One more week to go

My work here is nearly done, and it feels good to be able to take my foot off the gas slightly.  We are in that lull after the initial rush to release the proposal, but before the subsequent "how much?" fallout from the client once they have reviewed it. 

We are quite looking forward to this fallout phase since it will different from what has gone before; what has gone before would be a discussion where the onus is on us to win their trust and understanding to "do the deal", so the power was more with them.  This time, they really really need us, and so while they do not actually fully realise that yet, they will, and so the power in these discussions will be shifting more towards us.  Rather than us turning up with our turnkey solution for doing the thing, like I think they are expecting, instead we are turning up asking them what their plans are, and what they will need for us to support such a plan.  They have so far been unable to provide any detail on their approach, which means our proposal is highly assumptive based, which means it is commercially sound, but in any practical sense, not fit for purpose. 

They have been a bit slow to share, and so should not be too surprised when we are unable to give them a viable response.  The next month (after I have left) will therefore be a series of interactions to get the detail Starfleet require to be able to fully respond, and the longer the client plays silly buggers, the longer it will be before they have something that they are able to sign.  As teacher often said, it is their time they are wasting.

At home, we have a fairly normal weekend.  Sport features large, as does a likely Sunday dinner at my parents as a farewell meal, likely to include my sister and her family also.  Now that my dad has the all-clear, they cannot wait to get back to Spain and away from this cold, damp weather.  They fly next Thursday and we will miss them, but it will be good for their bodies and their souls to be back in to the bowling, the warm and the Mediterranean lifestyle.

I now have the plan to return my car, laptop and access badge on Friday morning at my local office, at 11am, so from around 11.15am, I will be faced with nothing more taxing that a walk to the station, a train trip home, and then the rest of the day and weekend to prepare for my first day at NN.  I cannot wait.

I hope you have a great weekend, speak next week.