Random mutterings afore she goes forth

Ms Sensible & Minor Mayhem have been trying to decide if the 'childminders' have sufficient culinary skills to cover a varied & acceptable selection of meals for each day of my weeks absence...the voting is in...& it's a 'maybe'...

My phone has been loaded with every conceivable number I might need...not that I've got any idea whether it's possible to use it out there and the Netbook has been installed with Skype & webcam, ditto phone comment.

Keep checking & re-checking my flight details...still in shock at being sent Business Class! Feel convinced someone is going to ring up and tell me it's all been a joke. Way different to previous employer's travel policy.

The itinerary for Kabul accounts for every minute of every day I'm there with loads of detailed information relating to precisely what I am doing, & who is looking after me. I have the distinct impression they see me as a cross between a frail damsel & Paddington Bear before he met the Browns. From the documentation it also looks like I'll have to learn a new language, there are shed loads of indecipherable acronyms & phrases like "Rotary moves"...I guess that'd be helicopter journeys to us mere mortals.

Hidden in the depths of the instructions is an unsubtle request for supplies of tea bags...Tetley's - specifically the round ones with the holes in them - apparently these are for the in-country management. I wonder if this is an initiative test to check I've read the paperwork ;o) Mrs. W informs me that these very items are on offer in Somerfield at this present moment. So a quick stock up is required before packing. Better make sure I've procured an ample sufficiency to keep everyone happy....working on the premise it's amazing what people will do for a good cuppa ;o)

More excuses for a girlies celebration

...as if they were ever needed ;o)

Mrs. W's birthday, the end of my tenure, & Lou-la-belle moving on with her company due to the closure of the depot at which she currently works. With the company's blessing she’d acquired a load of Boots goodies...vanity cases stuffed with loads of different eye colours & make-up brushes, jewellery boxes, handcream & body lotions, humongous packs of fake tan - sufficient to coat a few elephants or possibly even a coach-load of WAGs. So much contraband in fact, her flat was about to burst! Last night the goods were off-loaded to us from her car boot in a very surreptitious manner, & we all went away laden down with carrier bags full of goodies...I'm pretty sure to onlookers it must have looked particularly dodgy, like something out of an episode of 'Only Fools & Horses'....extremely funny though!!!

Maybe it was just the Gin, but it has to be said I did get a bit weepy & over-emotional by the end of the night.

Over & out

Had hoped to just quietly slope off to the pub for few drinks and then disappear but my boss had other ideas. He'd been conniving in the background :o/ Various people had provided pics and anecdotes of my exploits over the time I've been there which had been collated into a slide show which was projected to the assembled masses. Couldn't get over how many people had turned up - they'd opened both sides of the large conference room & there were people stuffed in standing at the back! The slides encompassed a fair amount of stuff I'd have happily had left buried, & excruciatingly embarrassing but having said that some quite amusing to be reminded of. Some very touching things said & needless to say I ended up a bit weepy. Presented with a lovely new suitcase, beautiful beaten pewter photo frame, some handmade jewellery, a large box of very yummy chocolates, & huge bouquet of flowers, as well as books & specially compiled CDs for the flight. Mrs. W also gave me a lovely pewter token with a compass on one side & the message "to find your way" on the reverse which I will carry with me on my travels. With any luck our sneaky-beaky guys have inbuilt a secret homing device in case I get sold into the white slave trade or lost in the desert! ;o)

Even after all of that, plus clearing my desk, re-signing the Official Secrets Act and handing back the phone, Blackberry, access pass etc., it still feels completely surreal...as if I'm having some time off but will go back there as usual at some point. After almost 10 & a half yrs it's hard to believe I've walked away. Anyway...best bury the sentimental stuff....

Got up before I went to bed

in order to get down to London for the last Manpower Planning session. That probably sounds very committed of me but to be honest it was all due to the fact that one of the panelists is the HR Director for the House of Lords and had not only offered to host the meeting, but also laid on a private tour for the group. So having caught the 6am train in order to get there I was not best pleased when a signaling fault was announced introducing inevitable delays. Needless to say I had a bit of a frantic dash across the City but managed to get to Westminster Palace, gently 'glowing' as we ladies do when we exert ourselves, just as they were about to set off. We had a fab tour of the House of Commons & House of Lords with our guide pointing out all the points of interest and explaining some of the history behind the traditions on which the establishment works. It was absolutely fascinating. I love architecture so thoroughly enjoyed simply looking round the Palace which is so full of detail in every area from the windows, stone mullion work, carvings, to the tapestries, to the tiles and even the door hinges - absolutely magnificent! And to top it all we had the Workforce Planning session in one of the chambers complete with the gold portcullis insignia on each of the red leather chairs...don't think I'll ever have a meeting anywhere near a grandiose again. Experience of a lifetime.

Running round

like an idiot at the moment. Didn't stop today & was shredding documents whilst eating a sandwich at lunch time....can't believe how much stuff I've accumulated :o/

Bit of respite tomorrow - I'm in London at the House of Lords don't you know ;o) - last workshop on manpower planning. Early start though, got to catch the 6am train :o(

Back in the office Thurs with a couple of final meetings and then obviously clearing up Friday... weird thought believe me...

I really can't believe I'm going....

The itinerary for the trip next week has brought everything into focus!...woke up in a cold sweat about what to wear for the Embassy last night...that should be the least of my worries but I need to be smart and covered up...and none of my trouser suits fit any more...crisis!

PS.> In case you're wondering, I have to worry about the trivial stuff so I can block out the major issues...

I have the bestest friends

Who couldn't fail to be amused &

delighted with a message like this?

"My darling one....

been reading your blog and am super proud of you.

You are so brainy and smart and brave... I think I would have a major wobbly at the thought of anyone being an insurgent, let alone if I thought I had just met one!!! If I can help or anything... let me know. I want to come and see you off at the airport!!!

Amanda xxx

PS I've got a good friend working at the Embassy in Kabul...she says she will stand you an orangeade!!!!

PPS Can't ring as teenagers on the phone......"

friends are like human comfort blankets

Amanda you're a complete star!!! xxxxx

Girlies, I wrote the 'Sick Bucket' post as a thank you to you all, rather than just 'cos I'm off on my travels. I know I've had my head up my bottom for some time....so all of a sudden you’re a gynaecologist? (written with a Jewish accent!) and I just wanted to say how much it's means having all of you there.

The new job's both exciting and daunting in equal measures but I’m looking forward to it. Needed a bit of adventure before I become too old and stale to do it but I'm still the same me & won't be losing touch with any of you...unless I cause a Diplomatic incident... in which case please can someone arrange for Colin Firth to be flown out to rescue me à la Brigit Jones ;o)