A new chapter

If this blog was a book then I would say that I have just reached the end of a chapter and I'm about to begin a new one. The big day finally dawned and I have had my last day at work.

I awoke very early this morning with a mixture of excitement and nerves that I haven't felt since I was a child at Christmas. My journey into work was leisurely. I took the train and savoured the walk to the building from the station.

At work itself it was a succession of goodbyes, handshakes and good wishes.

I was heartened to see my good friend Ian again as he has been off work for 2 months following an operation.

Wainwright gained quite a few mentions today and his fame has obviously reached the highest levels of the organisation.

Finally, my good friend and fellow blogger Rare Lesser Spotted, gave me a lift to the restaurant and 30 of us sat down to a very good meal.

I have enjoyed every minute of the day and I hope I managed to convey my thanks adequately to those who shared it with me. My thanks to Pat for his kind speech.

I'm not sure when the finality of knowing that I won't be going back to work will hit me. Around about Sunday I expect, or maybe Monday morning when I sit smugly drinking a capuccino whilst everyone else is at work.

Maybe then I will have some words of wisdom to impart, instead of stuccato sentences.

For now though I am going to do the last of my packing and get an early night in readiness for my journey to Tuscany tomorrow.

I think it was Confucius who said that 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step'. Tomorrow, I take that first step.

Live long and prosper.