Day off!

Today is a wonderful day 

As I am now off work until Sunday

The feeling is amazing 

Having worked four long shifts the last four days 

I am more than ready for a rest

Work is going well

Of course I am still very green

And forgetting things left, right and centre 

But look

I am doing my best 

And they tell me in work that I am flying it

Yesterday 

I was on with Georgina 

And she deliberately left me on my own to do breakfast and lunch 

I had a bit of a crisis of confidence in the morning 

As I dished out too many bowls of porridge 

And it went cold 

And had to reheated 

But 

As Georgina says 

You live and learn 

My colleagues couldn't be more helpful 

They are endlessly patient

And always willing to lend a hand 

There are to chefs who also work in the kitchen 

They are brothers 

32 and 38 

I was helping one of them prepare chicken yesterday afternoon 

And he asked me what age I am 

I told him to guess 

He said 23 

Ha!

That made my day 

He couldn't believe that was 34

I love to give people a good shock sometimes 

Anyway 

I am settling in well 

And finding my bearings slowly but surely 

Georgina is an amazing lady 

I was chatting with her over tea and toast yesterday 

Her background is in hotels 

And you can really tell

She doesn't waste a bit of energy 

Every move she makes 

She is doing something productive

She moves at lightning speed 

And manages beautifully the balance between hard work

And having the craic 

She is someone I really look up to 

She is a working woman 

With a busy family life 

It can't be easy 

But she makes it look effortless 

I am really enjoying work though 

I get up

At 7 am

To be in work for 8am

I prepare the breakfast 

Which is just a continental one

Then I have a cuppa 

Before the guests arrive 

The dining by room is up stairs

And the kitchen is down stairs 

So I have a path worn on that stairs 

There is a dumb waiter to put the food in

Which essentially is a small lift for the food

I serve the food 

Chat to the guests

And try to keep on top of things 

It was mostly ladies in this week

With only a couple of men

And they are so lovely 

They are people who don't have much money 

And going away on holiday is a massive thing for them 

I told the ladies that I wouldn't see them again 

As they are all leaving Thursday 

And I'm not back until Sunday 

Well let me tell you 

I got hugs and kisses and such lovely compliments 

That truly made all the  hard work so very worth it

The chef keeps a small dinner for me every day 

And I have to say 

The food is really tasty 

It's none of your fancy stuff 

Just honest home cooking done well

My favourite kind

Sometimes I get a chance to eat it 

Sometimes I don't 

And in that case I will bring it home 

And split it with mam 

So 

After breakfast 

I wash up 

Clean the dining my room 

As reset it for lunch 

Which takes a little while 

Lunch is at 1pm 

And it's three courses

So there's quite a bit to do 

I swear I am on my feet all the time 

And it's exhausting 

Draining 

By the end of the day 

I am pretty wrecked 

All I can do is flake out on the couch L

But it's a nice feeling 

A feeling that I've really earned my rest 

Even writing this post 

I keep nodding off

I mentioned my Dad in a post a few days ago 

And that he received some bad news about his health 

To be honest 

I am in denial about the whole thing

And work is a great distraction

You might remember that I went to Dublin with him a few weeks ago

To see a consultant neurologist 

And Dad had some tests done

Basically he is losing the power in his hands and arms 

And it seems to be getting worse all the time 

So last week 

He got the results 

And the consultant thinks it might be MND 

Dad has to go to the top neurologist in the country for a definite diagnosis

I had never head of MND

It's short for motor neuron disease

So it's really serious 

I was speaking to Georgina about it 

And her sister has it 

She is only 42

She asked me if I know much about MND

Which I don't 

She said not to read up on it 

It will only upset me 

I have deliberately not looked it up 

I really just don't want to know at the moment 

Because I know it will break my heart 

Of course I will find out for myself 

But at this moment 

Ignorance is bliss

Dad has asked me not to tell anyone 

But I need to talk to people 

I can't bottle this 

I need an outlet 

Anyway 

All we can really do is make the most of the time now, while he is still relatively ok

One thing Gergina said 

Is that we have a long and hard road against us 

But it's my Dad I feel sorry for 

Right 

I'm off to have a sleep 

I can barely keep my eyes open 

See you on the next post....