Many Marthas Make Light Work

Oh gosh what a week that was! It was fascinating & scary being in a room of complete strangers, but it was a good opportunity to sit quietly, listen & learn about the people I'll be working with. And boy, oh boy, are there some 'dynamic' personalities amongst them! There are several who can best be described as 'intense' & I'm sooo not used to dealing with that character trait. I found them exhausting, literally sucking the air completely from the room. It confirmed my earlier thought that I am by far the most relaxed & chilled-out employee the Company has! Life's just too short for all that jazz, & somehow I'm going to have to work on some strategies for dealing that level of dead-set serious intensity, wish me luck!

I went straight from the Airport last night to Son #5's house for a Very Important Date. Sweet Miss A. had asked me to join her & the bridesmaids to make the Engagement Party invitations. After bubbly & a yummy supper, we set to. After a week of no fun, I needed a big hit of laughter & silliness & boy there was plenty to be had, as we tried to cut along the dotted line after too many champers, tie impossibly small bows, attempt to stick tiny pearls to the cards with a recalcitrant glue gun & deal with a run-away role of double sided tape. Despite my woeful attempts, the results were spectacular - the cards are truly gorgeous & the night a great success.

It was wonderful to get home to puppy Lulu who has run MOTH ragged in my absence. He ended up taking her to work with him yesterday & despite my misgivings she had a ball. Not exactly your typical Tradie's dog, she was a big hit with everyone at the job. She's asleep on my lap as I write this, still recovering from her first foray into the world of work. A bit sad I reckon for a 9 week old!

The Company Of Strangers!

The beginning of Week 3 in my new job sees me flying off to Melbourne for the week. It's the Company's mid-year Sales Meeting & that means only one thing - more rooms of complete strangers to walk into! I long for the return of my comfort zone - it's beeen AWOL & I want it back! May this week bring fun & happiness to you all & see you on the weekend.
Image: The Age

Out & Proud At 700

Only one person at my old Company knew I blogged. It was the most wonderful IT Manager in the whole world, the esteemed JG. He somehow made the connection between my log-on password & this blog through a Google search & voila, my cover was blown! I never told my colleagues about The Hedge because I wasn't too sure how they'd take it, a dilemma many of you have blogged about over the years.

My first day at the new job last Monday required me to front up to a State Meeting with a room full of complete strangers. At the end of the Agenda, I was asked to introduce myself & tell everyone a little about myself. I quickly ran through my work history & achievements & then the Devil took control. I added 'On a personal note I'm the Mum of 5 sons, am in the midst of a total house renovation with MOTH, I love to write & oh, I blog.' Immediately the room was filled with twittering derisive laughter & loud sighs. Then comments like these came thick & fast - 'Oh God I can't understand why anyone would want to do that!', 'I couldn't think of a greater waste of time.' 'That's so gross!' - you get the drift. With that the group wandered off to lunch & not another thing was said.

So that's it, I'm out & despite all the negativity - I'M PROUD!!!! Nothing I've done in the past 10 years or so has given me so much personal satisfaction, pleasure & enjoyment as blogging has done. This is my 700th post & I'm almost disbelieving of Bloggers stats. Those 700 have gone in a flash & thank you to everyone who has so graciously & generously contributed to the 10,316 comments that sit here at The Hedge. Its the weekend, so go enjoy!

Image: Tokyo Graphics

Saving Bunny

........bunny rugs that is. Yep I knew if I saved them in the linen closet for long enough they'd come in useful. The last time they saw the light of day was probably in 1984 when Son #5 turned one & no longer needed them. They've had a hard life wrapping up all the boys as babies, & copping all the associated baby 'spillage'. Now they're keeping Lulu warm in her puppy bed & she loves them.

Work is still full-on & them some & I've had a run of 5a.m. starts, so I'm tired & cranky & need some Millie time. Even though I haven't had a second to call by your blogs, I think about you all so much & I miss you lots & lots! Bear with me dear friends, this will pass & I'll be back to the wonderful world of blogging very soon.

Welcome Lulu!

Lulu came home with us yesterday a week earlier than expected & it's been bedlam! We quite expected some separation anxiety as she's been part of a large litter of 9, so has had plenty of puppy company. All was well until 3a.m. this morning when she woke & wouldn't settle back to sleep. After a 1/2hr. of pitiful crying & yelping, MOTH spent the rest of the night in one of the lounge chairs so she could see that someone was around & she hadn't been totally abandoned. We want to set the ground rules from the start, so we resisted the temptation to put her basket in our bedroom. It will be interesting to see what happens tonight!

She is personality plus, a real character & of course we are besotted. She bounces around like she has little springs embedded in her paws - too cute for her own good really! The kids are coming over tomorrow to meet her, so I'll try & take some better pics. These via my Crackberry are not good - sorry.

The first week at my new job was exhausting & I'm soooo glad we have a Public Holiday tomorrow to celebrate our Gracious Majesty's birthday. I miss my old clients to bits, & the challenge of undertaking a whole different group of products is testing me to the max. My new Company's corporate philosophy is taking some getting my head around as well. It appears that I am the most laid-back & relaxed employee they have, so I guess that means they will be on a bit of leaning curve too. Maybe by this time next year everyone will be mini-Millie's in their approach to work, now wouldn't that be something!!

It's A Girl!

It's been nearly 3 years since we said our sad & tearful goodbyes to our dear old girl Miss Chloe. We knew the right time would come when we would be ready to welcome a new fur baby into our hearts & lives & that moment came yesterday. We have 3 weeks to puppy proof the house & garden & then we can bring our sweet little girl home......we can hardly wait!

Image: Dog Beds

Farewell Performance

It was my last day at my old work yesterday & there were tears all round. Of course MOTH couldn't understand why I was so upset last night & I received a lecture about not being so silly & just getting on with it. Sometimes you leave a job & think 'Thank goodness I'll never have to see those people ever again.' But that was not the case here - I will miss them all desperately. By 2p.m. I was totally overwhelmed by the lovely phone calls & beautiful emails from colleagues & clients & the big, noisy, heaving cry that I'd been keeping in check so perfectly all day just burst forth. Thankfully I was in the Home Office by myself, so could just let it happen in private without looking like a total nong!

So onto the next chapter & that starts next Monday morning. It won't be a gentle easing in either, as the Asia-Pacific VP of my new Company is in Adelaide & there's a big regional meeting here in the city office for 2 days & a formal dinner on Monday night. I've been panicking for days wondering what to wear on my first day & I'm still not sure. So deep breaths Miss Millie as I walk into that building at 0830 not knowing a soul, talk about putting myself out there!!

Image: Oberon's Grove