A time to think ...

5 years ago yesterday I started my current job. Whilst the job doesn’t currently really fulfil me the change was for the better. It gave me a fresh start, let me be back amongst my support group of friends from Uni (thus improving my social life greatly) and I suppose gave me my relationship with Dr T.

I’ve never regretted leaving Kent for Portsmouth either time, the first at 18 truly gave me my independence and let me meet and keep a great set of friends to join the experiences of University.

The second time, my first proper job had really run its course and home life was rather lacking … it was time to move on. I never really settled in Kent when I came back from Uni, I guess for the same reasons I wanted to escape first time! A few more years under my belt, and having properly lived somewhere else (I’d lived in the same house for 18.4years before moving for uni) I think if it came to it I could settle back in Kent (but having to use the M25 to get any further north than Dartford/ Sevenoaks would still annoy me).

From the friends I lived with at uni there are still 3 that are really close, mind you 2 of them are now married to each other! They helped me move back to Portsmouth and provided me a bed to kip on when I came for interview & flat hunting. Mel & Will you are stars! 1 friend was someone I lost contact with, but on starting archery rekindled the friendship; she had annoyed me at times as a student, but she, as we all did, has grown up and matured and learnt some of the things that annoy others. All in all its given me a great friendship/ social circle outside work (something I didn’t really have back in Kent). Life moves on, the married friends now have a kid and the other a lovely bloke who’s been accepted into the friendship group as well as Dr T (He earned his merit stars by helping me move upstairs after 2weeks with friend!).

Being in Portsmouth also allowed something else to flourish, my relationship with Dr T; had I been living in Kent would he have come over for a Easter break drink that Spring? Southampton to Portsmouth is a much quicker train journey than Southampton to Faversham. Suffice to say I am more than pleased at how things have panned out over the following 4.5years (yes it is scary that come April we’ll have been a love interest for 5 years! And still not made an honest woman of me ;)). At times I still wonder why it took us 7 years to get to that stage… and why it happened in the first place (not that I’m complaining!).

As time has gone on other things have flourished and been found, such as my friendship with TWM2 & his lovely wife Anna (she’ll be pleased to know I associate her with Tom rather than her sister first!); joining up with CMT again(remind me never to say yes to her again after 3.5 hours sleep ;)) on various things Gascit wise which lead to SAGGA stuff and seeing people of my SSAGO days once more; so the social circle widens.

So while the job maybe be in a lull at the moment (no crashing ferries/ new stuff); at least I have a far better support group of friends than I did 5 years ago when I left Kent, car packed full of fragile stuff and my friends with a hired Luton with all the rest of my stuff (I’m not sure if they have ever forgiven me for that one).

So from me, a big thanks to those who’ve made the past 5 years so positive, lets hope the next 5 bring more happy times.