The first time I met Roz Valentine

I've been trying to remember the first time I met Roz Valentine.  

The first time I heard the name Rosslyn Valentine was when my manager at the time Michelle, returned from interviewing people to join the volunteer team at the RSPCA.  Michelle said that this Rosslyn chick was cool and was going to fit in really well with the team in the Ausco shed.  I remember thinking 'cool name'.  Then Roz started work with us.  In our usual cool and calm manner, Michelle and I quizzed her about every detail of her life (do you have pets? Do you like cats or dogs?  Do you like tacos?  Do you like Bon Jovi? (this was more me than Michelle to be honest) Are you married?  Where did you work before this?  - the big issues.  I remember my excitement when she told me her husband was American (I was/am slightly obsessed with all things USA) and when she told me his name was Maurice Valentine I remember thinking 'well that is quite possibly the coolest name I've ever heard'.  Then during the 'when is your birthday' round she said her birthday was November 5^th.  I was taken aback.  My birthday is November 6^th  - holy cow she was stealing my birthday thunder!  Luckily we soon decided that we could have a joint birthday and all was well again.

All of us in the Ausco shed all worked so well together.  Being the volunteer department it was never empty.   The phone never stopped ringing (bugologist anyone?) and the emails never stopped coming (especially the days after there was something on the news about the RSPCA - "I just want to help all the animals").  We always had a constant flow of volunteers and staff popping in during the day (The Meredith Banks memorial chair springs to mind) - including a Rickland or a brown bear on the couch.

Birthdays were big in the shed.  I've never worked anywhere before (or since) that had such amazing birthday celebrations.  We would be in at the crack of dawn preparing for the birthday persons arrival and making sure everyone knew just what day it was.  This was was one of Rozzy's birthdays - we transformed the office into "Poopy's Palace":

Makeshift birthday office to hide in

SURPRISE!

The Queen, the Princess and the King

Who doesn't need a sugar lumps mug?

LOL!

Birthday Girl!

We also seemed to go to events where we danced a lot.  Really, really bad dancing.  Roz could bust a move (or three).

Busting a move with Michelle, on a jumping castle, with a spotty dog.  Degree of difficulty? 10/10

Showing Mo how it's done at the skating rink.

Back to the jumping castle!

...and even while bowling!

Roz would laugh so much she couldn't make any more sound and would even fall down cracking up.  This was out one day for lunch at Fasta Pasta and who knows why she was cracking up, but she was:

Ha!

We all went a little crazy in that shed somedays:

"Hello - Welcome to our office"

Just hanging out, pretending to be Michelle's dogs.

So unimpressed.

And I will never forget the days that Roz met and fell in love with the loves of her life (after Mo of course):

Poppy

Poppy

Winnie

 
No matter what though - I wouldn't change that time for anything in the world.

So anyway, I became slightly obsessed with finding out the exact date that I met Roz Valentine.  I was looking in old diaries, going through emails and facebook trying to work it out.  I don't know why.  

But then I realised.  It didn't matter what day, date, time or year I met Rosslyn Valentine.  It just mattered that I did meet her.  I am so lucky to have called her my friend.  

You will always be my latex salesman Rozzy.  I will always see you checking out my sugar lumps.....and yes, I will have some candy for myself.

I miss you.