mja blog

  • Some days are diamonds

    I joked to some colleagues today that my week has been like a country and western song – my dog died, the treasurer resigned, times are hard and this morning, someone rear-ended my car (not seriously).

    Of course, I was able to joke about it because we had a lovely reversal of fortune at work today, with the announcement by the Queensland Minister for Health of a surprise one-off grant to all the hospices in the state.

    The news couldn’t come at a better time, because things had been looking a bit glum for our cash flow. This will give it a significant boost.

  • Townsville and Mt Isa

    Flooded tracks and impending train strikes notwithstanding Jo and I have altered our holiday plans from visiting Cairns, to stopping at Townsville and doing the Inlander run out to Mt Isa. Fingers crossed that everything goes ahead smoothly.

  • Another resignation

    Not sure exactly why it happened when it did, but the Hospice Treasurer resigned on Tuesday. I am the financial coordinator, so he and I worked pretty closely together. I was very disappointed by his decison, it takes a certain level of support away from my role and leaves a big question mark about what happens when he is replaced.

    It has been a little stressful at work lately with negative cashflow. Some of the stress was alleviated by the memo Ros circulated yesterday to the staff about keeping costs down. Previously the other staff weren’t aware of the situation and every time another bill came in I was tearing my hair out.

    I’m not sure how long we’ll be without a Treasurer. It is not vital to my day to day work, but it is important for the organisation. The former Treasurer was on a mission to upgrade and change the way we did things, including our system of bookkeeping. I’ve yet to bring the September quarter (prior to when I took over the role) into the new system. I’m happy with the new system, but we’ve been limping along without those first quarter figures, unable to formulate proper budgets. I’ve decided to give up the second week of my holidays to work from home and get the books right up to date.

    Ros would prefer that I take the two weeks off but supports my decision. I’m glad because I feel I’ll have no real peace of mind until I’m able to produce useful reports that I am fully confident of.

  • A natural death

    I don’t think it is ever easy when your pet dies – whether you do the kind thing and euthanise or are able to let them die naturally. Sasha had many health problems. She was half blind, took so many pills for her heart she rattled and her ear and skin infections were a constant battle. But she was still greedy for treats, still had her appetite around dinner time, checked out the other dogs bowls when all had finished, and jealously guarded the bones we gave her. Yesterday was a day like any other, yet she died. Her heart finally gave up on her, it was a horror and a relief at the same time. We couldn’t believe it had finally happened after so long, so many mornings expecting to wake up and find her passed away peacefully in her sleep. The end wasn’t peaceful until it was over, heart attacks aren’t painless but she had both of us there with her making her as comfortable as possible, letting her know that we loved and valued her and would mourn over her.

  • Holidays

    How exciting, I have (nearly) two weeks holidays approved next month. I’d like to take a trip somewhere, I’m thinking of heading up to Cairns on The Sunlander train. It’s an overnight trip, taking two full days to get up there. There’s a special on at the moment with free return flight. Who wants to come with me?

  • Disappointing

    Repercussions from Gayle not getting her old job back – she’s been telling one of our event sponsors that Hospice wont be bothering with local fundraising events anymore. The new direction from “that man up there” – our Treasurer, whom she has never had time for. Complete rubbish but it has completely cheesed this sponsor off. Personally I think this guy is hard work, Gayle did a lot of schmoozing to build the relationship with him. But he is (or was) one of our important supporters, the annual event he hosts has raised a lot of awareness and funds for us.

    Over the years she’d become quite good friends with him and his wife, and knowing her as I do I can see her getting catty and confidential with them about her former workplace. Particularly as she has an axe to grind. It’s just a shame she has to harm a charitable cause to win some personal satisfaction.

    Ros said it was “disappointing”. To me, it just substantiates some of the negative feelings I have had towards her lately. It is a shame.