Tuesday 1st October 2024

Every day from today will have the annotation "AS" to mark it from the day my previous manger left.

Jools had been concerned, as I have not had an issue with a manager in the twenty years we have known each other, but this has been on another level.

I guess things began to fall apart when we had the team event in Denmark in April, when it was left to us to make arrangements, even me to arrange places to eat in the evening. Difficult when its a party of ten, and six of them are vegetarians.

Things became personal in May, and I was in a bad place prior to my vacation at the end of the month, so the pressure and stressed eased.

But upon my return it ramped up once again. Was it one thing?

No, but a culmination of things and events meant I had an event in August and needed to take a week off.

The first priority as a manager should be your team, and when they are experienced, listen to them.

That never happened, it was like talking to a brick wall, like they heard the words but didn't listen, or it sink in.

I seemed to be singled out, so it came that I felt I had to request a transfer due to mental health issues.

Now, I know this might not be the highest priority, that no action was taken for two weeks left me with no other choice than to call for a meeting.

In the meeting I was accused of being insubordinate, which is a joke, because, and you'll have to believe me here, that if I were to be insubordinate, there would be no doubt.

The result of this was that I intended to resign this week, and for some reason I chose Wednesday for the resignation day.

The entire department was on the verge of resigning, and all looking for new roles. As was I. I came close, but was let down, and my colleague Henrik was offered a new role on Monday.

But by then, things had changed.

A mail came out from our manager's manager that changes were happening, and when I looked at the mail I found that our manager was to finish work on the next Monday afternoon.

Coming on the last day of vacation, on our first day back home, it all seems too perfect.

And yet it happened.

So, Tuesday, it was time to get back on top of the job, and get things under control.

I spent most of the day scouring my inbox for mails and documents, uploading them where needed.

I fielded calls, and made then to explain changes in circumstances and such.

It was like I was high on something, free of the weight on my shoulders, and back in control without my decisions being questioned.

More rain, but also sunshine later in the afternoon. So I went out and found two small Scarlet Pimpernel plants just about to open. Another new native plant species for our garden. And a win.

So, a day with sunshine, no evil boss and Jools was going to be late as she is off in the morning for 24 hours to collect Jen from Heathrow on Thursday morning.

So, home alone for 24 hours.

We had Caprese for dinner, and the last of the halloumi and chipotle bread and wine.

Whatever, it hit the spot. And with Jools not getting home until half six, by the time we were packed away and ready for the evening, Norwich were to kick off against Dirty Leeds on the tellybox.

So, Jools went to bed early, and I watched football, with the game ending in a fair 1-1 draw.