15 Years!....and lunch at The Living Room, Nottingham
This time 15 years ago, I was reluctantly serving notice at Center Parcs where I'd worked for about 5 years, as a non contracted (what became 0 hour contract) reservations assistant, nursery nurse and baby sitter. I loved Center Parcs - it's whole ethos, the villages themselves and as for my job - especially reservations, it was lots of strange hours with a bunch of ladies who I really enjoyed working with. We had started off in a tiny office on one of the villages before moving to a swish head office, we had lots of "experiences"...for example coming in to find the cleaning lady collapsed with a black bag over her head..we thought she was dead but the heat in the coffee room had overcome her and the position of the bin bag was just unfortunate, a spider plant which dripped water into a monitor during our shift one evening and set it alight, I once spoke to the late Sheridan Morley who wanted to buy gift vouchers, there was the lady who called wanting to visit Longleat but was frightened they would be attacked by lions when leaving their villa, the man who rang from a villa asking us to get someone to come and kill a spider "as big as a boat that's just rowed across the living room" and the lady who really wanted a holiday but had a tree phobia. I did a diverse range of things while I worked there which really broadened my horizons but I was working well over 50 hours a week over the 3 roles and earning lots less than I should.
Then along came a new company, they were recruiting hard and a couple of the people I was working with defected and said some very encouraging things. I didn't relish working in an office full time, I'd not long qualified as a Nursery Nurse and wanted a job in a school, but I did want more stability and thought the money would be a great boost for a couple of months to tide me over until something I enjoyed came along.
Special times (and the shoulders of special people!!) |
I started out working in the Customer Relations Department, but knew straight away that I wanted to work in Fraud, I made it within a year and a couple of months later I was lucky enough to be sitting with a group of people Helen, Ince and Jasmine when a manager sat down with us and asked us to form a team. We became a really special and successful unit, people came and went with me and Helen surviving until the end which came when the inevitable happened at the end of last year and the work was moved to cut costs, my little work family all kept roles within the area and by then I had become Technical Expert for my sins and was still needed within the general area.
Losing 10 inches of my hair for the Little Princess Trust |
We have had a lot of laughs but also shed many a tear, but we all still keep in touch even if it's just via Facebook and when we can we will meet up for a meal and a catch up. I'm not sure what the future holds, no jobs are jobs for life any more, but I love what I do, I wish I wasn't so busy and I'm anxious that work is taking me away from my family when it is busy, like now, but I love the constant surprises and challenges and I love the feeling of familiarity that comes with working somewhere for a long time, the people that have become a work family of sorts.
Digging manure for Brinsley Animal Rescue |
To celebrate mine and others 15 year milestone we were treated to a couple of hours away from our desks to go for a meal with the top man, at The Living Room in Nottingham.
Here is what I had
The Chocolate Pave Delicious, the pave was not too bitter or too sweet and it melted in the mouth but had substance The peanut powder was an interesting addition, a peanutty not sweet sherbet and the ice cream was creamy and full of taste but not salty enough for a salted caramel which is often the case, the caramel sauce a sweet touch bringing it all together. |
I love your take on life ... it makes me smile :) You are a special person and you always seem to find time for the important things. I'm honoured to work with you. Well done for making it to 15 years xXx
ReplyDeleteLovely blog Maria, Miss you every day ! love sharon
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