Fabulous Friday - Bittersweet Goodbyes

So yesterday was the end of an era for me.  It was my last day of my job, life and daily family interactions with a great bunch of people.  I am heart broken to have said my goodbyes and ready, and and willing to step forward into my new life, world and chapter to a great adventure.

As I have described to many, yesterday felt like the day you first move out of your parents home, into the unknown, the new, the scary and the exciting world out there.

In the morning they brought me donuts, my favorite!  I may have had more than my share but they sure were yummy!

For lunch my wonderful boss took me out to lunch.  It was great to sit and BS about all of the fun things we used to chat about when we carpooled together to work.  I'm gonna miss those fun chats. It's hare to believe that my morning routine of putting my lunch in the fridge by his desk and sitting and chatting for a few minutes waiting for 7am to start are now over.  I stood there yesterday morning thinking, this is it.  This the last time for many things I've come to enjoy and have gotten so used to be my normal daily habits here.

I continued to work like a normal day up until the last hour.  I wasn't sure how to handle it being the end so I just kept doing what was normal.  Worked and processed cases till they told me to stop.

At 3pm my boss sent out an email to all of us asking us to meet for a quick meeting in our cave.  Our cave being an empty filing room that is right next to our area, where we would go for private unit meetings. We all piled in there and sat around waiting for my boss to join us.

When he walked in he was carrying an over flowing gift bag.  Oh my god!  This meeting is for me!  I really wasn't sure if they were going to say or do much.  The bag was full of wonderful goodies.  On the very top was a mini "Nothing Bundt Cake". Yum!!  White White Chocolate.  I can't wait to dig into that later. Next were some random joke item that my boss is famous for giving out.  A packet of Wet Ones Wipes and a key chain that said Jamaica.  LOL  OK Sir. It wouldn't have felt right if i hadn't gotten these item. They go well with my Secret Santa gift I got from him a few years ago. A toothbrush. Lol. Next was something large wrapped up in tissue paper.  When I open it my eyes get big!  It's a 49ers Fleece Blanket!  Yes!!!  This Niner Girl can NEVER have enough 49ers blankets or 49ers Anything!  and as they all know my cubicle has ALWAYS been full of 49ers stuff.  Perfect gift guys!

Next were two more items wrapped in tissue paper.  Victoria Secret "Dreams" lotion and scented mist.  It smells incredible and I am excited to use it!

Of course in the bag was a card.  A lovely card signed by everyone in the unit and a photo of our group.  The photo was only about 2 months old but there have already been so many changes made to the group.  3 have also left over the past couple of months and 3 new arrivals that didn't make it to the photo.  But the photo was of a group that I have come to love and cherish over the years.  It was a beautiful addition.

My boss then made a small speech. Of the long amount of time I have been in the unit both as a contracted worker from another agency as well as the recent time as a full fledged member.  I was the person with the most seniority in the unit right below him.  Now the next in line gets to move up.  He mentioned my time in the agency even before coming to our unit and the total combined 13 years I have been there and the vast amount of knowledge I brought with me that will be so very missed.

The words he said were extremely touching. It was great to hear that my knowledge and hard work have not gone unnoticed all of these years. I'll be honest. There were several times I had felt that they were. 

When we were finished and i started heading back to my desk to finish some last case files before the end of my work day at 4pm I hear my boss start laughing.
Evidently when he submitting the request for my access and accounts to be terminated at 4pm he made an error in typing. He received an email stating my access was turned off at 3pm. I still had a case ending and incomplete. Still had emails to respond to. I wanted to send put a goodbye email to those who weren't in our building. I wanted to complete the exit interview survey they  emailed to me. Nope. Nope. And nope. None of that was getting done now. I'm officially done. But with 45 minutes to sit  around and wait. I guess it was a good time top make my rounds and say some goodbyes. 

I loved my job more than anything.  I love what I did and enjoyed every day that I was there doing it. I, of course also had some issues with some individuals but I have already touched on that so I don't want to get into that here.  This post is about the good.  The things I will miss. 

I will miss the jokester of a boss I had. I will miss the dry, quick witted sarcasm and sense of humor from my investigators. I will miss the sweet faces of some of the kindest most living people I have had the pleasure of meeting. 

Now, I prepare for Monday. Monday begins a whole new world. New adventures. New duties. New responsibilities and some new faces. I'm up for the challenge and I'm ready for everything coming my way. 

Bring it on, World!