I've been away from blogger for quite some time...

I've been away from blogger for quite some time. It's not that I haven't has much to write about; quite the opposite. I just haven't had the time or inclination to start writing again - or blogging. So, this is my attempt at a start.

Let me tell you what's been happening...

At the start of last year my much loved grandmother died. She had lung-cancer and despite smoking, I like to think she died of an age-related disease, not really the cancer itself. I'm sure I have written about her in previous entries. As I took compassionate leave from my then place of work, my employer wasn't too happy with me taking time off for a non-immediate relation. I explained that the best years of my childhood were spent with her and my grandfather, and that between them and my mum, I was brought up and raised to be a fairly secure, well-rounded individual. In short, not long after she died, I lost my job.

I was working in the prison service at a young offenders institution in Glen Parva, Leicestershire. I was a Primary Care Nurse working with young men, and generally speaking, I thoroughly enjoyed it. As with many enjoyable jobs, it's usually other staff that make work hard, not your patients. In this case, my less than supportive manager - a woman who could not even spell her own first name properly (I'm really not joking) - showed even less compassion. So, my contract was not renewed.

Then, shortly after this, Michael, my partner of almost 7 years also decided he'd had enough and left for good. I guess his reason for leaving me was good enough; "I just don't love you anymore" but what he would have said if he'd been honest was "you have no job, no money, you're depressed - what can you possibly offer me?!" That's what I though the money grabbing child wanted at that moment anyway. So, off he skipped, new beau in hand (a BBC Travel writer - nice) and moved to the bright lights of London.

That was over a year ago and in the meantime, we've tried to stay civil with one another but when he started sending me pictures of his manhood by mobile phone, enough was enough. I bloody text-war ensued; I was an "unhinged bastard who needed help" and he was a "money-grabbing whore with emotional deficits." Very immature but totally called for. We don't speak anymore...

So, the pheonix rose from the ashes and got a new job, a new housemate and a new man. I say I got a job; that wasn't without the indignity of signing-on at the job centre for three months. A horrific experience I never want to repeat. I took a job as a community rehab nurse for the city, and so far, so good. Good pay, conditions and on the whole a great team. By October, I'll have been there a year.

Not long after Michael ran off, my housemate, Dee, moved in. We worked at the prison together and it seemed a good idea. She's left that job too, but at about the same time as she moved in, I met Andrew. He's a teacher and after meeting through a mutual friend (the Internet) we have been together for a year. He moved in with me and Dee 2 months ago, and so far so good.

The two cats stayed with me. Molly is fatter, Flo is still highly-strung. So, in our little house on our little street in ugly Leicester, we've built a little family.

Dee just turned 50, I'm hitting the dreaded 30 in October and Andrew is still sickeningly younger and fitter than me. He's on his summer break at the moment, and I'm on leave. So far, it's rained. And we've done bugger all execpt walk the dogs and Andrew went to church - once.

My mother back in Wales still puts up with my psychotic father, and my youngest brother still lives at home, fuelling the lunacy. My middle-once-delinquent brother seems to be settling down a bit and shares a home with his fiancé and their two lively but lovely huskies. And my childhood dog, Lucy is still alive and incontinent, with teeth falling out on a weekly basis. I think she's 18. The cat is still the boss. She's 15.

Anyway, that's the last 12 months in a nutshell. I wasn't expecting to write so much or so miserably but catharsis is good for the soul. Next time, we'll see what happens.

I'll leave you for now with some links. I'm off to read 'the gift' by Lewis Hyde. Perhaps not. I'll read 'Ladies of Letters' instead... It's raining outside. I'm on the bed, Flo the cat is next to me, Les Dawson is on the piano downstairs. Andrew, I mean.... Bye for now.

A few links to find me elsewhere on the web:

www.fotoflickr.co.uk (still playing at photography and design)
www.twitter.com/uselessdesires
www.facebook.com/ryanjaprice

~ Blogging from my iPhone