It was soon after that he encountered his first bout of mental illness. Proud and independent, he kept this from me until Jeff got me involved.  Rick returned to the UK where Jude & I were restoring the house and soon after Rick was his old self, working with me most days.  He was a really good helper, always zipping ahead to get the right tool for me.

On his feet again, Rick got hired at Halfords as an assistant manager, then moved across the road to Dunelm as an assistant manager, in charge of locking up and cashing in the day’s takings. 

These were good years for Rick as he enjoyed his responsibility and having a bit of cash to hand.  Rick was always black & white when it came to rules, so having jobs where there were set start & end times where perfect.

 

Jeff still visited from time to time and we'd all enjoy ourselves in the Welsh countryside. Rick and I spent time together, often playing "catch" in the local park. He played on a co-ed softball team as was a bit of a star, though it wasn't in his nature to take it seriously. He also just tagged along while I went gliding or flying, helping to push the planes around and just enjoying the outdoors. 

At about 30 he met Steph, and they got a nice place together. They visited Canada, him showing off his new gal to Aunt Deb, Gma Wood and the Guillemette clan.  Steph introduced him to rugby players from her hometown and the whole friendly culture of that sport.  He changed jobs again, this time to Morrison’s where he had a role in logistics and product shelf-life. 

Yet there were more bouts of mental illness which took its toll on his work and relationship.

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