 Changing Places Week 161 W/C 22nd March 2009
`A day in the life' or rather a `life in the day' of a relocator follows now... I have critics who hate the word relocation but I use it all the same because it sums up what my family and I have done in our move to Majorca. We have re-located our full lives in London to full lives here in Mallorca. An office move started the first day of the week and the associated complications of the computer server going down at the same time as the phone system. Harassed staff and the benign presence of our computer expert sitting amongst the confusion was my abiding memory as I left the office for the next stop in a busy schedule.
The journey through the beautiful spring countryside soothes the soul and I arrived at the crematorium. I was there as part of the Georgie Insull Singers who sang at the funeral in Bon Sosec of Betty Smith. The choir resplendent in black dresses with royal blue scarves were there to sing and be sad with the family. We all knew Betty who was a great supporter of the choir and came to all our concerts. She was 90 and had relocated - just like us, many years ago and had lived a full, busy life in Majorca. We had sung for her at her 90th birthday celebrations last year where her special request was for a rendition of `we'll gather lilacs'. This was played at her funeral and everyone there knew how much it meant to her.
A quick change in the car park and an irreverent lunch with the choir before heading of to the heady delights of Magaluf. I love the start of the season with everything being painted and cleaned in readiness for the visitors this year. I walked amongst the paint pots and boxes of supplies for a newly refurbished hotel and climbed over chairs to the manager's office to conduct interviews. This establishment caters for the 18 - 30`s market but it was to Sun Search Recruitment they turned for staff. A very specific brief for people who understand the British, know what makes them laugh and enter into the spirit of British people on holiday. The very Spanish Hotel Manager was preparing for another summer of being in the minority in his own hotel. We interviewed all the candidates as a double act and it was a little surreal - A Spanish Hotel Manager and a ' Sun Search granny making significant decisions that will affect the holiday experience of thousands of British 18 - 30's this year. Six interviews later the Hotel Manager was on his knees and I was on my way to another meeting in a bar in Palma Nova with a group of chefs (what is the collective for chefs en mass?) in readiness for tomorrows interviews.
The day was almost done but one more appointment in Palma and that was for one of the twice weekly rehearsals of the choir. The Georgie Insull Singers are preparing for the Good Friday concert of sacred music and we are `in transition'. This defines the moment when Conway Jones comes in to accompany us on the organ and our funny, kind, choir leader turns into `The Conductor'. She metamorphosises into a baton waving fiend who yells at us to get our heads out of our music and watch her! When you all file in to listen to us on Good Friday - in that hour before your get your hot cross bun and glass of wine, think of our `transition' and judge along with Georgie whether we made it or not!
The day almost over and the car journey back to Soller still to come. A straight road that I now know so well. After years of London driving, with not a dark street in sight the black, moonlit roads of Majorca took some getting used to. A little reflection of just how much has had to be crammed into a day and whether it was wise. This is a debate I have had with myself for the whole of my life. I am unlikely to change now, although I do believe it was one of the plans of relocation that I would take life a little easier…….
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