Not long after starting to use Ruby on Rails I found Pow and really liked its simplicity and ease of use. However, out of the box it doesn’t play nicely with MAMP and you will not be able to access MAMP based sites if Pow is running.

This post details how to get them working together.

Adding Pow into the mix

• Before installing Pow you need to follow these instructions on setting up the Pow configuration so that it doesn’t take over port 80 from Apache.
• Once that is done you can install Pow in the normal way… curl get.pow.cx | sh from Pow installation docs
• Pow is now installed. Note if you have already installed Pow removing it will not affect any of your settings, so don’t be afraid of losing work if you need to uninstall.

Configuring ‘Pow’ as a host on MAMP Pro

• Open up MAMP Pro and go to Hosts.
• Add a new host, name it Pow (name not important, nor is the disc location)
• Click the ‘Advanced’ button and enter the following details into ‘Customized Virtual Host General Settings’

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ServerName pow
  ServerAlias *.dev

  ProxyPass / http://localhost:20559/
  ProxyPassReverse / http://localhost:20559/
  ProxyPreserveHost On

• Now hit Apply which will update your config and restart the server.
• Once restarted you should have MAMP Pro and Pow sharing nicely.

The settings are basically directing all requests for urls that end in .dev directly to the port that Pow is listening on. Now you can use them both without having to make any further configuration changes. Just remember not to name any of your MAMP based sites with .dev at the end, because that won’t end well.

This post details how I achieved that moving from a PHP/Apache based ExpressionEngine install, to Octopress running on nginx, hosted at Heroku.

An admission to start with, I’ve been using Apache since I got started on the web, the first hour (or so) of trouble-shooting a mod_rewrite issue on a non apache based server has been written off as one of those mistakes I won’t make again. Hopefully.

301 Redirects

I decided to use the Octopress default url structure of example.com/blog/yyyy/mm/dd/post-title which differed from the structure that I had in place on my old blog of example.com/weblog/entry/post_title. To ensure that Google and my old readers were still able to find the posts they have crawled, indexed and bookmarked I had to put a redirect in place telling users that the url for the resource they were requesting had changed permanently.

Tons of googling left me empty handed until I came across this post by Scott Watermasysk talking about his Octopress customizations. Scott gives a high level view of his changes and invites people to check out his full source code on Github.

Using rack-rewrite to create redirects

In essence we can handle the redirect in the rack up file config.ru through a gem called rack-rewrite. Rack-rewrite is a gem that is…

a rack middleware for defining and applying rewrite rules. In many cases you can get away with rack-rewrite instead of writing Apache mod_rewrite rules

That’s good, because we can’t use Apache, and the implementation is straightforward.

First off, edit you Gemfile to include rack-rewrite as shown in line 19.

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source "http://rubygems.org"

group :development do
  gem 'rake'
  gem 'rack'
  gem 'jekyll'
  gem 'rdiscount'
  gem 'pygments.rb'
  gem 'RedCloth'
  gem 'haml', '>= 3.1'
  gem 'compass', '>= 0.11'
  gem 'rubypants'
  gem 'rb-fsevent'
  gem 'stringex'
  gem 'liquid', '2.2.2'
end

gem 'sinatra', '1.2.6'
gem 'rack-rewrite'

Now you can make your edits to the config.ru file to insert your redirects.

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require 'bundler/setup'
require 'sinatra/base'
require 'rack-rewrite'

# The project root directory
$root = ::File.dirname(__FILE__)

use Rack::Rewrite do
  r301 %r{^/weblog/entry/memorial_cup_2009/?$}, '/blog/2009/05/27/memorial-cup-2009/'
end

class SinatraStaticServer < Sinatra::Base

get(/.+/) do
  send_sinatra_file(request.path) {404}
end

not_found do
  send_sinatra_file('404.html') {"Sorry, I cannot find #{request.path}"}
end

def send_sinatra_file(path, &missing_file_block)
  file_path = File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'public',  path)
  file_path = File.join(file_path, 'index.html') unless file_path =~ /\.[a-z]+$/i
  File.exist?(file_path) ? send_file(file_path) : missing_file_block.call
end

end

run SinatraStaticServer

The only changes here to the current stock Octopress are line 3 to require rack-rewrite, and then the magic happens in the use Rack::Rewrite block (lines 8, 9 & 10 above)…

