Jukeboxes will be torture, my heart nailed to the floor, with each white stripes, kooks and killers riff along with many more.

Friday teatimes will be empty, saturday breakfasts non events, my summer will be winter in every single sense.

My city will feel different the day that you step on that plane, the ghosts that walk the bars and streets lost in the Manchester rain.

They say the past is dead and buried, that the present is a gift, but i find it hard to unwrap this one, in spite of my usual grit.

Green wheelie bins will haunt me, Brandy bottles unfriendly spirits, it will take some getting used to, my life without you in it.

I know it’s just a plane away, I know you’ll visit home, that the wind of change that howls through the void you leave does not mean we’ll ever be alone.

I’ll still be with you in your ramblings, in your laughter and your frowns. I’ll be in every dance you dance in new and happier towns.

I’ll be smiling when you fall in love and watch sunsets with your girls, i ll be proud as punch on ‘face’ as i watch your lovely new life unfurl.

My life without you day to day will be poorer that’s for sure though I know of all our memories, to come there are many more.

Someone once told me we must “suck the marrow out of life” and thanks to you my lovely Peach, we did and it was more than ‘nice’.

Never beige, never dull, never tired or bored, my amazing rainbow coloured friend you deserve to reap the rewards.

Never settle. Never age. Never feel alone. You’ll live each day in all our hearts, and there will always be your home.

So take the strides, live it all, embrace your brave new world, you’ll knock em dead and knock em out for you and for your girls.

May your new life bring you untold joy, May it make your heart sing, May it shower you with love and sun and lots of fantastic things.

Oh the irony, the irony sitting here with my tears in the sun….. Now go and live and love and laugh you terrible terrible c**t!