I know it’s been a while since I last wrote and I write this on the laptop while on holiday in Newquay where we have no wireless to upload. Must get fingers on the keyboard before I start to forget all of the things I have to say and keep.
The day in mid June arrived when I would work with my employer of 15 years for the last time. The morning started well and I was optimistic that I would refrain from crying. I was wrong. It suddenly hit me that I was leaving all of these people that I had known and worked with for so long. You really do spend a lot of time with the people that you work with. 37 hours a week on average. Or, in my case as a part timer over the last few years – 19 but previously 37 hours for 12 years.
I was sat at my desk at 11 in the morning rounding up a few last e-mails and generally touching base with people as they came around to wish me luck (and tell me that they wished they could leave too!(it’s not how it once was!)) When there was the unmistakable patter of feet as people started to congregate around my desk, there must of been around 50. I duly took to the floor as one of the managers gave a speech about my time and some of the mis-adventures that I had been involved in! I immediately choked up and had to take a deep breath to steady myself. A common theme, it is fair to say, was my driving. Now I consider myself to be a reasonable driver but I can only draw the conclusion that I may be a little sporadic as there were around 4-5 stories of my skills! Some I really had forgotten and it was lovely to be reminded of some of the laughs we have had.
One amusing one was when I was driving a particularly gutless pool car up a pretty steep hill near Bristol and decided to go for an overtake only to draw level and seriously think I wasn’t going to make it! Foot to the metal and we crawled past and nipped in just before a car coming in the other direction got pretty close. Ha ha, still makes me snort to think about it. When the story was told I had to dig pretty deep to remember but then it all came flooding back!
Several other drunken stories came out and my favourite was a corporate race day in Worcester which started well as there was a free bar! One of the girls, Sam & I made full use of that facility and ordered 2 drinks of double Pimms at a time. Slaughtered. That’s what we were and in bed pretty early! Our table caused a few raised eye brows as we could certainly put it away! This memory resulted in one of my leaving presents being a bottle of Pimms.
The conversation then turned to Andy as we met at work and then the birth of Finn & Isla. Some very lovely things were said and I really feel that I did add something and make a small difference. I hope so. I said a few words and I really did have quite a lot of trouble holding it together. I was given some lovely things. Some camera books and a flash diffuser. Union Jack cushion to remind me of home. Some lovely pictures of the people I have worked with and the infamous bottle of Pimms!
Three of the people I have worked with the closest over the years gave me some extra pressies and I was so touched. Kangaroo ruck sacks for the children, a very apt bbq apron for Andy (genius!) and some Cath Kidston vouchers and sewing bits. They also gave Andy and I a book on British history with a lovely, poignant poem about home stuck in the front. Fresh tears with this one and a real tug in the heart.
I left the office sad but happy. Andy and I went out for a leaving do in Bristol on the Friday night and had an amazing time. Andy and I caught the train in and took a slow stroll though the city in the afternoon stopping off for ice cream and browsing along the way. Cocktails in Browns were had which was very relaxing. Food, drinks, drinks and more drinks! Another emotional time and puffy eyes from crying is really not attractive!
I headed off the Newquay the next day with my best girls Bronnie & Charms. We spent 2 days doing what we do best. Drinking, eating, talking and enjoying the good things in life. Sun, sea, surf and Pimms! The very gratefully received bottle above was obliterated in 36 hours! We swam in the pool and enjoyed G & T’s and cream tea. By chance it was the Newquay night surf on fistral beach which was stumbling distance from our beach cottage. The sea was floodlit, a rock band was playing and the surfing competition went on until 11 and then was followed by fireworks. I had a funny feeling in the pit of my tummy on both evenings and couldn’t place it. I felt unsettled and close to tears on both evenings. I spoke to the girls about it and they think I was a little homesick. Obviously I haven’t left yet but everything that I have known for so many years either has changed or is in the process of changing. Bronnie has felt like it when she has moved away from home previously and she reassured me that is completely normal. I felt better when Andy arrived with the children on Monday and the manic pace of life with 2 littlies helped to subside the feelings. I hadn’t been away from the children for so long and had so much time on my hands before and I don’t think that helped as I had too much idle time! Lovely as it was I’m just not used to it!
