Der Weihnachtsbaum

"The Xmas tree" arrived in town.  In the course of the next 10 days in will be decorated and then when the Xmas Market opens (24th November), all the lights will be switched on.  I'll try to get a Blip of that.

So.  Friday The 13th.  November.

It's date with many positive associations for me.

In 2010 it was my last day of work in the UK (apart from all the packing work).  I had 9 days to get ready for leaving the UK.  But as I left the office, I wasn't focussed on that.  I was just thinking "Thank Duck that's the last time I come back here".

It was not an unhappy parting.  Well, from my side anyway.  And while I miss a few of the People, I do not miss anything else.

I adopted a very Noël Coward approach to every New Idea That Management Had - rather than be stuck for something positive to say about their New Plan  I used to say "I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to discussing/implementing it", meant in much the same way as Coward used to say "Darling, you've done it again!" when faced with having to be polite about some execrable performance.

I can, on the other hand, tell you how much I'm looking forward to future. 

Stretch your arms out really wide.  As far as you can.  Get someone with really long arms, like Oliver the Orangutang*, to stand beside you and ask him to do the same.  That's a tiny, tiny percentage of How Much.

It was a Great Decision.  And one I've never regretted.

*And if you had to get Oliver** to stop what he was doing to come help you, tell him I said I'll make it up to him.  And if all the people in your house /office are wondering why you've got your arms stretched out and where the Orangutan came from, just tell them that it's a way to relax when you've been working at the computer and he's your Accredited Personal Exerciser.

** You can also go with orangutan & orang-utan, orangutang, or orang-utang