Left home this morning at 06:45. In the office at 07:20. Got to love this driving to work business!
Back in the office now, and all looks good. The outside of the building hasn't been touched beyond a clean, but inside. Wow. Looks great. There are still a couple of things that need to be finished, like the internal security door and the ceiling of the conference room. I will post some photos later when the cable is free.
Put your thumbs together. Go on. Humour me. Now put your index fingers together to form a circle. Yes. Now you've got it. That's about the size of the office visitor I had. Eight legs. Brown. Hairy. I watched it crawl across the corner of my desk. *terribly, terribly glad it went across the back and not under where it might have crawled across my feet!!!!* I watched it for a second. Do I deal with this myself or not? briefly toyed with the idea of getting rid of it myself. NOT!* I gave a half hearted yelp. Admin2 was sitting next to me and immediately bounced to see what was wrong.
Dodge, I call. He sits on the other side of the partition. He pokes his head around. I show him the visitor and then promptly withdraw to let him deal with the situation. Oooo. He agrees that it does indeed look menacing.
The monster senses he isn't welcome, bolts behind the fax machine and ... disappears. Dodge eventually finds him nestled in under my desk and close to my work box. A quick dash from there and he's hiding in the wiring exposed in the wall. Dodge takes the opportunity to put the fixture back flush with the wall and the problem is solved. Hopefully. It was a twitchy couple of days that followed.
On my way to the office door and I'm digging in my bag. I can't find my access card. Great start to the day. Maybe it's still on my desk. The door I need to access is too far away from other people for knocking. Hmmm. The glass door to our office is open, but the green door we need to use is not. Great. I decide to sneak in through the glass door. The builder is there and we chat for a while. I duck under the tape cordoning off the internal stairs. I have to get to my desk. Word to the wise, be careful when ducking under tape to go downstairs. You might just faceplant.
I tell Ma this story later while chatting on the phone and she falls about laughing with the idea that I snuck in the back way and broke into my own office. *shakes head* The imagination of some people.
There's my card. Sitting innocently on my desk. Where I left it last. Sigh.
My week for spiders. I walk down the path toward the bus stop. And through a cobweb. As I'm bent over, wiping it away from my face I'm sure I can see the occupant in my peripheral vision. Luckily, dangling near my hem. And it's not large. I think to myself that this cobweb thing has been happening so often lately that I don't even do the cobweb ninja dance anymore....
So. Admin2 and I have moved back into our end of the office and all seems to be back to normal. I have to decide what to do about putting my wall calendar back up. The wall next to me has been made a lovely feature wall so I doubt I will be able to use blu tack. Actually I'm doubting I'll be able to put up anything at all. I talk MOTH into going into Office Works to see what we can find. Dangerous territory for me. I love that stuff and could spend a fortune in there.
I find some poster strips that I can use. Small, clear double sided squares that are supposed to be removable. We'll see.
While there, I grab a belt clip for my card....
MOTH talks me into going up to the village to sit with the old folks for a while. One of the daughters is there and I spend a lot of time laughing as she stirs MOTH mercilessly. Glad I went after all. In future I just need to make sure that MOTH has enough change in his wallet to buy me something to eat while I'm there. Hmmm. His wallet and my waistline might very well regret this....
I think I mentioned last post *listens for howling dogs* that I had come into the office and my work stuff was missing. I had to wait until Admin2 arrived but I found it! Or at least, she showed me where it was stashed. She decided there was important stuff in it and placed it locked away in a secure room. While I can understand the sentiment, an email or something letting me know where it was might have saved a bit of frustration. Given that I'm in the office at least two hours before she is.
Half the office refurbishment is done. The administration area is the last to be completed. No surprises there. We elected to remain down on level 3 while everyone else moves back into the office. We didn't see the point in relocating upstairs then relocating again. Since they've done the paintwork at our end, I have had a quick peek. I'm thinking it will take some getting used to - the walls are almost *but not quite* stark white and we have a huge bank of windows! So bright! I asked if I could get the wall next to me painted the same colour as the feature wall in the other end of the office. It's a wait and see thing. I'm not holding my breath.
Not a good start to my day. I've sent my back into spasm. How, I hear you ask? MOTH and Jerome combined to set the scene. It's dark. Jerome woke me and I decided to look at the clock. It's on MOTH's side of the bed and when he lies on his side, I can't see over the top of his shoulders. I prop myself up and look. Great, it's Sparrow Fart. I lean down to rub my nose on my pillow...
Decide to dine out of the office today. I take my book and sandwich down to the lunch shed. Dez *the water dragon* doesn't turn up, but a couple of the blokes working in the same area as I do. They take a table together further down on the other deck. Things are settling in nicely and POW! Just like that five other tables near me fill up with chattering, squawking people. All at once. I'm guessing lunch time peace and quiet is now a thing of the past.
