Working so hard every night and day; and now we get the pay back; Trying so hard saving up the paper; Now we get to lay back

What a week it's been. To answer Daman's question, yes I did get that job. If anyone wants details, ask me privately and I'll give you the scoop. I got a call on Monday and they wanted me to start on Tuesday. What a strange existence I have been living -- so many changes happening so quickly. I'm working at a different location and in a different division. Apparently, someone left 'suddenly' and they called up asking for me. Well well well. It has been an exhausting week as this was also my midterm week. This job put a wrench in my study plans you could say. One more midterm tomorrow and I will be done.

I have to say that I have been at the office 4 days and I feel so comfortable there. The people are so friendly, laid back and funny. I only knew them through emails and phone calls here and there when I was at my other location, so it was interesting on my first day putting faces to the names I have seen often. They totally made me feel welcome and I could tell there was one person especially who was looking out for me all week. She is great. On my second day she pointed out gently that at lunch time 'we eat in the kitchen, not at our desks', which is what I did on my first day. I guess I am just conditioned to do that. When I have a lot of work to do, I just eat at my desk and keep working. It was nice that someone actually cared enough to point it out to me. Needless to say, I won't be eating at my desk anymore. I don't think I've experienced that sort of environment in the corporate workplace before. Plus, the IGA deli is so good. Score! I got the Florentine Panini twice this week. I am a sucker for a good deli. My ideal workplace must have a great deli within walking distance. And a great coffee shop. Panorama is a great area to work in. I mean, our offices are literally 5 steps away from the Big Ridge Brewery. Can't get much better than that. Oh, and just for P-dot, the McDooggles is just a short walk away. Filet o' Fish Fridays, anyone? Extra Tar-TAR sawce.

Tonight I attended DougW's retirement dinner. He is a Corporal I worked with when I was at the RCMP. I can't believe it's been over two years since I had been there. It feels like a lifetime ago. Bev told me that I was 'glowing'. She still has her perfectly manicured long nails. She was wearing some kind of 'mood nail polish' that changes colour with the heat. DougG of course made fun of me saying 'remember all those times you told me, just wait until I meet your wife, I'm going to tell her all about the WAY you are? Well, she is here and you can tell her.' I don't know, but for some reason, I got really shy all of a sudden and I didn't know what to say. I mean, his wife was sitting right there and she was really nice, I'm sure. And then DougG was like, 'hey you are turning red!'. I was like no I'm not. He embarassed me and I don't get embarassed that easily. Leave it to Doogie. I mean, I couldn't say things about him to his wife! Then she said, 'I know all about the way he is.' Saved.

DougW got a lot of cool presents. We got him a silver desk clock engraved with his years of service. And his unit members got him a palm pilot and accessories to go with it. He's all hooked up now. I don't know anyone who deserves a nice farewell more than DougW. He has got to be the nicest man ever. Everyone always says the same thing about him: he never says anything bad about anyone. Never utters a bad word or talks badly about others, even if they are being mean or rude. He doesn't have one ioda of mean spirit in him. Not one. You would know what I was talking about if you knew him. He has such a good heart. Speaking of hearts, he has a mechancial valve in his heart and he showed me a replica of it once. It's pretty cool what they can do with technology. He can even hear the valve in his heart opening and closing sometimes. Maybe that's why he is the way he is..... he's got this intimate connection with his heart that most people don't have. I think that's pretty amazing.