After my line managers boss dd not turn up yesterday I decided to don the three piece suit for a second day thinking you still only get one chance to make a first impression even though I knew the team and everyone else that worked in the office were probably wondering who the hell I thought I was dressed to the nines.

Anyway my boss eventually arrived at the office, wearing sweats and although he said he would have a meeting with me spent the day working in the corner of the office and left without actually ever talking to me? Very weird and awkward because I spent the whole day expecting to be summoned over but never was.

As my line manager and boss left I was able to be candid with everyone and get to know them a little but because it was 4pm when they left it was cut short as we left for the evening but I left feeling good about tomorrow and actually being able to actually do something and start to learn how the job runs at the moment?

I do not change jobs very often so it was very familiarly unfamiliar to me to walk into an new office on my first day but it was really nice that the first face I saw was Jan who I have known since school but also worked with at Consulsoft before I went to the Willows. I stood talking to her for a good 10 minutes before anyone else arrived at the office by which time my nerves had subsided a little and I was a little calmer when others arrived

The team members who I had been taken o to lead arrived along with a couple of them calling in sick which I felt was not a great start and to find one had handed his notice in was also a blow before I had even officially start at 9am

My line manager arrived who I had met on video interviews but she was this “bubblyboss” type lady in person very laid back and a little too much when all I wanted was to slip into the day quietly and slowly, anyway after very little direction I was sort of left to my own devices to navigate the systems and it was not until late i the day that I felt comfortabe eneouh to ask one of the team for help because I thought I was going to be inducted more by my boss?

I did not take my hour lunch and it was refreshing and relieving to find that they finish at 16:55 and leave the office to “beat the traffic” so I was home by 17:25 and able to decompress in the usual manner with walk with Jamie tea bath bed, oh and a beer

All in all weird but successful first day

.

Got home from the Lakes and had already put away me stuff, mowed the lawns and did the washing before Jamie and the kids got home from church, all because subconsciously I felt nervous about tomorrow.

I threw some darts hitting a couple of ton eighties and drank a  couple of beers which relaxed me but bed and sleep was what I needed so thatI could just get the first day over with….

Spent the day in lovely spring sunshine walking in the Lakes

Reagan is changing in so many ways but the teenager aspect of the whole thing is infuriating the entitlement and lack of respect is beyond tolerable!

No matter what you ask her to do, she never just does it she always says I’ll do it in a minute…then never does until you get mad at her but by then you’ve asked her nicely 2 or 3 times and it still hadn’t been done.

If it benefits her she doesn’t need asking she’ll go above and beyond with chores and cleaning but then gets pissed at anyone who messes up all the work she’s done , but if you point out the fact that it’s how we feel when we clean and she makes a mug cookie at 9:30 and leaves the kitchen in a mess and expect us to politely ignore it and clean the kitchen again

Rant over but I could go on….

Did nowt today, I should have done but chose to walk with Jamie to the doctors at 07:30 and go and see me dad until 1pm and then I wasted the rest of the day.

It’s 10pm and my phone has not rung once…

After 13 years working for the Willows Veterinary Group and for the most part I have loved it, referring to it regularly as the best job I have ever had, but all good things come to an end they say and today was time. It had been coming for months when I knew I was no longer enjoying going to work and never feeling appreciated by those who employed me, so when an opportunity arose to go and work for the company I used to work for I felt I needed to take it

If I didn’t feel appreciated by my employers that could not have been further from the feelings the staff around the group have shown me since I announced I was leaving from emails wishing me well and thanks for helping so efficiently to handwritten cards and letters saying the same thing.

Jamie arrived home from working in London and I went to pick her up frome Crewe Station as always and it always makes me smile when I see her even though as I sat at home 30 minutes previous I was feeling really poorly and fell asleep on the chair in the kitchen and all I wanted to do is go to bed.

We drove home ordered takeout on the way and picked it up before going home. She had mentioned that a package should have arrived while she was away and I said there was a pile of packages but she said one of them was my birthday present…!

Wow just wow when she handed it to me and I ripped the bag open I immediately knew what it was and that I would have designed EXACTLY the same jersey if I had bought it myself, and a smile broke on my face that was involuntary it was there because I was REALLY happy!

With Reagans mate coming over for a sleepover I asked Jamie if she wanted to go out for a drink allowing the girls to have the living room and we get a bit of time alone Out Out.

She jumped at the chance but realised Lincoln had been left out of the plan, but when he said he’d be fine, she was in the shower make up on and waiting by yhe door party ready

It’s always great to get to 5pm on a Friday after a work week, and it is made even better now that the clocks have changed and the sun has been out all day. Jamie has committed to getting more steps every day, so she has started coming with me and Billy each night on my go-to walk around Middlewich that I do every morning.

On a Friday, we divert near the end of our walk and call at the Kings Lock for a pint as an end of week reward. It’s something to look forward to, and this week, we were able to sit outside for the first time, too. Reagan and Lincoln joined us at the pub, and we decided on a Chippy tea afterwards, making it a perfect end to our week!

My Fridays will change beyond this one being my last at the Willows, so making the most of every WFH day is important because I’m not sure when my next will be….?