Well, I am just back from my first afternoon at the charity shop. I was told off for being unsuitably dressed! I couldn't believe it. I don't work on the shop floor, just upstairs doing the dirty work so never seen by customers. But it is not appropriate for me to wear jeans or trainers, I have to wear "proper" trousers and shoes. I can't believe it's going to cost me money to volunteer there.
And I didn't have a particularly good time, but I'm trying to remind myself that I felt the same way at my previous shop and hopefully it'll get better... Ho hum
I hope that things get better quickly for you and that you start to really enjoy it soon.
I am now back in Holland and I have to admit that after we left Fiori at the DLR station yesterday (Sunday) afternoon at 2 pm UK time, I cried non-stop till I went to bed last night at 10 pm CET. I looked and felt a mess.
I managed to keep myself together reasonably well till we left her.
(Believe it or not I am crying again while writing this.)
I feel so stupid because it's not as if she is at the end of the world - she is only in London for heaven's sake and will be home in 6 months, but still.
She is my only daughter and we have always had a special bond.
A lot has to do with the room/appartment that we have left her in. When we were there to view it, they had probably cleaned the place up a bit and the whole appartment had been full of stuff including her room. Now the whole appartment was filthy, smelly and horrible. Now that her room was empty except for the bed and a wardrobe, we could see that her room was disgusting.
The owner had promised us various things and he hasn't done any of them. There isn't a lock on her door. The landlord and his wife still live there but will be leaving on Sept. 11th (or so he says). He has also said that she will have a tv by the time that they leave and that a desk would be in her room by last Sat. (28th). You've guessed it - it isn't.
While we were there in the middle of the day he (in a - once white - bathrobe) 'cleaned' the room by taking a broom around the skirting board and floor and then pushing a wet squeezy mop over the floor.
He had wetted the mop by putting it in the dirty dishwater filled with the remnants of the congealed breakfast eggs that they had eaten. EEEEUUUWWW!!!!
As soon as we could, I got some some dettol (all sorts for cleaning) and got stuck in.
When we finally left the house knowing that we wouldn't see him for a while he said, don't worry, I'll look after her, firstly my neck hairs went up (not a good sign with me) and then I told him that he'd better look after her.
We have let him know that dh's office is literally around the corner where all of his colleagues work.
One of the hardest things I have ever done in my life is leave her. She begged us to take her back with us but she knows that she has to do this for her degree course.
Of course things will get better (at least that is what I keep telling myself - only problem is that I don't believe me).
There is one small thing that may turn out to be nice for her.
About 2 months before she left for London she had a really nice boyfriend and they got on really well but they were both a little afraid of the long distance relationship and if they could do it. So they mutually agreed to put things off for a while at least till she came back from London. They dated on and off but they kept it low key.
The boyfriend had finished his degree and had had a job offer at a really good company but he still had to pass his driving licence (needed for the job).
He has been here a few times and Fiori's brothers actually quite liked him (a miracle in itself).
Well it seems that he has been sent to the UK to work. He was allowed to choose the place. He chose London.
He has a VERY good job. He is living in the Hilton (Park Lane?) and is flown home at weekends. He'll be there for around 3 months.
This maybe a nice little pick me up for Fiori.
One of the funny things that happened (yes there were a couple of them) - Dh is also very protective of his only daughter especially where boys and boyfriends are concerned and Fiori had been teasing him about maybe letting Colin (the boyfriend) stayover instead of letting him fly home at weekends.
Dh didn't find it amusing at the time when he first heard it.
However, on the way to the airport, he said, ah maybe things won't be too bad for her, she always has Colin. (This is a HUGE thing for him to say.)
So please bear with me for now, I am feeling a little sorry for myself:weeping:.