And then the second half of the week..

Well just when the kittens were starting to look a lot better, more drama struck. Wednesday was a particularly busy day and my mind was very preoccupied with all that's going on. We are packing up our offices for a big move to new offices, I had a half hour conversation with Robynne who is building up a resistance to her job due to the nasty bitchy people who work there. She had driven to work, driven past and gone home because she has been suffering from flu and just couldn't face her work environment that day. After that I was handling work issues when my computer started playing up and I had to call our technicians to come in and fix it. As they were busy with that, I picked up my phone and went to the ladies room. I placed my cellphone on the windowsill while I was busy and after washing my hands, discovered there was no paper handtowel and went to the other loo to use the towel dispenser there. Then I popped into the kitchen to make some tea and went back to my office. The IT guys left and after some time, when I looked for my phone, wondering why it was so quiet, I discovered I didn't have it. I realised that I hadn't really seen it since I picked it up to go to the ladies but when I searched for it, it was nowhere to be found. I tried ringing it and although it rang normally before going through to voicemail, it could not be heard ringing in our office. I was totally freaked out. Often when I have a lot on my mind, I become forgetful and don't focus on what I'm doing. When I have a lot on my mind, I have learnt not to use the ATM either because that's when I end up doing something stupid.

So after an afternoon of ranting and raving to no avail, I had to accept my phone was gone. I have a loan phone from my boss now which is quite basic but will have to do for now until I can sort out a new phone for myself.

On Wednesday afternoon, I started packing the contents of the stationery cupboard into what eventually became seven boxes. On Thursday, I packed up a lot of files from the cupboards of two PA's who have been retrenched. In the afternoon, as I walked back to my office across the carpark, I heard a distinctive chirp from the tree, like "Chee-cheep". It didn't sound like a wild bird and it drew my glance up. High in a tree above the rooftops sat a large white bird with a plume on its head. I squinted in the afternoon sun to try and identify what I was looking like. It looked like a parrot. I went inside to dump my paperwork and called one of my colleagues who came out with me and agreed that it definitely looked like a parrot. It was cleaning its legs like a parrot does and rubbing its head against the branch while pacing up and down. I raced upstairs again to find the SPCA's phone number, got through to them and asked them if there had been any reports of lost cockatoo's. She looked on her system and found a name and number. A lady called Nicky had reported her bird missing. I phoned her and she was so excited. She had lost her bird from one road up from our park but four days ago. She was amazed that he was still alive and hadn't been caught by a bird of prey. I told her where to come and went out to call to the bird. She had said he was very tame and that if I called "Diego Scratch Scratch" he might come to me. Sadly I didn't have the opportunity to embarrass myself by calling this out as...the bird had flown! He's in the area but there are a lot of trees. I really wanted to reunite him with his owner but it was not to be. I have her number though in case he returns.

On Monday, we will move. Fortunately my boss has decided that I will be based at a satellite office still in this area as he and I both live locally and I have to liaise and meet with agents and clients relating to our properties also up in this area. He is advised by management that this must be a temporary setup but it will give me a bit of extra time to find another position more local than where our new head office is - about 25kms from where I work now and about 20kms from where I live. I visited the new office this week amid all the workmen busy putting in drywalling, cabling, blinds and reinstalling cupboards and shelves that have been taken out of our existing offices. From a garden setting where we are now, the office is moving to an office in factory wasteland. One side has a view of the freeway, another side a view of the river and the huge courier firm beyond. The inner courtyard has a garden setting with a modern pool and waterfalls. This kind of setup may suit some but I just didn't feel comfortable there. I feel a lot better knowing I will be staying close to home and to Brad's school. I will still be able to fetch him and he can spend the afternoon with me.

And now back to the rest of my packing. I'm surrounded by cardboard boxes and there's still a lot to do. I fully intend to do a lot of relaxing this weekend after such an intense and tiring week. Hope you all can do the same.