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use Rack::Rewrite do
  r301 %r{^/weblog/entry/memorial_cup_2009/?$}, '/blog/2009/05/27/memorial-cup-2009/'
end

Here we are returning a 301 status code r301 if the regular expression we pass %r{^/weblog/entry/memorial_cup_2009/?$} matches the request. Along with the code we instruct the user agent to head to the new url '/blog/2009/05/27/memorial-cup-2009/'.

You can add as many rules as you need, and you can be more adventurous with your pattern matching if need be.

Then you need to jump to the root of your project on the command line and bundle for the gem to be installed and ready to go. Now rake generate your site and test. All being well it won’t be long before your new indexes are updated for all concerned.

Note Subsequent edits made to config.ru may not take if you re-generate your site. I had to restart the server for edits to take.

So, more blogging, simply.

Branching Out

I recently built my first commercial application in Ruby on Rails under the expert guiding hand of Steven Bristol from LessEverything. Using Rails, and more so Ruby has been a real eye opener to alternative ways to build, test and deploy to the web, and I have loved every minute of it.

So, resisting the temptation to re-invent the wheel and build my own blogging tool in Rails (and understanding that it is a very big hammer for some really small nails) I looked into some alternatives.

Start spreading the news

My initial research led me to Sinatra as a very suitable candidate. Lightweight, built in Ruby and some neat ways of avoiding the need for a database and lots of other unnecessary overhead. A section of a great book I read covered that very topic, so I was almost ready to dive into that when I found Octopress, “A blogging framework for hackers”.

An hour or two of research and then the discovery of this tweet was all I needed.

Deployment in 18 minutes

The time it took me to clone the repo, put some settings into a YAML file and deploy to this site was literally 18 minutes. That includes getting a local version of the site running (using the excellent Pow).

I know there is still lots to be done, and I have to re-route the DNS to make it all official, but come on, 18 minutes, and I barely have a ‘hacker’ badge.

Wrapped in tenticles

So here I am, writing a post using Markdown in MacVim, checking my work on localhost through a Rack server in a version controlled application which will serve my site through my account at Heroku.

It feels very liberating, and whilst it may not necessarily sound simple, it feels like exactly the right amount of tool for the job.

I’ll keep you posted.

I was recently approached by Caitlin who was disappointed with how her wedding photographs had turned out. The shots that had been taken on the day were okay, but there was nothing there that really made her feel special, not one shot that she and her husband wanted to hang on the wall. Could I take some for them and give them something to remember?

The answer was definitely yes. The opportunity to take shots of a real bride and groom away from the stress and strain of the wedding day would be a great way to spend a Sunday evening. No pressure, no rush to get to the meal, no drunken uncles or narcissistic aunts to do the ‘artistic direction’. Oh and the ability to call it all off if the weather wasn’t exactly as we wanted. What more could I want?

At this point I want to say how much I admire people who dare to make a living from wedding photography (especially if they aren’t that good with a camera). It is a stressful and tough place to take photos, and you get very limited opportunities to get the key shots. However, most wedding photographers charge so much money that the consumer believes that the tough environment has been evaluated and that the photographer can thrive within it. This too commonly is not the case, but this isn’t about bashing working professionals.

So, I get a stress free situation, with perfect weather and if I may, an attractive couple in front of the lens. I’m heading for drama on this one, just waiting for the sun to lower behind the rolling fairways of MetroWest Golf Club, then, we’re going to get some shots.

