Saturday 9 April 2016

Another life change - a new job and then promotion!

The five years that I spent working at the surgery were very happy and enjoyable;  however, I decided to bring this to an end as a result of an offer of a job by the manager of one of the local veterinary drug companies. The Farmers Co-op had a very large veterinary department and the drug company wanted a representative working there. It was a great opportunity for a new challenge and I was finally employed late in 1977 by both organisations on a 50/50 shared basis, the Co-op paying my salary and the drug company taking a commission on the sales.
Myself taken at my folks home in Ruwa. 1976.  This was my all time favourite  evening dress with an African bead work decoration, the latter still in my possession!
  
This change of job meant, of course, that I had to move out of the surgery flat and I was on the search for somewhere else to live. The cottage out at Brackenhurst with my folks was still an option, but I really wanted something in Salisbury and closer to work. I finally found a delightful single storey two bedroom town house with its own small garden, for rent in the suburb of Greendale, not very far from the Co-op  There was also a car port and an outdoor enclosed area, which was suitable for my cats. By that time, their number had risen to three! A highly bred female lynx point, a non-registered male seal point and lastly to join the family was a Persian colour point.

No 3 Rosena Park, Greendale.  The front overlooking the garden...

 the back with car port....

and the garden, with its typical southern African planting.

Work at the Co-op proved to be great fun and I made many very good friends among the farming community, who did most of their shopping there. At the end of my first year, the manager of the veterinary department retired and I was offered the job! However, this would mean that I would have to become wholly a Co-op employee and the drug company arrangement would fall away. I went into the situation very carefully and decided that I would be better off employed by the Co-op, but the work load would increase by quite a lot. Not only would I be in charge of the veterinary side of the Co-op, but also the agricultural chemicals and fertilisers used for soil treatment by the farmers. Unfortunately, the major increase in the range of products I had to deal with meant I spent a lot of time with administration in the office and so missed much of the personal over-the-counter contact I had had with the customers.

By this time, I was doing very little riding other than at the weekends when I would go out to my folks, but Saturday afternoons were still spent helping at the race course, both with my Dad and the staff at Borrowdale Stud, with whom I had kept in touch with throughout. My life had pretty much developed into a set routine and the next couple of years were fairly undramatic.
Mum and I leading in Merrylegs with jockey Jimmy Anderson to the winner's enclosure at Borrowdale Park. 1977

As above on a different day.  Note the skirt change in length and the white boots of that era!!

Borrowdale Park race course stands in 1977.

My godmother and I at the Kariba dam wall on one of her several visits to Rhodesia.



My Life Before Charente to be continued :-) 

 

The section of my life story during our overland trip is published on Kindle if you should be interested:-
 THE GREAT 1953 TREK
See

12 comments:

  1. You look gorgeous in that stunning dress, and also like the white boots look which I wore as well.

    How fortunate you have these photos to go along with the memories and stories.

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    1. Thanks Gaelyn, I did love that dress :-) I thought the white boots were fab at the time, maybe they will come back one day, most fashions seem to return. Those of us who have old photos are very lucky, I have friends who say they have no photos at all of growing up and their earlier lives. Keep well, Diane

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  2. A very interesting story and yes that was a lovely evening dress. I love to see the photos of the fashions we wore in our youth. I enjoyed seeing yours, very chic.

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    1. It is amazing though how many of these fashions return in various forms. I loved the minis and boots. Hope you are well Diane

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  3. Lovely photo memories. You were a good looking girl. Love the mini skirt.

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    1. Diane how I wish I still had that figure! The tum is not so flat any more sadly and I can't get it back no matter how hard I try! Its old age spread I believe :-((( I also loved the mini.
      It would be good if my hair was still that colour as well, though I have not quite gone grey yet. My Dad went white early but Mum never did so hopefully I have her genes.
      Have a good week t'other Diane

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  4. Good photo memories, and brings back memories of me in my mini skirt days (but no boots!)

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    1. Vera I did love the mini skirts. I still have one as a memento. A leather one that was a specially made present. Somehow I do not think it will zip up these days!!!! I can look and remember though :-) Have a good week or what is left of it Diane

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  5. Love that white boots and skirt, what a great outfit to compliment your beautiful smile. Must be a fun job that you have had!

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    1. I was very fond of those white boots and yes I loved my job working with horses. Keep well Diane

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  6. Trying to catch up with your life story.
    You've had quite an adventure, Diana!
    Good for you.
    xoxo

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    1. Thanks Sally. I must do some more on the blog but time is against me and this takes lots of research and memory!!! Diane

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