And we're off

And they’re off, well….almost. Since we’re leaving at 1:30 a.m. and it’s after11 p.m now there won’t be much time for a nap but…I’m getting too eager to go to be thinking of sleeping. The chauffeur has called it in for some shuteye but I still have a few things on the list. I’ve written a long note of instructions to the #1 son of what to do and not do and reviewed it in person, the phone calls are made, all the chores are caught up to date, luggage is by the front door,

Today was one rotten day at work. First the final throwing of everything in the office into boxes, coordinating the move which will occur to somewhere in my absence, dealing with all the employees who had realized I was going to be out of reach for a spell and all the usual stuff while trying to tie up the ends, topped off by a needlestick injury to be dealt with just before lunch. I almost lost it as I was still thinking the fit testing technician was headed our way for 2 p.m. Thankfully the OHN in the district facility showed me mercy by keeping him there for the afternoon. Then a colleague sent a really beautiful slide show with music written as if from an older parent with dementia and that was it – the tears flowed. The Mental Health department was too busy moving their offices to notice my state thank goodness. One of them has so many plants it looks like a tropical jungle in that office and it took two large dollies to move all the greenery plus one large tree which a maintenance worker transported in his arms saying to me as he met me in the hallway “don’t you say a word” The Diabetes Education Center were packing and the DEC nurse was getting a bit testy so I told her “at least you’re not moving a friggin farm” and she was more jovial after that.

I received a really sad email from a former neighbour who isn’t much older than us, telling me of a rough year they’d had where her husband lost his leg, the artificial leg doesn’t fit well, is mostly in a wheelchair with two frozen shoulders, he’s very depressed (any wonder?) and cranky. She’d lost her job and then not been able to work with all his health problems, her son is living out west and basically she was just hanging on. Made me sure glad for my life.

I almost felt like running when I was leaving ½ hour late this afternoon before anyone caught up with me. After I’d arranged coverage, put all the out of office messages and memos out, sorted out my pay sheet and expense claims (priorities) and took the vaccines to pharmacy I took one last look at the stacks of boxes I felt like yelling “I’m free, free I tell you” and skipping down the hall.

The one thing I want is to be known as the title of a guy I saw in the newspaper today, he was called – are you ready for it? A Chief Visionary Officer. How pompous. I’m a chief visionary officer of the beach, a great new book (called The Kite Runner) given to me by a coworker and something cool to drink. That’s as visionary as I get for the next two weeks. Will be in touch sometime after February 15th to update you on the Cuban family. In the meantime you’ll have to amuse yourselves with your own little life dramas.