They were comfortable in front of the lens almost immediately, and once we had a few warm up shots done we all started to get into our swing. Thanks as well to Kelly (lights) and Jeff (fluffer) for coming down and helping out.

The sky turned a fantastic shade as it fell down to the horizon and things got really pretty.

And then when it was pretty much dark, I managed to get my favorite shot of the day.

Caitlin and Kristien love the shots, and we are now going through which ones they want for prints. They finally have something they can proudly hang on their wall.

If there is a moral to this tale I would say that it is extremely tough to take really high quality shots on a wedding day, the photographers that are truly capable, are so sought after that their price puts them out of reach of most couples. If you are talking to a wedding photographer ask them whether they can do a separate shoot like this, or ask me.

If you were disappointed with your wedding photos, and you want to put that right, contact me and we’ll go out on a beautiful day and put it right.

Thanks Caitlin and Kristien, you were fantastic to be with for the day!

Last week I drove to Decatur, Georgia to attend the One Light Workshop run by highly talented photographer Zack Arias. The course is an intensive one-day event that sets out to teach students solid techniques for using (one) off camera flash. I have been blown away by Zack’s work, and this was a chance to get face to face with a unique talent, how could I have been anywhere else?

The course is aimed at photographers that have at least an intermediate knowledge of the technical aspects of the medium, and want to expand their abilities by having options (more on that later).

The night before the course there was a mixer for students and local photographers. Zack invited some friends from the photography world along including Mark Climie, a wedding photographer we can all look up to. We all had a few beers and got chatting about the excitement we all shared for the following day.

SO, WHAT’S COVERED?

• Equipment
• Exposure Control
• Modifiers
• Shooting
• Post Production

EQUIPMENT

Zack’s been around the photography world for 13 years, and failed miserably once. He uses this failure as a benchmark and sets out to help others by being candid about where he went wrong. And for Zack he failed due to too much GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). He ran up debt – which put strain on his marriage, which put strain on his family, which put strain on his work, you get the picture… (it’s refreshing to hear someone experiencing such success being so forthright and humble).

So, he talked about using the bare minimum needed to get the job done (hence the name, One Light), and how to change the mentality that ‘just one more piece of equipment’ will make all of the difference. He encourages students to buy just one type of modifier (60” shoot thru umbrella by the way) and work with it until they know it inside out. Learn to use it in many different ways and know the capabilities and limits of it before even thinking about anything else. Same goes for lenses and camera bodies. Just because something else was released after you bought your camera doesn’t make it obsolete. All really wise words, and I had the feeling that most of us there (12 students) had already been dropping coin unnecessarily due to bad GAS, so lesson learnt.

So, a camera with a Pocket Wizard (or similar) on it, a flash (TTL not required, it’s all manual here) again with a Pocket Wizard, a stand, an umbrella and off you go. Zack then showed us a few shots with that very set up which would turn most photographic ‘pros’ into sobbing wrecks. Total cost of lighting around $249 not including the Wizards (alternatives are available) So, we know what the gear needs to be, now what do we do with it?

EXPOSURE CONTROL

This is it, this is the reason that most photographers shy away from flash, the tiger in the bag, don’t get it out it’s going to bite you, argh, the end of the world is nigh. Well, Zack will tell you otherwise, and then he’ll tell you that you need to know that only five things influence the light.

1. Shutter Speed
2. Aperture
3. Flash Power
4. Flash to Subject Distance
5. ISO

That’s it, nothing more, nothing less. If you can remember five things (in roughly the order they are above) then you are well on your way to international recognition and unlimited wealth. Probably. Possibly. Not. I won’t go into each of them here, but the premise is simple. It’s a five way ‘teeter-totter’ (Zack’s words) between them (and ISO not so much normally) to get the results that you need. Keep calm, think slowly through the list, know what is being effected by what, change the appropriate setting and try again. As Zack points out, we aren’t curing cancer with our cameras, so when it goes wrong we need to get things in perspective. Pause, think, know your equipment, then get back to it.

