April 29th 2012, 6:32Pm

Home, Bradford.

Thank goodness April is almost done! It was a long month of not having much money and just getting by from day to day. I've had quite a lot going on over the past couple of weeks though. Including a revelation on Friday night:

I had been invited to a climbing instructor's course with work, so of course I signed right up. We had a fantastic couple of hours learning how to put on harnesses, tie up knots, and climb the wall itself. I could manage it no problem, but as we were heading home, the headteacher of the school we were learning at mentioned that the third biggest artificial cave system in the UK was under our feet, and would we like a go?

Of course, we jumped at the chance. I was enjoying scrabbling about in those caves perfectly well, until we reached a thin bit of rock that I couldn't fit through! I had to turn back, go another way around, and then I got stuck for almost ten minutes trying to lift myself through a thin 'z' shaped passageway. It was embarrassing as hell, and the first time my body has ever failed me. It was the first time in my life I wasn't physically fit enough to do something properly, and I have only myself to blame. I need to look after myself a whole lot more.

Last week, Joanne went on a retreat to my parent's place just to get away from Bradford for a bit. The peace and quiet of Billington did her the world of good I think, but I missed her dreadfully. For the first night or two, it was wonderful to live the single-life again, stay at home and play PS3 as long as I liked, but after a very short while it just gets dull.

Today has been a total washout of a day, it is chucking it down! So I have let Joanne have a day to herself while I looked after Sophie the whole time. Right now she is sat in her baby nest drinking her last milk of the day and fighting sleep. Hoping for a restful night tonight before returning to work tomorrow. Work is crap, but at least it is cheap.

Looking forward to finishing my climbing course. If somebody would have said to me a month ago 'by the end of May you will be a qualified climbing instructor', I would have laughed in their face! Need to keep practising those knots.