The SnippEthel

Yesterday was my first day at work. After two years at Maggy Peppins with a bunch of great people (and a couple of evil ones), I was feeling a bit apprehensive for several reasons. There are only three people working there (one of them leaving next week). The two women (yes, girls only...) I will spend most of my time with have been working together for the past twenty years, they are much older and have kids my age... I guess we won't go for a pint after work!
Anyway, I arrived at Igolus on Monday morning at 9.30 and met the staff: Amanda the boss, Kate her assistant/admin/researcher & Nikky who is heavily pregnant with twins. Then I met Sarah who arrived last week to do some work experience. Guess what... yes, she is older than me... damn!
Amanda took almost all morning to tell me what I will have to do. Then I went for lunch with Sarah who went to the same university and told me our old alcoholic russian teacher is still in operation. In the afternoon, I had some time to get started and while going through my new contract of employment, I discovered I had been hired as a 'development manager'.... oooups!! I don't even know what that means. I guess this is going to get messy.

6am on Thursday morning. After a quick coffee, we put all our mess in the car, leave the keys in the kitchen and our flatmate Toto asleep in his bed. Here we go.

By 10.30, we are at the other end of the Tunnel, ready to cross France from North to South. Along the road, we see fields after fields, and in the middle of them, a dozen tiny square cemeteries in memory of the WW1 soldiers.

We pass Dijon and all the vineyards, and Lyon, where we will go back so soon. Finally, 12 hours later, we arrive in a little village where we will rest for a few days before the beginning of our new life.