It's done. I am now officially unemployed. Free! Free to move and find my next place. Free to explore and learn without job responsibilities tying me to Brisbane. FREEDOM!!
Leaving work was hard. I've worked full time for the last 10 years (almost) and the habit of going to work and the responsibility of getting myself there, appropriately dressed and groomed and getting the work done, has been the main structural component of my life. Now I've given the work over to Val and Sandra. I no longer have a daily commitment to force me out of bed early and out of the flat showered, dressed and scented to face the public. The temptation to sleep in, slop around in my warm sweats and read all day is always there, but I will be strong! I will not become the next Mrs Chicken*! But, I'm already missing that regular paycheque.
Last Friday at work was hard. Everyone saying goodbye. I almost cried several times. We had a special morning tea and I got lotsa presents: chocolate, Annette's sunflower seed balls, a book voucher, a Crabtree & Evelyn travel kit, and a Tomtom One GPS NAVIGATOR!! (New toy!!!) (Now I need the campervan accessory to stick it on the window of!) THANK YOU GUYS .... I'm missing you all already!
Then on Friday night some of us went out to dinner at the Pancake Manor in Charlotte Street. The one in the old church with the medieval decor. It was very nice, but I ate too much and got a tummy ache. Now it's all over. I survived the first leaving, now I have to organise and survive the leaving of Brisbane. My next deadline ... leaving Brisbane by 31 August. Goals for this month: buy campervan; get taxes paid; arrange a mail drop off; pack for the trip; sell, give away and dump rest of stuff; get flat cleaned, ... Northward Ho!
* Mrs Chicken: Several years ago, maybe even over a decade ago, there was a news report of the death of Mrs Chicken. She was a shut-in, living in a house in Brisbane. Her son visited regularly to keep her fridge stocked up. All she did was live in her little house and eat and she was a shut-in basically because she had grown so fat she couldn't fit through the doors to get out. When she died they had to smash the sides of the doors wider to carry her out and she couldn't fit in the ambulance. It's my biggest nightmare, that I could become like that. Although, I suppose being so short, I'd probably have a coronary long before I could get that wide.
3 comments:
Hi Kate,
First of all I had no idea you were 45 years young (yes I have just read your profile). Secondly, and as expected, I do miss you but am managing to muddle through. Therese left on Friday for her big adventure, and mine? Well the house went on the market this week so now the waiting game begins....is there a buyer out there? Good luck with the camper van purchase.
Cheers,
Fiona
Hi Fiona,
Thanks for the comment. I miss you too. Good luck with the house. Hope you can get what you want for it.
Hi Kate,
I must say I've enjoyed your comments and hope all is going well...before the next big phase of your life begins. I've just come back from a very hectic 3 days in Beijing but was well worth the frantic pace and lack of sleep etc. Tiananmen Square,the Forbidden City,The Great Wall were an amazing experience just being there and I had to visit the pandas at the Beijing zoo (first time viewing a panda!) We were lucky enough to go to the tennis at the olympics (watxhed Nadal, Federer and Leyton playing) and watched the beach volley ball. Beijing was absolutely shining with everything possible purpose built for the olympics (millions of dollars spent on fantastic floral displays at every intersection) and a big effort to cover up all the very shabby bits too! Andrew had a suit (with 2 pairs of pants) made on the last day to be delivered to the hotel by 6pm that night when we were being picked up at 7pm..and they made it! Coke was extremely generous..five star hotel, 3 guides to take us every where in a beautiful aircon bus which had access to the fast (important people ) lane to the olympics as they were an official sponser (in fact I did not see another drink company anywhere). Apparenty there were about 500 winners all around the world...no I wasn't the only one! We had a great group of about 25 even knew the sister of someone on the trip from Brisbane (ex Rock Vegas person) Well I look forward to your next installment, Kate
Good luck
Cheers Cathy (Dot....) xx
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