Well since my last post things have progressed better than I could have hoped. I have been confirmed in my my new post and I am now officially have the job. I have lots of training and tests in front of me before I am fully licensed, but with the support and training I am receiving from my colleagues, I am optimistic I will pass. I have completed the forms for the Federation and they have been sent in and I am now waiting for my training pack to arrive and, once it does, I can start to get more in depth training on the role.
The team I have joined is a small but great group of people. I'm not going to go into detail but the support I have received from them all has been fantastic. Over all the other people I have encountered in this initial period who, whilst not being based at the main work place , have also been great as have the managers and team leaders - I couldn't have asked for more support.
I would be lying if I said I have no regrets about leaving my last work place - I have far more positive memories than negative and I would still be there if it wasn't for recent history. I loved the sense of satisfaction I got from doing the smallest of changes for our service users. The simplest of things could give them a whole new lease of life, and the resulting smile would brighten the day. So thank you for the opportunity to make a difference to so many, to make life that little bit easier for many, to help the passing of those who were at the end of their time in their own home with their loved ones and especially to the team members who I still hope to consider friends.
On another even more positive note. I was brought to having tears in my eyes twice in one evening by my wonderful No2 daughter Rhiannon. Away with Mary for a few days in Southport, I was the victim of a scheme planned by her, Chelsea and Mary. We went out for a meal and whilst there I was officially asked by Rhi to be her real Daddy and she presented me with papers that do just that. She has changed her name to Slater and when she and Chelsea get married that will be their married name. To think that this wonderful young lady thinks enough of the grumpy old man I can be to want to do this means more than I can say. I didn't know what to say then and even now I still don't. That was the first time on that evening she brought tears to my eyes. The second was when she did an industrial piercing on my ear and fitted the bar. Like my tattoos and other piercings they were done with a specific personal reason to me. This newest one will now forever mean something special as a memorial to the night I became Rhi's Daddy.