So much more to say, but for now, enough.
x
The day in mid June arrived when I would work with my employer of 15 years for the last time. The morning started well and I was optimistic that I would refrain from crying. I was wrong. It suddenly hit me that I was leaving all of these people that I had known and worked with for so long. You really do spend a lot of time with the people that you work with. 37 hours a week on average. Or, in my case as a part timer over the last few years – 19 but previously 37 hours for 12 years.
I was sat at my desk at 11 in the morning rounding up a few last e-mails and generally touching base with people as they came around to wish me luck (and tell me that they wished they could leave too!(it’s not how it once was!)) When there was the unmistakable patter of feet as people started to congregate around my desk, there must of been around 50. I duly took to the floor as one of the managers gave a speech about my time and some of the mis-adventures that I had been involved in! I immediately choked up and had to take a deep breath to steady myself. A common theme, it is fair to say, was my driving. Now I consider myself to be a reasonable driver but I can only draw the conclusion that I may be a little sporadic as there were around 4-5 stories of my skills! Some I really had forgotten and it was lovely to be reminded of some of the laughs we have had.
One amusing one was when I was driving a particularly gutless pool car up a pretty steep hill near Bristol and decided to go for an overtake only to draw level and seriously think I wasn’t going to make it! Foot to the metal and we crawled past and nipped in just before a car coming in the other direction got pretty close. Ha ha, still makes me snort to think about it. When the story was told I had to dig pretty deep to remember but then it all came flooding back!
Several other drunken stories came out and my favourite was a corporate race day in Worcester which started well as there was a free bar! One of the girls, Sam & I made full use of that facility and ordered 2 drinks of double Pimms at a time. Slaughtered. That’s what we were and in bed pretty early! Our table caused a few raised eye brows as we could certainly put it away! This memory resulted in one of my leaving presents being a bottle of Pimms.
The conversation then turned to Andy as we met at work and then the birth of Finn & Isla. Some very lovely things were said and I really feel that I did add something and make a small difference. I hope so. I said a few words and I really did have quite a lot of trouble holding it together. I was given some lovely things. Some camera books and a flash diffuser. Union Jack cushion to remind me of home. Some lovely pictures of the people I have worked with and the infamous bottle of Pimms!
Three of the people I have worked with the closest over the years gave me some extra pressies and I was so touched. Kangaroo ruck sacks for the children, a very apt bbq apron for Andy (genius!) and some Cath Kidston vouchers and sewing bits. They also gave Andy and I a book on British history with a lovely, poignant poem about home stuck in the front. Fresh tears with this one and a real tug in the heart.
I left the office sad but happy. Andy and I went out for a leaving do in Bristol on the Friday night and had an amazing time. Andy and I caught the train in and took a slow stroll though the city in the afternoon stopping off for ice cream and browsing along the way. Cocktails in Browns were had which was very relaxing. Food, drinks, drinks and more drinks! Another emotional time and puffy eyes from crying is really not attractive!
I headed off the Newquay the next day with my best girls Bronnie & Charms. We spent 2 days doing what we do best. Drinking, eating, talking and enjoying the good things in life. Sun, sea, surf and Pimms! The very gratefully received bottle above was obliterated in 36 hours! We swam in the pool and enjoyed G & T’s and cream tea. By chance it was the Newquay night surf on fistral beach which was stumbling distance from our beach cottage. The sea was floodlit, a rock band was playing and the surfing competition went on until 11 and then was followed by fireworks. I had a funny feeling in the pit of my tummy on both evenings and couldn’t place it. I felt unsettled and close to tears on both evenings. I spoke to the girls about it and they think I was a little homesick. Obviously I haven’t left yet but everything that I have known for so many years either has changed or is in the process of changing. Bronnie has felt like it when she has moved away from home previously and she reassured me that is completely normal. I felt better when Andy arrived with the children on Monday and the manic pace of life with 2 littlies helped to subside the feelings. I hadn’t been away from the children for so long and had so much time on my hands before and I don’t think that helped as I had too much idle time! Lovely as it was I’m just not used to it!
So much more to say, but for now, enough.
x