MODIFIERS

These are the things that change the light, whether it be a soft-box, a grid, an umbrella or a beauty dish (not covered on One Light, but possibly in One Light II?) none are better than the others, but all are going to get you a different result and are suited to certain circumstances.

Want to light your model with a soft silky blanket of light wrapped around her features? Go for the softbox, make it the biggest you’ve got and get it as close as you dare. Need to chisel out some features on the next Rap Supastar? Get the grid out, get it up above and watch the stadiums fill.

Zack then shows ways in which the modifiers can be adapted to make a big difference, I won’t reveal them here, but you won’t be finding them in any traditional lighting book at the mall.

SHOOTING

Okay, so we have been sitting and listening for a couple of hours at this point, raising questions, getting great answers, having a laugh and generally feeling good about life. Now we need to step up, get some shots taken and put the theory into practice.

Two models were booked for the day Julia and John. Both had the patience of saints, and both needed them.

Zack walked us through a few scenarios, showing us how he would approach the shot, positioning of the light, flash power, aperture, shutter speed etc then we were up.

Split into two groups of six and working two different scenarios. It took us all a couple of goes to get comfortable (eleven of your peers and a photographic genius in the room gets the pulse racing) but once we settled in we got it all going in the right direction. All of this was happening in Zack’s studio, a controlled environment, a good starting point.

A quick break for supper then we hit the road, heading out to a favorite spot of Zack’s. And this is where I think we all learnt the most.

We were shooting as the sun fell, bringing drama and depth to our shots. And this is why shooting with off camera flash gives you options. I have included a shot I took to demonstrate what the scene looked like without lighting, and then a shot taken ten minutes later with lighting that has received only minor exposure alterations in Lightroom. There is no way to get the scene to look like that without flash, and no way with it stuck on the top of your camera. So if a photographer tells you they only shoot ‘available light’, tell them they need to have a light in their bag available (or just book me).

Image 1 shows how the evening was looking, image 2 shows you what difference lighting makes (ten minutes after image 1 was taken), image three is twenty minutes later still.

With the sun setting time was limited, twelve photographers all looking for a piece of the action, but we rallied together sharing settings, holding equipment, to make sure we all had memorable shots to go home with.

We then returned to the studio to discuss the shoot, eat pizza and prepare for a ‘freestyle’ session where we wouldn’t have Zack setting up.

In groups of four we spread out inside and out to work our own particular vision of magic. This again was invaluable, interacting with peers and getting a fresh perspective on the shot.

3 A.M.

That’s the one in the morning that I haven’t seen since my early thirties. But that was the time we finished, because Zack wanted to answer every question anyone had.

This summarizes his approach perfectly; be honest and give everything you can, even at three in the morning.

SUMMARY

I attended this workshop having already purchased Zack’s DVD about the very same subject. I had used some techniques I had learnt from the DVD before I went to Georgia. Somewhere in my mind I was concerned that the course would be a live version of the DVD. I needn’t have, yes there was material from the DVD in the course, yes there were things I had covered and knew, but in no way did I see this as an issue.

As Zack says on the course, “you will be learning about light for the rest of your life”, I make him right on that.

I encourage anyone who is serious about becoming a better photographer to attend this course, it will separate you from your competition and help you give your clients a greater choice and something very special. You will however have to wait, as all of this year’s courses are fully booked with a line of people on the reserve list.

In the meantime you can follow Zack on Twitter, read his blog and get into his way of thinking, you won’t regret it.

THANKS

My heartfelt thanks go out to Zack for sharing his knowledge, but I would also like to thank his wife Meghan, who is without doubt, his rock. Also a big shout out to Erik, Zack’s studio manager for doing the hard work behind the scenes. And also to Hawke Danger Arias for showing me what I have to look forward to in three weeks time. My love to you all.

I leave you with three of my favorite images from the day.

Julia, 28” softbox camera left.

