It's been difficult to find time to blog when you're either working or sleeping. Literally, I feel like that's all I've done in the last 2 months since I posted last. Work a billion hours, sleep a few hours, get up, and do it all over again. I've had several locals ask me if I live upstairs at Mitchell's. It would probably be easier if I did!
BUT! Things are changing, and rather rapidly, I might add.
On Monday, I am starting a new job! I will be taking over for my good friend Mairi Bunce at the Ardgowan Hotel as their Reservations and Marketing Manager. The Bunce's are moving to Austria toward the end of the summer, and Mairi was nice enough to pass me along some info about her job. Literally, within the span of about 3 days, I was applying, interviewing, and being offered the job, which left me the fun task of trying to submit my month's required notice to my current job while my boss was on holiday for 2 1/2 weeks.
I am excited about this new job and the new possibilities. I have been in the restaurant industry for nearly all of my working life and have never really had the opportunity to branch out into different fields. I almost feel as though I've been doing this job already in addition to running a restaurant. I'm just ready for a change of pace. I know working 14 hours a day is difficult for anyone, but you seriously don't know exhaustion until you've been on your feet, running around a restaurant for the entirety of your 14 hour shift.
In all fairness though, I was lucky to get the job at Mitchell's. A guaranteed pay amount every month, an opportunity to serve the people of St. A, and some great friends to work with. And it came along with perfect timing... when we were getting pulled closer and closer to financial doom - meaning, either taking out another massive loan or going back to America in December. I am thankful for the time that I've had there and the skills that I've developed, and hopefully the stress I experienced will help me appreciate every other job I have for the rest of my life.
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| Josh and me on Wine and Cheese Tuesday! |
ALSO! Clay has finally gotten his offer letter for the PhD program! We were a bit worried for a while, as everyone else was getting their letters, and the professor that Clay originally wanted to work with decided to take a year of research leave. But, all he has left to do is do well on his MLitt dissertation and we're here for the long haul. We finally have some definite answers about our future here and I couldn't be more relieved.
Let's see. What else has happened? Clay and I celebrated our fourth anniversary, we're already trying to make plans to go back to America at Christmastime, and we still don't have any children and they are not on the radar. We do have some pretty sweet names though. Newest one? Fife. What a hipster that kid's gonna be.
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| what i imagine little Fife to look like! I'm positive she will have terrible eyesight like her mother and read books like her father. |
I've got all the windows open in the flat and I understand now why very few places here have air conditioning. If it's 57 degrees in June. in JUNE! I also picked up a snail last night on the way home. a SNAIL!
Ok, I've clearly run out of things. Until next time!
Carmen
