The Countdown

Here we are finally. Three days away from Orientation. I thought I might drop on in and give you an update on the status here at casa Jo.

After several months of fighting the good fight with the government bureaucrats and filling in reams of forms, dotting my i's crossing my t's, writing essays and conducting interviews, attending seminars and taking tests, I found out the day before Christmas that I was able to get the full grant to pay for part of my school tuition. Unlike Brian who took the larger leap of faith by quitting his job outright and taking a loan out for school I have been very, very lucky. I will have a severance package and I will have this grant money to help me pay for my tuition. It's a nice bit of mental sanity to have that cushion.

My job 'Officially' ended on December 30th, but I've been out of the office now for quite some time working from home and ending things slowly. I've had time to mentally transition out of 'employee' mode. Last night at the dinner table someone groaned saying that everyone had to go back to work on Monday, four others groaned in sympathy and I had to sit there for a second before it finally came to me like a freight train roaring up from my toes and tingling to me head. "Not Me!", I shouted. They all laughed and I could feel my face turn red. I guess I am pretty damn happy about all of this.
I brought husband over to see the school on Tuesday. I had to go and try on my uniform, order my jackets and pick up my kit and text books.
He was surprised at how small the school was but he was impressed with the staff and thought that it was nice that quite a few of the kitchens are on street level with large windows. I'm sure it will feel a bit fishbowl at first but I'll get used to people looking in as they stroll by.
I have been cooking a lot over these last few weeks. Getting my chops up, trying things I haven't tried to cook before. Hanging out for 8 hours in the kitchen. The only thing I think I will miss at school is cooking with music on.
So strike up the band and set the clock to countdown. We're on the way.

Comments

[Brian]

Back in October when I was applying for all of this, I thought January would arrive before you knew it, but it feels like I have been waiting forever for this week.

I expect to spend much of Wednesday with a big stupid grin on my face.

See ya there.