I started my job with Rockware Glass in September 1976 with a couple of weeks management training and then projects at their various factories and the finally a proper job, but in St Helens. Not exactly where I’d planned to end up – a grotty northern town, but hey ho! I found a horrid little flat and had my first very cold winter there. I was up and down to Guildford regularly, then my car died, and I had to use the train. I was very naughty and left early to catch the train from Lime St station in Liverpool.
I bought my first house 82 Waterdale Crescent and also bought a Triumph Spitfire. I proposed to Sue in November 1976 with a view to getting married when she finished Uni. A weekend relationship was not easy for us, especially as I was missing Uni life. Work was a chore
Sue graduated and we married on September 8th 1979 in Leicester. She got a job in Ormskirk as a dietitian. We bought a house together in Ormskirk and moved just before Christmas 1979. We enjoyed our life together and joined Rotaract Club and I joined Ormskirk Cycling Club. Rotaract was junior Rotary and we did charitable things with a good social life and made some friends. I started racing again and did quite well in some events, but eventually had to stop when I knocked my front teeth out when I skidded on ice. I met Ron who was starting out with Triathlons and we trained together.
A year after our honeymoon we had a lovely holiday in Crete, but when I came back I was made redundant. (Thanks Maggie Thatcher). I did meals on wheels while looking for a job and was only out of work 4 weeks before I got an R&D job at Turners Asbestos factory in Widnes developing non asbestos re-inforced cement. I never understood the job properly but muddled along with no career plan in place.
Sue got involved with some guys from Southport who wanted someone to run a health food shop in Preston as a franchise. Stupidly we took it on along with loads of debt and anxious parents.
Anthony came along. I remember the moment when I couldn’t be bothered to get a condom, knowing the risk, and being delighted when Sue was pregnant. I was not sure she was so pleased. She applied for and got a District Dietitians post in Lancaster. We moved on my birthday when Ant was 6 months old. Sue was still on mat leave but was also postnatally depressed so delayed her start date whilst we found a nanny for Ant. The move gave me plenty to do with getting the house ice and running a business. We opened a cafe as well behind the shop and I employed 7 part time staff.
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