Just as an FYI –

The next several weeks are going to be full of craziness and stress. 

Friday I lose my internet connection (and PC) at work – it gets packed in a box and shipped to my counterpart (who is yet to be hired but that’s another story).  The rest of the month I will be in the office sporadically – as the wires are pulled, furniture is liquidated, movers come and go, charities come get what else no one wants and then the haulers come get the rest.  All that in 11 days (yes it includes week ends).  Everything has to be gutted down to the bare walls (including the cores in the concrete floor and the ceiling patched with fire retardant material).  We lock the doors, turn over the keys and turn out the lights 2/28. 

Lots of mixed feelings – the big boss took us out for the dept. good bye lunch today – fancy schmancy at Roy’s – Hawaiian fusion food….interesting but the best part was the desert – chocolate volcano – YUM!  Got to see if the chef will part with the recipe…a dense chocolate cake with warm chocolate filling with vanilla bean ice-cream on the side in a pool of raspberry puree.  Definitely for chocoholics!

Got 3 more ‘bye’ parties coming up – the Controller is taking out the core staff on Wed for Hunan, the President is taking everyone in the company out on Thursday and the staff who are not relocating to NC are having their own party on Friday.  I’ve ordered ‘I Survived 2/17’ t-shirts for my staff and before anyone gets on their high horse – its been a VERY long time since I’ve worked with such a wonderful dedicated group of professionals.  These people have known since June that they would not have jobs and they still have worked late hours and week ends to ensure a smooth transition  to the new staff at NC, including putting together ‘how to’ manuals on their own jobs and cross training.  I’m proud to know each and every one of them. 

Between March 1 and the 15 I will be selling stuff, packing and arranging to the move to a new life – joining my sister in Texas.  Bottom line of all of this is that I will not be on line from 2/17 to 3/15.  So don’t read anything into my absence except that I’m ‘unplugged and mobile’.  As soon as I land I’ll post an update. 

As my youngest says, “I’ll love and miss you all until next time.”

Kate