Getting Back into the Swing of Things

I've been back at work just over 2 weeks now and I'm slowly but surely getting back into the swing of things.

It's strange how just a few months away from your job and you forget how to do the simplest of things. I'm not quite in the zone yet and back up to speed with stockroom work, but I'm sure that given a week or two more, I will feel like I've never been away.

Donations are coming in thick and fast now that people realise we're taking them again and it is taking some effort to keep on top of them on daily basis, in spite of not having that many volunteers at the moment. I'm sure it's the same for most charity shops. Recruiting and retaining volunteers is always so vital to success. I'm certainly very grateful for the few stalwarts who are helping us to open each day at the moment. They are invaluable.

The Shop Manager finally returned to work this week. Once again, I felt palpable relief at being able to hand over the reins. I'm quite capable of keeping the shop running in his absence, but don't relish feeling the burden of responsibility, albeit shared with my colleague. Today, is really the first day off that I've had since returning, where I don't feel I have to think about work at all and can just enjoy my free time. Sounds silly, but there it is.

On another note, it is so good to see Central London coming back to life after so many months of deserted streets. I really do hope that things get busy again soon and that London get's it's buzz back. I'm sure it will as it is a really resilient city. Often on my way to work I notice businesses that are no longer trading, or To Let signs on buildings that were formerly occupied.  There are also many buildings being refurbished and building works galore, which I guess is a positive.

London as a whole, has felt like a totally different place in the last year and it made me feel sad at times, to see it so quiet. It was a novelty at first, of course, but then it just felt slightly depressing. It's usually such a vibrant city and it just felt like the life had been sucked out of it. In a few months time, I'll probably be complaining about how unbearably crowded it is again. Let's hope so anyway.

For now, I'm just happy to be back where I'm happy to be, doing a job I enjoy and chatting to the different people I work with. Small pleasures, better appreciated for having had them taken away for a while.