When I left work, my explicit instructions were, "if you do a whip round, please donate the money to Oxfam." Why? Because it used to be my job to organise the leaving presents and get staff to sign cards.

It was always a desultory affair: there's a certain inertia that goes with farewell gifts and cards - people empty out their change purses and write "all the best," even when the person is generally well liked and respected.   (to put this in context, we have had wave after wave of redundancies .. not kidding, about 10 rounds since I've been there) 

I really wanted to avoid that kind of platitudinous limp-wristed aliminium-hand shake. Let a village in Africa have a goat, I thought. 

So what happened?  This week I got these flowers delivered, with a farewell card, with all the best (x5)  and a $20 gift voucher.  

  

Aaah!  Nice flowers though. And here's an arrangement of my own. I love the way the sun catches the cobwebs.