just continues to grow and grow and become very knowledgeable. A red-head like her mum - she is a real star and getting cheekier!

This little monkey is Molly (also known as Molly Mops). She is 5 and is now in the juniors at Our Lady's. She was just a baby in arms when I first saw her (or a little crawler scuttling away from me as I tried to change her nappy!!!) and it has been wonderful to see her grow up. She is very clever, a brilliant reader and getting on so well at school.

This is my Mum and Dad, Brenda and Victor. I owe a hell of a lot to them - for bringing me into the world but also seeing that I was ok. Mum is just brilliant. I can't wish for a better mum than the one I have got - so patient and caring with us all (and she does my washing cos my washing machine is rubbish!!!). And as for my Dad, well, I don't think there is a better father-son relationship than I have with mine. We do everything together - going to cricket, rugby and football and sharing so many of the same interests. If it wasn't for Dad's influence on me, I wouldn't be where I am now.

And finally, this is my little sister Rachael. To be honest, we have got on loads better since I moved north as we were just a typical brother-sister combination, bickering and fighting. But she is great and I love her loads. She likes many of the same things that I do and is now sharing my musical tastes too with Level 42, Scritti Politti and The Feeling suddenly appearing on her iPod! But she is a bit more outgoing than me, so watch out for her in the clubs of Southampton when she goes back down south! She is working hard and ....... more to follow!

These are all the people in my close family. But, now I am living in Manchester, we have an extended family too.

Catherine's mum Kay is a lovely lady who takes care of both her mum, Dorothy and her youngest daughter Helen. Having lost her husband, Mike, four years ago, times have been harder for Kay than ever before. But she manages superbly and I am only full of respect for her. Dorothy is a sprightly 85 year old who still does a great number of activities, including going up to Scotland to visit friends. Helen is Catherine's younger sister and despite her disabilities, thrives on an active social life.