John in the car lot at 2.00 a.m. 28” softbox, high, camera right.

Julia, softbox again. Note: this is a hand held 1.3 second exposure focused using a flashlight (5D MKII woes). No color alteration

When this site was originally put together it was purely for personal posts. That was three years ago, and during that time my life has changed.

I am now earning a living on a freelance basis, developing websites and taking photographs. As such, this site will be changing over the next month to display my photographic portfolio. If you are here because of my photography, I welcome you, and will give you more to look at very soon. I start with one of my biggest advocates, Ted Murphy.

Ted’s a great guy to have to shoot, he’s fearless in front of the lens. We had a really fun afternoon in the Orlando sun, making images for Ted’s new portfolio.

Ted has just published this blog post detailing why he believes that using a professional photographer is critical to one’s image. The post backs up what was said earlier this year by veteran blogger and marketing expert Seth Godin.

In short, both are saying that if you are serious about your image, then a professional photographer should be the one taking your photo. If you want to hire me to do that for you, please get in touch.

On Sunday May 24th 2009, the footballing family of St. Andrews Tavern turned out to compete in the 2009 Memorial Cup.

And after an early strike from our Gaz (not pictured due to the ferocity and promptness of the goal) the Americans slowly carved out a victory.

Following the game an unusually large amount of beer was consumed at the tavern and many happy people went home with great prizes donated by friends and family.

To see the photos from the game, visit the Memorial Cup 2009 photos on my flickr page. Eric, Chris, Jeremy. We miss you so much, and we would have loved for you to be there on Sunday playing alongside us.

If you have memories that you would like to share, please leave them in the comments below.

Tragically on Sunday 19th April 2009 Jeremy lost his life, suffering a heart attack after a game of soccer at Lake Sylvan, Orlando Florida. He leaves behind the love of his life Mary Jo, and three children, Alix, Sophie and Jack.

I have been very blessed to be able to call Jeremy a friend for the past few years, a blessing I know that many people here are glad to have shared.

When I first met Jeremy it was immediately apparent that we shared many of the same experiences as younger men, including football, music and where we had grown up to name but a few.

We spent lots of time talking about the olden days of Friday nights out after work, going to the match on a Saturday-or trying to catch the results in the window of Reddifusion when the lads were away, playing sports in the snow and rain, a curry on the way home then falling asleep on the night service; that type of thing. The conversations were always alive with characters and color, vivid memories from a man who had really enjoyed and made the most of growing up with great family and great friends. I always cherished the chance to talk with Jeremy as did a lot of you here today, and it is a shared loss that we won’t have that chance again.

But we do have the opportunity to take heart from the memories of those times, times that are now more precious than we may have realized, and forever reserve a place in our hearts for the smile, warm welcome, intelligent insight, wit and banter that made Jeremy so special. It would be remiss of me to stand here without talking about Jeremy the footballer, and whilst I acknowledge he was a first class cricketer, and raconteur, I know his first love was kicking a pigs bladder around (but enough of his run-ins with the police in Manchester).

I have a photo of Jeremy playing in the Memorial Cup last year heading the ball, it’s kind of blurry and he is on his tip toes with the opposition two or three feet in the air all around him, and although he knew it would never make the cover of Four-Four-Two, he was proud of that photo, proud that he had won the ball; beaten if only for a instant, men half his age, and despite any question marks over his aerial prowess, Jeremy knew that for that moment he was on top. Memories of Terry Butcher with his head in bandages or Stuart Pearce putting the penalty demon to bed against Spain in ‘96 flashing through one’s mind, all when the boy from Staffordshire made that little patch of Apopka his own. I was so pleased that it brought him joy, he deserved it. It’s therefore so very bittersweet that a man who loved the beautiful game so much, would spend his last hours on the pitch.