The Site Manager is one of the blokes who sits in the same area where I am working. It's his birthday at the end of the week but since he will be on leave, someone is getting in early. *was going to upload a pic but i've deleted it off my phone* Pretty pages adorn almost every flat surface in the kitchenette proclaiming the fact that he is turning 60. So now we all know.
I decide to swap my desk around. Mostly so that if I decide to listen to the iPod at work, I can get the headphones to reach better if I put the laptop on the other side of the desk. I begin by moving the phone. I come back to my desk later, and the phone is missing! What happened there? Oh. Right. I've moved it to the other side of my desk already, haven't I. *feels sheepish*
Bus ride to work this morning. A regular thing, once a week. I have job to do on campus one day a week so I choose to do it the day I need to catch the bus. This morning I am idly staring out the window at the people on the footpath. Some young fella missteps and does a quick two step. AND KEEPS ON GOING WITHOUT LOOKING AROUND OR DOWN. That's self control for you people!
It's been raining off and on for most of the week. I only like rain when I'm indoors and there is absolutely no chance that I will have to go out in it. I don't know if it's the bush setting or not, but rain can make the office surrounds smell a bit swampy. It's almost knock off time and down it comes. Quite heavily this time, no light little shower this one. By the time I finish up about five to ten minutes later the rain is still heavy. I open the office door to go out ... and there is a HUGE puddle. Looks a little deep too. No stepping over this one, I shall have to walk through it. Just as well I'm wearing boots today. It's ankle deep...
Today, I'm in a different office. A temporary relocation while they do the refurbishment of our 'real' office. I'm wondering what it will look like.
The relocation. Yes. Well. I have a window to look out of but my back is to the walkway. That gives me the heeby jeebies people. The monitor is on my desk, but look! ALL the cables are detached. Great. Dang. Now I can't get the laptop connected to the dock. It usually doesn't give trouble but today, it just won't go. Uh oh. I don't know which port to connect the ethernet cable. Ah well. Since I'm not using the dock I'll just use the wireless for now. Wait. My chair isn't here. And they've left me a scummy one. I cast around and find a suitable replacement. Sort of set up and in a lather of sweat, I can't see my work box. The one I packed and marked with my name and DESK so they knew it had to come here. I look around. It's not here. Great. That contains the work files I will likely need this week, my notepads and all my writing implements. Good one people! Looks like Admin2 gave me a thought while she was busy looking after her own stuff.
Oh dear. Now what will I do all day?
No notes again this week. All the excitement happened last week.
Off sick this week. I had arranged for a week of sick leave with my doctor before I left for north last weekend. And I'm glad I did. I would have had to take time off anyway. Gotta love summer head colds. It's been an age since I last had one.
I sniffled and sneezed most of the way through the early week.
It didn't stop me though from putting that autumn leaf from my friend to good use. Off to one of the larger shopping centres. I thought I would check to compare pricing from one of the big department stores and the local book shop. It's usually much cheaper that way and if I could get it cheaper, I might be able to purchase two books instead of one.
It turned out to be about $4 cheaper at Kmart. Well, I say, if that's all the difference, I spend the extra and shop independent at Dymocks.
I've been taking it slowly and dragging out the reading of the book. This author, Robin Hobb, usually writes in trilogies. But I've skipped forward *naughty, i know* and checked out some of the ending. Not all of it mind, but it gives the impression that this may not be a trilogy after all and I will have another long wait till the next installment! Bummer.
The only other note of interest this week has been Jerome. The cheeky fellow has decided that if I am not out of bed at 5.30 to give him his breakfast, he will sharpen his claws on the ensemble base. That gets a reaction every time! It's something he's learned from Sheldon it seems.
One of his favourite places to rest is an empty laundry basket. He sometimes curls up in it to nap, or he plays. I thought I would make it comfy for him and added a towel to the bottom. He leapt. Front feet in and he noticed it wasn't empty. Back feet came to a screeching halt perched on the edge of the basket. Sniff sniff sniff wriggle wriggle and out he got.
... was posted in a different spot by a friend. I love the poignancy of the lyrics and it's been an age since I've heard it.
Wow. What a week! I thought I had made notes, but obviously I've been too busy!
The office has relocated. Again. Hopefully this will only be for a short period, say four weeks, while they do the refurbishment. Why didn't they do this before you moved in, I hear you ask. Politics. Need I say any more? I believe the contractor was lined up to do it all before we moved, and he was ready to go - teams in place and everything. But the building owner said NO at the last minute. But we still had to move.
So. Relocating again. And this time I had a week's notice. Not quite as much to pack up this time but I still have to do my usual work and repack the back room and the Admin area and the kitchenette. The General Manager was speaking to both Admin2 and myself when he told us this, but Admin2 decided there was other things she needed to do that required her attention.
