One final reunion.....

Last night was the final group of friends, getting together to help send me on my way.  These were the ladies that I had worked  with for close to 14 years at Jefferson Bank in Downingtown.

I had started my short career at Jefferson Bank doing data entry in the Installment Loan department.  Mary Ciarlone, who was in charge of Human Resources for the small bank, stole me from the Loan department and mentored me as I learned the intricate and sometimes frustrating world of payroll and benefits and Unemployment.  I also helped her with overnight Fed Funds investments as that fell under her supervision for a time.

As the bank grew, we needed to add another person to help carry the load.  Our first hire in that endeavor was Alicia Rissel.  The three of us worked as a team, sharing the jobs and learning all aspects of HR.  Over the years we had several people in and out of the department, including Pam Rice, who quickly became the 4th Musketeer in the HR leadership.  In the final days, Mary was the VP of HR, Pam handled all of the Unemployment issues and other odd programs which escape me at the moment, Alicia did payroll processing and I was in charge of the Benefit programs for over approximately 650 employees.

We worked together for close to 12 years (I was there for 14 total years before I moved on after the bank was sold to Hudson Untied Bank) each taking a section of the department while still backing up each others positions.  We were friends.  We were a little family.  And we were colleagues who respected each ones talents.

Just as this was about to happen, the bank was sold.  I was offered a job by the company that did our payroll, so I was the first to leave.  I think the rest of them stayed to the bitter end.  Mary has been enjoying retirement. Alicia and Pam have moved on to other jobs.  We have stayed in touch and gotten together for dinner to catch up frequently.  We did it more often initially.  But it has been more than 2 years since we last got together.  When they learned I was moving, we managed to find a day to get together.

We met last night at The Thorndale Inn.  Alicia picked up Mary, who was walking gingerly with an injured foot. Mary had already picked out what she wanted to eat before she arrived so she could concentrate on our conversations.  Alicia and Pam do not seem to have aged at all and are busy in their lives with jobs and family.  We found out about Jefferson Bank folks who are working or not working or who have passed away.  We laughed about the "Christmas Pickle" radio show on WCOJ (way back in the day) that we had started on a question sent to the call in show hosted by Bill Gillan.  And we just found out what everyone has been up to.  We started at 6:00 PM and I got home around 8:30 PM.

I will miss seeing them.  Perhaps they might venture north to visit me in Fairbanks on one of their vacations.  I have plenty of room to let you stay.

In the meantime, I continue sorting and purging.  I am closer to being ready, but still have some things to accomplish.  Patches is coming tonight.  Sheila will be here tomorrow afternoon.  Patches is coming again on Friday evening.  Then I will be preparing the car for loading and the journey to Alaska. 

The movers/packers arrive on Tuesday, September 3rd.  They anticipate finishing the process on September 6th and I will drive away on September 7th.  If they finish early, I will head out sooner.  At that point a huge chapter in my life will end and a new one will begin.  I will stop to visit my cousin, Linda, in Lake Villa, IL before driving to Brian's home in Minneapolis.  There I will be joined by my son, Rob and the two of us will proceed on the trek to Fairbanks via Canada, with some of my more precious possessions in the car, including my two dogs.  I got all of their paperwork yesterday from the vet that should allow them to enter Canada and re-enter the USA when we get to the border of Alaska.

Lots of adventures ahead.  Keep watching!!!