And a man with a simpler approach to the game couldn’t be found. In Jeremy’s words and I quote, ‘Look for the people wearing the same colored shirts as you, look for the one who is nearest and has space around him, give him the ball’. After a few pints it became apparent that there was actually more to it than that, and that Robson and Venebles missed out by favoring Gascoigne to boss the English midfield over the ‘Hednesford Harrier’, but the sentiment was always clear, do the simple things well and everything else will take care of itself.

And what is the simplest thing? Love? Love for family, love for friends. Those of us who knew him best saw that love had taken him to a new level in the past couple of years. A renewed and invigorated Jeremy basking in the relationship that he and Mary-Jo had created, being marveled by Jack, Sophie and Alix on a daily basis. Like the proverbial ‘duck to water’ Jeremy had fully embraced all of the responsibilities and duties required of him to be involved so closely with such a wonderful family. Discussions of the weekend’s games took up a lot less of our regular lunches, the talk was more about the future than the past, the planned vacations, the homework, the growing pains and best of all, the opportunities. I think that Jeremy finally felt complete, taking pleasure in shaping the new pieces of his puzzle; making it all fit.

Mary-Jo, Jack, Sophie, Alix, he adored you all, you opened up a very special place for him and I know he would like me to thank you for that on his behalf. Again it so bittersweet. We are all going to share memories today, and we all feel a common sense of loss and confusion over why he was taken away. The pain of the loss will be with us for some time, but it will subside, the joy that Jeremy brought to us all will wash it away. So as I eluded to earlier; let’s hang on to that joy and carry it with us, keeping the memory, the very soul of a good friend alive long after today, he would’ve done the same for any one of us. Cheers Jez.

Friends and Family gathered at the Maitland Art Center on November 14th 2008 at 5.00 p.m. to bear witness to the marriage of Claire Kohake and Rus Azar. I was there to take the photos (and have a drink).

Dave and Rosie were there to see the departure of their daughter, and the safe delivery to the hands of Rus, proudly watched by his parents Fred and Cheri.

The wonderful (as long as you are not trying to take photos) setting of the Maitland Art Center, candle lit for the proceedings, was a perfect backdrop for the nuptials. Sibling support was provided in the shape of Beth and Dave Jr for the Kohakes, and Ram for the Azars.

Then a smattering of beauties led by Jackie “Onassis” Hayter to ensure embarrassing stories could be retold at the excellent reception thrown later at the ‘K’ Restaurant in College Park (thanks for the excellent service and food K).

Thank you Claire and Russ for furthering my photographic education, specifically the lessons on ‘How to Photograph in Complete Darkness’ and ‘Shooting in a Ten Foot Wide Room Without Casting Shadows’.

My dearest little nan has left us.

She is part of some of the earliest memories I possess, looking after my sister and me on a Friday evening whilst Mom and Dad worked, and the only person I knew with an outside toilet, in winter it was bitter out there, best to wait till we got home.

We are all going to miss Doris Mortiboy. Whether it will be the cheeky grin that spread across her face every time someone said a little swear word, or perhaps the automation of putting on the kettle whenever she heard a doorbell ring, there was so much to get attached to.

A lady from a working class background, a single mother for many years, and a hard worker, rarely did she have time to roll down her sleeves. She always found something to do, clean, move or boil (normally water). Even during her last years in care she would be a favorite, nursing staff eager to help her and listen out for the occasional cuss (followed of course, by the grin).

It was sad to see the body and mind slowly giving into age, but I don’t think I ever saw the spirit dampened. Her grandchildren, and great grandchildren always lit her up, it wasn’t difficult to put a smile on her face, and for me that was the reason she was so special.

So my little nan, I’m coming to say goodbye to you for the last time, it will be very tough and it will be very special. Just like you.

On September 29th this year, we all went to Thornton Park to bear witness to the marriage of our good friends, Dave and Agata.

The venue was The Veranda in Thornton Park, and a fabulous day was had by all. A wet start to the day didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirits as a who’s who of Central Florida’s finest gathered around the venue for what was billed as “Dave’s Luckiest Day Ever”.