She took a carer day. She had been organising the installation of new phone points for the move. The request for some paperwork came in while she was on Carer Leave. One of the managers and the General Manager insisted that I respond and fill in the necessary paperwork. Didn't matter that I was already busy and would have had to retrace back through the email thread to get all the necessary information. And they were dead certain it couldn't wait for one day. It was too much and I had a mini meltdown. I walked out of the office and went to talk to Dez. I spent my lunch hour there. By the time I got back to the office, they'd managed to establish the paperwork could indeed wait another day - in fact, the requestor knew Admin2 was away and wasn't expecting a response till she returned. *so there*
This is Dez.
I repacked the back room and half the Admin area. When she returned to the office after a carer day during the week, I suggested that she could finish the other half of the Admin cupboard and the kitchenette. She didn't quibble.
However, it seemed to take her forever. I think I mentioned about five times that she only needed to pack the cupboard under the sink, the contents of the fridge and the glasses on top. Simple, right? After helping the GT team leader pack the conference room, I returned to my desk to find her packing plates and glasses ON MY DESK! I went down the other end of the office and packed up equipment on the spare desks that no one seemed to be packing. When I returned to my desk she was taking a break and I moved the box to a work table for her to finish. And then she complained to me about how much cleaning gear she had to pack and maybe she should just lock it all in the bottom of a filing cabinet so she didn't have to pack it. *rolls eyes*
Up early at the end of the week to fly north to meet with Moose for mother's birthday. Excited! Froggy and Dobby came in through the gate we were departing from. They headed off to the amenities. A couple of minutes after they left, boarding was called. No pit stop for them!
The flight was uneventful *the flight that is. didn't say anything about us!* We couldn't get seats the same row so I sat in the row behind. Froggy put her hands over the top of the seat. Tempting! And I can resist anything except temptation.
The hire car was a small Ford Focus hatch. Comfy for the passenger and we spent a time laughing as the wiper and blinker switches were on the opposite sides.
We went to visit Moose at her work to pick up the spare key. We had a tour through the office, met the other staff and chattered like a flock of budgies. I had been telling stories about someone I referred to as "Fatty". Moose listened and laughed. After a short time she commented So, is Fatty her real name? *silence* Froggy responded Yeah, and her last name is Boombah! And she began to giggle. Moose protested. Her name could have been Fatima or something! I looked at Froggy who is helpless. That's Mrs Boombah to you! If i thought she'd been helpless it was nothing to now. She had to cling to the reception desk for support.
We spent the afternoon at Ma's place catching up with siblings, nieces and nephews. We toured the garden and talking to Spike. Spike is a cat. She is 15 this year and still catches birds and lizards and jumps the 6' back fence. I took a photo of a couple of the flowers in the garden.
The weather was ghastly. If I thought it humid here, I had completely forgotten what it was like up there! I'd shower each night then wonder why I bothered as I was just as bad immediately afterward.
The birthday dinner went really well. Service was slow but the waitress did warn us. I had garlic prawns. The Elder, The Teen and Harry join us. I spent a lot of time laughing. Which really didn't do my sniffles and sneezes very well at all. The cake was lovely too.
A really enjoyable night, but an early one.
Caught up with a friend the next day. I haven't seen him for some time. He hasn't changed! I was hoping to visit another friend but I didn't want to pass this cold to her children. Dammit. That's at least twice I've missed her.
Froggy started sniffling. Seems I've passed on my germs. Ooops!
Last minute visit with Ma and Pa before we head back north to catch the plane home. We have lunch at a local shopping centre then head to the airport to return the car and wait. Poor Froggy is feeling miserable. We've checked in but are seated nowhere near each other. The flight again is uneventful. One of the cabin staff tells me I can sit with Froggy for the flight as she has an empty seat near her. I head up to her row. We chat for a while. When I hear the engines wind down I assume we are ready for landing and go back to my seat.
It's a bit of a rush to get off the plane. I'm lucky, I'm near the back door and it seems that I make it off the plane, into the terminal and to her departure gate before Froggy and Dobby. Froggy is feeling worse and still has a three hour flight ahead of her. I offer her a painkiller but she's not sure she should take any more medication on top of the sudafed. I can see her plight, but I think it's been helping me. I took one before flying and I don't have a headache or sinus pain after the flight.
I see her off and head out for pick up. I've not long hit the footpath and I see MOTH drive up. Good timing I say. Not really, it's his third pass. Ah well.
Jerome is pleased to see me too. I think. There is a postpak waiting for me. MOTH says it's from Pauline. Whee! A card from an old friend with whom I've only recently caught up with on Facebook. I open it. *dies* Not only is it a card, but enough money to buy a copy of a book I have wanted for some time. I mentioned it once in a status update - this gift or that gift cause I didn't have enough money for both.
My fancy new wall and some of the new carpet.
My desk from the front door. Notice the bright purple carpet? Yes. Yes you did.
The new storage cupboard they built behind Admin2.
Looking down the corridor toward the 'everybody else area'. See the contrasting blue patch there?
Outside. From the bus stop. Convenient, hey.
Part of the 'everybody else area'. Down the other end of the office. Away from the Admin section. Where they should be. 
