It’s been a busy month, that’s for sure. Back-to-work in September meant a lot of new projects, and now I’m spending most of my lunch hours in the conference room, trying to dig my wa

y out of work piles. It’s a blessing to love the work I do, especially at a time like this.

Today, I’ve already had three project meetings and the whiteboard is a sea of muddy colour. The stench of dry erase markers is giving me a headache, so I walk outside to grab a breath of fresh air.

The sun is shining and the breeze is crisp in that new autumn way. Fall might just be my favourite season. The turning leaves and the smell of fresh cool air is so romantic. I walk back to the office revitalized, and ready to tackle the afternoon of meetings ahead.

As I open the front door, our package delivery arrives behind me. I hold the door open and offer to sign for the packages, since Brigid is still on lunch break. It’s a new delivery from Office Plus. I decide to take the boxes up to my office. Maybe a bit of supply stocking will be just the break I need before diving back into that conference room.

I open the first box, and it’s a godsend. Expo Low Odour Dry Erase Markers, Whiteboard Care Cleaner and magnetic push-pins. It’s like Brigid re

ad my mind. We’re so desperately in need of better whiteboard supplies.

Like a kid in a candy store, I pile the new supplies in my arms and head to the conference room. The muddy whiteboard is like a challenge. I smirk before dousing it in the cleaner spray and wiping it clean. Our porcelain whiteboard is crisp white once again, I sight I haven’t seen since the day we bought it. I open a window to let out the smell of our old dry erase markers — a cheap pack that Brigid bought from the Loonie Shop in a pinch. I throw the rest of those markers in the garbage, then grab the new pack. As I uncap the marker, I can’t help but take a whiff. It might as well be aromatherapy after the month I’ve had. Finally, the conference room won’t smell like a chemical processing plant.

I glance at the clock; 1:05p.m..Brigid is back from lunch now, so I head over to her desk to thank her.

“Brigid,” I start, “those dry erase supplies are a dream come true.”

She laughs, “Every time I’ve passed the conference room this month, the Whiteboard has looked like a preschool finger painting project. How on earth were you able to read anything off of it?!”

“Lots of squinting,” I say, half-serious.

“Well, I’m glad the supplies are finally here. You can give your eyes a rest.”

“And my nose!” I say, with maybe too much excitement. “Those old markers absolutely stank.”

“No offense, Rona,” she starts with a smirk, “but you’ve been living in that conference room so long, you were starting to smell like them.”

We share a laugh at my expense, which is fine by me. I was ready to throw in the towel earlier today, but between the gorgeous fall air, Brigid’s thoughtful Office Plus order and the reminder that my staff is every bit as hardworking as I am, I’m ready to tackle the day.

But not before I hoard a bottle of the whiteboard cleaner in my desk. The Whiteboard at home — the one my kids use for drawing — could use a good scrubbing, too.