But When Adieu

My Dear Princess and Dear Fellow,

This is a meme Fazzy made to let everyone know the CST project was closing back in May. 

It seemed appropriate to re-use it today. 

Fridays are always very quiet in the office. So I arrived and chatted very briefly to some of the few people who were around. I also left a rather sentimental message* on the CST Family 4 Lyffe group chat. 

And I made a photo collage. Bloody love a collage, me.

I answered literally ONE work question (Ellie) and then Simon came to take me for a final coffee and 1:1. It was very non-work. We mainly talked telly. We also spent some time talking about Briar, who he sees as a "rising star".

This makes me happy. I certainly can't take credit for how amazing she is, but I like to think I helped raise her profile. She is very modest and does not blow her own trumpet. So I made it my mission to do it for her. 

Speaking of Briar, she was up all night monitoring data from her experiment. Consequently I woke up to a lovely video message saying goodbye and how sad she was not to be there. 

After the coffee and chat, Simon told me I may as well leave early. So I handed in my laptop and access card and buggered off before noon. This was handy because Caro was in town getting her eyelashes done. We met up at the station and got home to a lovely sunny afternoon in Paraparaumu.

I slept through most of it, mind you. I was SHATTERED from yesterday's exploits. 

I'm now writing this post-nap, feeling (and sounding) a little better. Briar's messages continue. I think she is lonely in Australia. She is threatening to knit me a hat.

I've told her we will of course stay in touch. I mean it. 

I obviously feel very sad about leaving a place that has been so happy for me, and where I've met so many wonderful people. The sadness is lessened by knowing I will stay in touch with them all. My Christmas diary is already filling with potential dates and exploits. 

It's also lessened by knowing that I've learned things that will help me in the next job. I'm determined to re-create what I've had here. 

It's lessened by the fact that the environment and the people I've grown to love is mostly gone anyway. You already know that most of my team has now moved on, and there are more moves coming.

So I'm not as sad as you might think on leaving Kainga Ora. But still there is sadness. What we had here was just so beautiful. And even if I can already talk about it in the past tense, it will always be part of my present too.

And when I think about it, I will always smile.

S.

* My Dear CST Whānau,I wanted to post a message to thank you for being the BEST TEAM EVERRRR.

It was actually two years ago tomorrow that I met Shenee online for the first time. I had no idea what was about to happen next.

I mean, I've been doing this stuff for 32 years now, and in that time I've met a lot of good people and made some great friends - but never ANTHING like this...!

I’m sure you all know how much you’ve come to mean to me. Being scooped up by this amazing CST family has made me so happy. 

Here are some favourite memories of the last 2 years…

A road trip around the South Island with April – stopping off at “Shag Point” and being made to do chicken noises in the street!

An epic carpool karaoke session with Losi heading to New Plymouth in a torrential rainstorm – followed by SHAOLIN SOCCER!

Early morning “And! So! Also! Things!” meetings with Ellie which always left us breathless with laughter (“Symon! I need to POO!”) and of course THAT WEDDING (who's crying? I'm not crying shut up....)

A guac-off with the maestro of Mexican food El Jefe! Duetting on "A View To A Kill" with him in K-Zone! Becoming an Imperial Stormtrooper on the back of his bike!

Carrying HUGE pizzas around Wellington city-centre with Jess who always referred to us as her "FABULOUS BA's!" Livin' La Vida Loca with her after MANY MANY SHOTS SO MANY SHOTS.

Learning… always learning from the master himself Sam Azaad – especially about bizarre food combinations...!

Being greeted with an enthusiastic SYMONNNNN by BRIARRRRR every morning and giggling hysterically while inserting puffles into a PowerPoint (you'll have to ask her to explain....)

Waffles with Corrie! SingalongaGrease in Whakatāne! And hugging each other goodbye for TEN WHOLE MINUTES oh Corrieeeee I never wanted to let you goooooooo...

Chips and ice cream! Performing skits! And getting stranded after chocolate shopping with my lovely work wife Fazzy in Hamilton! I swear it was an accident! But also THE BEST FUN.

Holding hands and CHEERING for a horse in the cinema with Shenee! Lady Gaga impressions! Running around and around a pillar in her hotel room in Auckland! THE AUSSIE SHEPHERD!!

I also remember home-cinema moments in hotels, surrealist art exhibits, selfies, memes, cat memes, bird plushies, gusto, red pandas, kung fu, wrinkly brains, ARMADILLOS, the pink parasaurolophus, Hamilton, hangovers, hair-flicks, Hugo, tears and laughter. 

A LOT of laughter. 

Thank you so much for being the people you are. I’m not going to miss you, because you’ll be coming along with me in my heart, wherever I go from now on.

(Also, I plan on seeing you often.)

Ngā mihi nui and arohanui,

"Stoffy"