Busy, busy

This is an intense week!
Today I was the support person for my young office mate in a meeting with HR. I didn't expect it to go well and it did not.
Only an hour and a half later I was interviewed for the position which will replace my job (ie, my role plus an extra 15 hours a week) Given that I had been supporting my colleague I was offered a re-scheduled interview but I wanted to get it over with and I made the right call on that. Any mistakes I made today, I would have made tomorrow but now it's done and I can forget about it.

I realised that I don't speak "corporate". Well actually, I knew I didn't speak corporate but I didnt know just how often it manifests. "Tell us about a time you developed a relationship in order to achieve a business outcome?" I meandered around the topic and later realised that what they were asking is effectively "have you ever made a client or a sale?". I'm confident that my answer was ok but boy, it took me a while to get there!

It was my first ever interview by a panel and it was an hour long. I was happy with it but I'm a bit drained now. Was it the interview or just the day? I won't ever really know.

After all of that I went to see my very ill friend in her nursing home, I had promised to bring Lucy one time and Lucy is about to go away to live in Deniliquin (600km) so it was a matter of seizing the day. A few months ago our front fence was broken and I was going to the hospital to pick up my friend R. I took Lucy with me to avoid accidents of the escapee variety and the pup took an immediate like to R, who returned the affection. It's been a sweet little love story and while she has a fabulous attitude, there isn't a lot of joy in R's life so I often get leaky eyes to think of it.

Tomorrow I will have a house inspection / meet & greet to become a greyhound foster mum. That's a story all of it's own which I will tell eventually. At the same time that I am assessed by "Homeward Bound Hounds" Briony will be packing a trailer full of her hastily acquired worldly goods. The forecast temperature is 40C. Challenging is an understatement.

And on Friday we will set off to the "Deni" abode, I take great pleasure in saying Lucy will be a Deni Dog. Small things, small minds and all that.........

I"m rapidly falling behind commenting on blogs but I try to say something now and again to let you know I'm reading.

Stay tuned!

questions

Since I wrote my last post I've had a few ideas about new ones but by the time I get to writing them , either I've forgotten all about it or it seems especially lame so I stole this meme from Anne at Cooking and All that Jazz.

People say "stop the world, I want to get off" and I've never understood but i do now. Let this be a diversion from the whole sorry mess

1. What was the last thing you put in your mouth?  Coke. It's so hot here, I wanted something cold and bubbly. And I wonder why I gain weight 

2. Pajamas or gown? Truthfully? usually it's an old shirt or singlet. I have a beautiful cotton gown I bought for summer but I rarely wear it

3. Worst physical pain you ever been in? Probably labour. But I've had a hard time with a torn muscle in my back (three weeks to normality) and toothache

4. Favorite place you’ve ever been? My own bed in my own home

5. How late did you stay up last night? elevenish

6. If you could move somewhere else, where would you move to? I ask myself this question often. I have no idea

7.  Christmas or New Year? Christmas

8.  When was the last time you cried? At Liam's wedding? well, I've probably cried since then, I cry at the tv, I cry when I laugh and when I'm tired 

9. What's the last photo on your phone? A screen shot of a long lost relative

10. Two of your favorite movies? Something I haven't seen before. There are so many movies, I never watch the same one twice

11. What's your favorite season? The one we are moving toward. Except summer, thats at the bottom of the list

12. Which famous person would you like to meet? None of them, I'd just stand there and say something awkward

13. If you could talk to ANYONE right now, who would it be? Anyone who is up for a chat. Until they become repetitive

14. Are you a good influence? Depends on the day and the person

15. Does pineapple belong on a pizza? Who am I to say. My current favourite pizza is a Thai style one with mayo on it, not exactly traditional

16.  You have the remote, what show would you be watching right now? I picked a show on Netflix and then decided to blog instead so none though you could suck me in with Ambulance or The Crown

17. Three people who you think will play along? Whoever is stuck for ideas or thinks they can write interesting answers

18. First concert? I don't even know. I remember dropping my 14 year old alone at Metallica though. Thsat was like my own first concert

19. Favorite food? Not salads

20. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Nothing n particular

2020 begins

Over the last few weeks I have found homes for my friend's cats, finished the work year, celebrated Christmas and taken an overnight trip to Mittagong, a small town just outside Sydney. I made my annual visit to see my cousin on the other side of Sydney and watched Season 2 of The Crown (and am now part way through season 3)
A harsh bush fire season has everyone on the edge of their seats, I'm sure you all know about that, and I am back to work tomorrow with the prospect of applying for my job or becoming unemployed in the next few weeks.
My ex bizarrely sent me a Christmas gift (he rarely gave me anything in 30 years together) and has invited me to a family dinner on the weekend. My mother -in-law is seriously ill and has been here from Malaysia in what I expect to be her last visit so I will attend the dinner with the expectation that it is my farewell to her.  (When I saw her at Liam's wedding I thought that was farewell,too so who knows how many times I will imagine I'm saying goodbye)
I have never had anything but the most basic type of relationship with her, given that I don't speak any Chinese languages and she doesn't speak English so we are not close but I have known her a long time and I have had a respect for her resilience and good humour throughout a very difficult life. At the wedding I slipped outside for some cool air after dinner and was sitting on a low stone wall when MIL was heading home. She sat down next to me to wait for her lift and I rubbed her back a little. I don't know why I did that but I felt it said what I wanted to tell her. The coming dinner might be disappointing after that.
I'm finding the coming year a bit frightening to think about, my household will become just two people, I haven't worked full time in 25 years and I haven't studied in even longer.
I need to keep in mind a saying I learned long ago "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time"



You have my very best wishes for the coming year: may you find health, happiness, strength, resilience and connection as you make your way through the weeks.



And some photos from the last little while:

In the Sturt Gallery

The birds in this tree were a lot more striking in real life, it was very unusual especially in the smokey skies.

The gallery stood on a large piece of land.

Children and fur children