Waving Goodbye

Not a writing day.

Today was my last day in the division of I.S. that I have worked for the past 9 years and 9 months. On Monday I begin in a new division, new boss, and new working culture – doing the same job. It’ll be different eventually, probably, maybe, but who’s counting.

Yesterday my team (3 of us) were surprised by the rest of the department when they all gathered around us and gave us a signed card and box of chocolates, plus £30 of John Lewis vouchers each. It was very kind, but very out of the blue. Given my record for bugging people in here, I thought they would rather have just let me slip out the door without a fuss, as I would have preferred.

I can’t stand those types of things; awarding people for leaving. Fair enough if it’s through retirement, illness, or children, but for moving department to the building over the road? It felt weird and a touch out of place. Still, as I said in my thank you note to them all, Gail has had her eye on a new ironing board cover for a while now, so who am I to object any longer.

With it being the first after pay day, I went for my usual curry with Julie, my team mate. We went to our usual place and I enjoyed a delicious lamb in garlic chilli (nice and hot) with pilau rice and naan bread, all washed down with 2 bottles of Tiger beer and then another 2 pints of Tennent’s Lager in Smithies pub afterwards. We got back at 2.30pm, and were only in work for another hour before heading off to my no.1 pub in Edinburgh, Clark’s Bar, this time joined by a large number of people from department old and new. I had already cleared my night off with Gail, so I partook in quite a few pints of Guinnes – as one does.

You can imagine how the rest of this unfolds, so I’ll stop now.