Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Theme from Mahogany

... 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.

What a bloody amazing way to end the week!

3 comments:

Colleen Barnett said...

I had completely forgotten half of that conversation, thanks for reminding me. I lol'd again :-)

What a lovely ending to the weekend for you! Spoiled girl you! It was great to catch up. We do have some fun, don't we?

Miss ya xxx

Colleen Barnett said...

Oh, and you'll be happy to know those wiper blades did cause some confusion back home too!

Anonymous said...

Oh and by the way, today is comfortable with a strong cool breeze. why oh why did it come a week too late.... moose xx