Cinqo de Mayo and the next 11 days

What a great Cinqo de Mayo I’ve just had.   My friend Barb had stayed over last night (you might have read the comment she made from my own computer – sorry if that was confusing) so we’d stayed up a bit late talking and dreaming and smiling.  I’d planned to start the day early by heading to the Y for an aquafit class at 7 a.m. (haven’t been for a while), but I decided not to go in favour of having coffee and a morning visit with Barb.  First take care of the spirit right?

Barb and I headed to our cars together around 8:45; she off to an appointment and me off to pick up my Mom.  

Two days to go: time for a little homage-giving of my own

Oh my goodness!  As the autumn draws to a close in Ontario I realize that in two more days I’ll be closing my office door for the last time.  A few days ago, as my colleague Robyn (fabulous woman, committed educator, gracious leader) and I were sitting in the hotel cafe having breakfast, I realized that this was my last breakfast “on the public purse” (note I’m talking breakfast for $6.95 not $150K in high-end clothing).  Soon I’ll be submitting my last expense claim.  I think that I’ve already written my last briefing notes and responded to my last piece of Minister’s correspondence.  Last week I attended my last English language learner team meeting.  Soon – very soon – I’ll be making my last formal Ministry presentation.  Lasts … at last.

Counting on my fingers and toes

I’ve reached another landmark now.  The number of days that I will still be “going to work” can be counted on just my fingers and toes.  The disentangling continues and it is a very interesting experience.

I had worried a lot about feeling a huge sense of loss as I went about packing up my office.  It hasn’t turned out to be that way at all I’m glad to say.  How am I going about the leaving process?  Well, as usual for me, it involves a lot of pre-thinking and organization.  Last week I sat down and developed a chart that listed all of the things that I do in my job; each project I work on, each initiative I participate in, the corporate responsibilities and the work that’s on my “next steps” list.  It was a pretty long list to be sure.  I’ve been here for a lot of years and I always try to be involved in as many things as I can that interest me.  Next we had a team meeting in which I circulated that chart and we spent time deciding who would be picking up each of the pieces of work.  With that list in hand I’ve been able to start moving portfolios from my office into the hands of my capable colleagues.