Gardening Leave.

As my flounces off go; my exit from my current incumbency has been relatively grown up and non-acrimonious. It has been three weeks since I composed and forwarded a letter of resignation dated for teh end of that week, but I met with my boss that Thursday and have been on what I believe is called Gardening Leave ever since. I did a little light email monitoring until last week when I handed back 'phone, ID etc to try to make sure there aren't any loose ends left dangling. I had planned a cunning cross-referencing of emails to prove a particular point about what my boss knew and when, but I realised it would make no difference and that I didn't care what any of my current colleagues think they know about me and what I have done. I have no intention of ever making the mistake of working in the public sector again. There were a couple of projects that won't happen if I don't organise them, I've got agreement for my company to deliver them, which was again; decent of them.

My last salary payment will be at the end of August so I have till the end of September to secure another income.

I have plans, of course. It is sad that, for a second time, my administrative decks have been cleared so I could devote all my energies to the Engine Shed and, for a second time, a peremptory decision scuppered that. The pragmatist in me drives me to apply for jobs; I think I've submitted about ten applications so far but I can't think what any of them are at the moment. I really want to be able to get one of my own ideas off the ground. 

I'm researching funding for the community interest company I co-run. It would be easier to work WITH my Co Directors on this, but they're too busy with their own stuff and I did tell them I'd do as much of the work as long as they were prepared to help maintain the legal status. There is still work to be done for the Leadgate project: if the charity is registered it will be able to support most of the environmental and wildlife projects originally planned at the Engine Shed. There are also some opportunities to earn a couple of hundred pounds here and there by writing funding and project proposals. Part of what I need to do is to find two clients per month as a minimum as well as at least four major projects worth at least £2.5K to me. A problem is that the people at the Shed don't really appreciate a lot of what I do; they think its just paper; I will often work late to get things to them only for them not to even read the stuff.

Home life has been... interesting. One of my lodgers drinks often. I realised how much I switch off to him when he'd drunk a week or so ago when he was actually choking on a piece of meat and unable to breathe; I only looked at him after more than a minute because I was irritated by the noise. He coughed up the meat and only then did I realise the severity of the incident.

As for the other one... LOL lawd me nah noh wat dis piknee a do! 

It can't continue. The kid needs help, but regardless of where that comes from he is unable to process it and respond sensibly. That would be OK if it didn't negatively impact on me! -If I am to be just the Landlord, at least I would expect to see some rent. The kid is on benefits so I have to wait. The worry is that it is obvious he isn't doing what he needs to to get through his current woes (being unemployed is perhaps the simplest bit of his personal tragedy).  I have tried to advise and support as have at least two other people to my knowledge. It is as if he has grown accustomed to just letting things happen to him rather than seeking any control. Well; if he isn't even providing me with rent (because he's messing up his dole admin etc) is there any point of him being here- actually; he hasn't actually been here for about 3 weeks despite taking no clothes etc he has just stayed in Consett. If he doesn't want to be here I can sort that for him- once he has paid me the rent for the last FOUR months!