Retired!!!

Can you believe it, yesterday was my last day at work after nearly thirty years in the public service (or adjacent). I had a lovely week - busy, because parliament was sitting - but I made to sure to enjoy my last shifts, and my last meetings, and everyone wished me well and made a point of saying hello as I wandered about (getting my exit form signed off!) and it was generally a very nice vibe. I am so lucky to be able to leave on a relative high - without being sick of my job or hating it or being too old or unwell to continue - it is a rare privilege. Definitely bittersweet.

I wrote my retirement into some meeting papers and one parliamentary speech to make sure I got acknowledged (yes, I know, but if you want something done do it yourself) - and the member in question went beyond the bland sentence I'd written for some more heartfelt thanks, which was lovely and will now live in Hansard forever :) My other committee gave me a present (silk scarf, indigenous print, very pretty) and we had a cheesey photo in front of the flags.

My job is often on camera, which is normally not good, but it means there is a visual record of some of the past years! For your last shift they send in the official photographer with the telephoto lens ... the prime minister was giving a speech at the time so I did not realise it was me being snapped - and would also explain the smiling. We usually do the poker face but if the PM cracks a dad joke you're allowed to smile (photo credit Auspic, thank you for getting ALL my chins).

I also often pop up on the background of the news, which is a bit disconcerting.

Most famously, when one of the opposition front benchers dressed up as Tina Turner. I am very proud of my poker face in this shot because I was internally giving Much Sideye.

So there you have it, on to the new adventure!!!!! It feels so strange to be done with this stage of life but I am ready for the next one.