I've been the director of a food pantry for 20 years and I passed the torch today. I took the new lady to the bank and put her name on the accounts, nice and official like. Yippee!!! No more weekly shopping trips, 4 full grocery carts at a time, no more monthly inventory for the government, no more school food drives to pick up, etc., etc. I'm still floating on a cloud.
I didn't think it would happen today and I haven't had anyone to tell yet. I announced my upcoming retirement to the church 2 months ago and I really doubted that anyone would take this job, it's 12 to 15 hours a week, volunteer. But this really nice younger woman, whom I had never met, stepped up and she's going to be great. I couldn't have asked for a better replacement, so I feel a lot better about leaving.
I told her that I would return for a few weeks this fall to get her through her first Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.
I've been sort of crying since I got home, partly because I'm going to miss my long term clients, and partly because I'm so relieved to be done. It's bittersweet.
I don't think it will hit me for a few days. There's only the two of us here at home so I can go a month without having to shop for us. I have spent every Monday for 20 years at Wal-Mart and the Dollar stores shopping for the pantry. Next Monday morning I will get up early, leave my pajamas on and tell the puppies, "Mama's staying home today, yahoo!!
I'm excited, can you tell?
Denise