martinb
Member
The last decade has been full of ups and downs for me
I started caving seriously (again), a year before the last decade started, joined a club, became secretary, and did a lot of recreational caving with the club. I started doing a lot more cave exploring with a good friend who was also a club member.
Over a couple of years 2010 to 2012, we reopened or discovered a few things: Sunday Mine (actually mostly cave), Sober Connection, and Carlswark/Merlins Connection - All Stoney Middleton.
In 2012 I lost my dad, who was my best friend and drinking buddy, that hit me really hard, and I suffered mentally for nearly 3 years.
In late 2013 I lost my job through my own stupidity, and served time. Luckily my wife of then 30 years stood by me and helped me through, both physically and mentally.
In early 2014, me and my mate discovered the New Series of chambers underneath Treak Cliff Cavern, and kept digging for the next 3 years until he moved away with his job.
I retrained after my enforced absence and took a sewing job, this helped me back on the straight and narrow. My wife and I moved house before deciding to emigrate in early 2018.
We now live in France, I run a thriving gardening business, and we run a gite next door. We breed dachshunds, and we have never been happier together.
Unfortunately, I've not caved in France yet, been too busy and not much limestone in Normandy - although there is an outlier about an hours drive away with caves.....
I started caving seriously (again), a year before the last decade started, joined a club, became secretary, and did a lot of recreational caving with the club. I started doing a lot more cave exploring with a good friend who was also a club member.
Over a couple of years 2010 to 2012, we reopened or discovered a few things: Sunday Mine (actually mostly cave), Sober Connection, and Carlswark/Merlins Connection - All Stoney Middleton.
In 2012 I lost my dad, who was my best friend and drinking buddy, that hit me really hard, and I suffered mentally for nearly 3 years.
In late 2013 I lost my job through my own stupidity, and served time. Luckily my wife of then 30 years stood by me and helped me through, both physically and mentally.
In early 2014, me and my mate discovered the New Series of chambers underneath Treak Cliff Cavern, and kept digging for the next 3 years until he moved away with his job.
I retrained after my enforced absence and took a sewing job, this helped me back on the straight and narrow. My wife and I moved house before deciding to emigrate in early 2018.
We now live in France, I run a thriving gardening business, and we run a gite next door. We breed dachshunds, and we have never been happier together.
Unfortunately, I've not caved in France yet, been too busy and not much limestone in Normandy - although there is an outlier about an hours drive away with caves.....