Ten weeks of training has flown by, but at the same time I feel like I have worked for the organisation for ages now. Every day feels so familiar already, yet I don’t for one second resent waking up at 5am each day to start my day.

A typical day for me at the moment is up at just after 5am, get myself ready, and leave the house a bit before six… This allows me to beat the traffic, get out from under my wifes feet so she can start her day the way she likes to, and most importantly, it allows me to get to work, park, then start my day with a run or a session in the gym. Cardio, weights or yoga, as long as I am moving, I am waking up and preparing for the day properly.

For the past ten weeks now, this has been my routine Mon to Fri. And as I have touched on before, I am definitely feeling it now. This weekend I have done NOTHING… Nada, naff all, diddly squat! Because I felt my body and mind needed a bit of a reset.

Next week, aka from tomorrow, there are final assessments to be done, to formally start my probation at work. First tests are tomorrow, with my practical test being probably on Tuesday.. After they are done, I wait, we wait. Once all the assessments are done, we get our results and see if we have passed.

How do I feel about the I hear you ask. Well, to be honest, quite relaxed. I know I am not ready to fly solo, and I won’t be for some time yet. However I have confidence that I have taken on board a lot of the information, procedures, and other bits that will help me be able to make time critical decisions when I need to. Will I get 100% and be top of the class….. Nope, I doubt that, but obviously would love to do the best I can, and feel like that will definitely be more than enough.

If all goes as expected, I then have a few days between passing and pass-out. Then a few more days before my first set of shifts. This time in two weeks I could /should be on duty, serving London with an amazing group of people.

I feel so lucky to have been put on the watch I have. Having done a couple of weeks with them already, I feel at home, supported and confident that I will grow and develop to be as awesome as them all one day.

Also, if I get the green light, I will have a change of shift routine too, which will allow me more time to rest, relax and do my own thing, and this five day week thing will all be in the past. If for no other reason, this is a great reason to make sure I shine come test day.

Three days on, three days off, rolling rota forever more. Unless of course that is changed, which is possible as an idea has been put forward. But for now I am happy with it as it is.

If the first couple of days of next week go well, on October 29th I will pass out from training and become a full on probationer til some time in 2025.

I’m sure I have said it a few times now, bit being made redundant from FedEx was a blessing in disguise. Since starting the training for the new role I have re-found my appreciation for people, being social, and have had my faith restored in how positive it is to work in a team. Let’s hear it for good people.

There is a downside of course, there is always a downside. Every action has an opposite reaction and all that. I bid farewell to my bestie. She has been by my side for ten weeks now. We have had some amazing chats, gotten to know each other so well, and now our paths will barely ever cross again. 😢

But I know, or I hope I know… When the opportunity presents itself, when we have down time, or just need a rant or a chat, we will both still be there for each other.

That is not to say I won’t miss the rest of the cohort too, of course I will. A room full of unique personalities who I have gotten to know so well over the past ten weeks. I will see more of some than others, and it will be good to exchange stories and experiences moving forward.

Even more exciting is immediately after we finish, another group start training, then another after them, so in the blink of an eye we will no longer be the newbies.

It has been a crazy, interesting, entertaining, amusing and sometimes emotional journey. And we have only just begun. Here’s to passing what I need to, taking the next steps, and hope I never have to speak to any of you from work, EVEERRRR! But if I do, I’m on it, and I have your back! ❤️

Thanks to everyone who has been with me along the journey so far, I have appreciated all your kind messages and words, not to mention supportive chats when it has been needed.

Fingers crossed the next entry will be a good one. Thanks for reading as ever.