A solid line-up of bridesmaids, Sami (head girl), Winnie & Jen kept Agata sedated for much of the morning to ward of any ‘last minute thoughts of leaving the country’, whilst ensuring in traditional style that she didn’t lay eyes on David (reason obvious to all anyone who has seen him).

A more beautiful bride has yet to be seen. Tadek & Marysia Paszkiewicz made the long ride from Poland (no doubt to try to change her mind) and were a pleasure to behold.

A very proud father and no guesses where Agata gets her looks from when you see her mother. Passers-by thought Series Seven of the Sopranos was being filmed when the Dell’Olio’s landed from the North-East. Most relieved no doubt, ‘Don’ Dominic Dell’Olio (father of the groom) to ensure that little David (now confirmed as not the other way) could one day take over the family business without the whispering.

Alibis are always welcome, so Don Dom packed in Uncle Art and the crew to ensure it would stand up in court. Good work by Michael (best-man), Michael and Doug ensured that the groom arrived sober and clean shaven. Master of Ceremonies, Charlie ‘You’ll learn something today’ Wilshire, led the sermon beautifully, not delving too far into astro-physics to loose too many of the gathered.

Once the formalities were over, an open-bar, a tent and a dance floor ensured that a good time was had by all. The rain didn’t get in the way of anyone’s fun, and just for good measure, when everyone had dried off, everyone got in the pool (fully clothed).

On behalf of everyone at the ceremony, Sage and I would like to thank all who helped along the way, but most of all to Dave and Agata for being such great hosts and wonderful friends. We hope that your marriage lasts through all of your years and we are proud to say that we are your friends.

Lots of Love, Adam and Sage xoxoxoxoxox

8/14/1977 — 5/6/2007, St. Andrews Tavern and Coed Football Team Mate. Rest in Peace.

Our world here in Orlando has been rocked this week by the very unexpected and wasteful taking of life.

We are all in mourning. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends during this difficult and painful time. He was, and will always be, one of the people you never forget. Many of us today are feeling emotions that are awash with shock, pain, hurt and sadness. Emotions that, in time, will be replaced with memories of a good friend and team mate.

Chris was a guy with character, a quick whit and a permanent smile. He always entertained with tales of his great adventures, of which there were many.

He will be sadly missed at the pub, and on the field, where he was always guaranteed to give 100% (and usually more!). Only one week ago he scored a cracker of a goal that he relived with us all many times, a goal that apparently would have ensured a trial for his beloved Leeds United.

And he was always there to back you up, whether on the pitch or elsewhere, we were always thankful for that. The whole St. Andrews Family of patrons, players, staff and friends mourn a great loss today, as do so many others who had the fortune to have Chris in their lives, rest in peace mate.

Please leave your thoughts, comments and anecdotes to our beloved and faithful team mate, friend and colleague. The one, and only, Chris Levitt.

My mom has been going to the hospital for the past couple of months. This is because her doctors have suspected that she has cancer. She has had tests and results, but until now no-one was sure.

Today though, that all changed…

And today is the start of a new phase of life for you.

I cannot imagine how you will get to sleep tonight, finally knowing the identity of the intruder that has gained access to the most precious of places. I sit here in America, five hours behind all that is happening, and whilst I sit and write these lines I see you, lying awake, and worrying. Worrying what is left for you, what you can now accomplish, wondering whether you will ever again feel complete happiness, your mind free from the cloud that has come into view. Unsure as to how this will all play out.

Mom, I want you to be brave, I want you to face this battle with grit and determination, it could be a tough one, but I know you are up to it. I’ve seen the look when you aren’t going to back down, and it works, so show this one the door, and give it a real hard kick on the way out.

I wish I could help you with the pain, we all wish we could eat some of it for you, but we can only stand and watch. But never, ever forget, you have always tried to do everything right for everyone that you love, and that counts.

I’m going to lie awake tonight too, you aren’t alone.