Funny Old Life aint it?

So having been really miffed at having to come back to work after one of the best holidays ever, I was not looking forward to getting back into the particular rut that I had crawled out of for the 2 week break. I hadn't realised just how frustrated I was and was always trying to put a brave face on it simply to convince myself rather than others that everything was dandy.

Well, only half a day back in, I got a phone call from someone in the U.S. who is several levels above me on the project that I have been working on for the past 2 years basically sounding me out to take on a project role that would have me leading a global team and reporting directly to her. She told me that whilst I was away there had been a pretty high level powwow about a new organisation for the project delivery phase and that no less than 3 people had put my name forward as the obvious candidate for this particular role. I of course played it cool and told her that I would need to think about it over the weekend. I was being chased again yesterday for an answer (keen or what?).

So to cut a story that is getting longer by the minute, short, I have accepted. I am really looking forward to a new challenge, some autonomy of operation and the opportunity to do what I know I can do best.
However it doesn't end there. Firstly I have to travel to the U.S. next week to get things underway and then today I was asked if I would go to a project workshop for a week at the end of the month IN TOKYO!!
Now to visit Japan has been an ambition of mine simply forever and now the company is going to pay me to go there. Look forward to some more pics guys and some culinary tales!

Post holiday Bliss & Blues

OK, so here we go with some holiday memories and reflections tinged with sadness that it is all over.

The Highs

Firstly, what a lovely island Mauritius (Ile Maurice) is.

The resort, the people and the general ambience of the place was a tonic and just what I needed to counteract all of the stress of this year at work and in my personal life.

It is such a shame that these lovely people are being taken advantage of by the holiday companies. When you compare the prices being charged by these companies with the standard of compensation and living of the local people, it is all too clear that someone is making a killing.

We stayed at a hotel named Beau Rivage and were overawed by the standard of service and the beautifully kept gardens, pool, restaurants (4 of them) and the beach.

We were not allowed to raise a finger for ourselves with staff even spotting when you were about to clean your sunglasses and immediately rushing to your aid to spray and clean the lenses for you!

We spent most of our time on the beach and at the pool soaking up the sun and swimming as well as taking advantage of the free water sports facilities, the gym and the cycles available to explore the local towns.

We also spent a day touring the north of the island where we submerged to a depth of 35 metres in a submarine on the reef and the wreck of a Japanese ship. Afterwards we visited the almost unpronounceable Sir Seewoogasur Ramgoolam botanical gardens which used to be named Pamplemousses Gardens.

Mrs Deejay dressed in a Sari for dinner on a special Indian Dinner evening.

The Lows

Well actually there was only one and that was having to leave to come home, facing a 12 hour flight and knowing that my next significant activity would be to resume work – ugh!

I am now going to commence catching up on the blog postings of my ‘blog family’ as Merelyme so aptly described this wonderful group of cyber friends

Hi Guys, I'm home!

Hi everyone, just got home yesterday from my holidays.
I will be posting more hopefully this weekend including some photos (from the nearly 200 that I took!) of the idyllic island of Mauritius.
Well done to all of you who correctly guessed it, but as Furtheron said, the Dodo reference probably gave it away.

Thanks to all of you who have posted comments and sent me emails asking where I was and when I was going to return. It is wonderful to have a group of friends in cyberspace. I will respond to those who have mailed me and I will try to get some holiday posts up soon.

Couldn't resist this one!

I Probably didn't discard it as it obviously appeals to my ego.
Funny isn't it how you do some of these and think - I am not posting that!

You Are Incredibly Logical

Move over Spock - you're the new master of logic You think rationally, clearly, and quickly. A seasoned problem solver, your mind is like a computer!

How Logical Are You?

Where am I going?

A little teaser for you whilst I am away on holiday.
Can you determine where I will be?

A French Republic island territory at 20 degrees south
It also has a Portuguese and Dutch history.
It was home to the Dodo before extinction.

No prizes I am afraid!
No cheating Furtheron as I think you already know where I am heading!

Apologies

I am sorry that this has been a bit of a boring blog site over the past week, but I have been rather preoccupied.
I am going on holiday at the beginning of next week and have been attempting to get all sorts of loose ends sorted at work before I go and have not had time to post this week.

So I promise to try to find time and an interesting topic to post about this coming weekend and then when I return in 2 weeks time I will regale you with tales from the beach and the bar. Hopefully I won't have any airport queue and delay horror stories!

Weekend snippets

This weekend was reasonable as far as the weather was concerned. Not too hot and not consistent sunshine but good enough to get out into the garden and on the allotment.
We cut the last of this year's cucumbers this weekend, had what is probably the penultimate picking of peas from the allotment

and the last pickings of runner beans. The raspberry canes continue to deliver up small offerings of fruit and the carrots are still good to pull.

All this is really good timing as we are off on holiday for 2 weeks next Tuesday and I would have hated for all this produce to go to waste. Oh and did I mention the tomatoes? Well they are cropping really well this year in the greenhouse but the ones we planted outdoors have suffered from all the rain.
Here are some garden pics



and also one of three dragonflys that were buzzing around the garden all weekend.