Thursday

As it turned out, I went in at 6:30 on Tuesday.  I was working in fabrics on a reset.  The needlework person and I were doing it.  When I found out that the fabrics person was scheduled to close, I suggested they call and see if she wanted to come in earlier and I could leave and come back and close.


I guess they did call because about just after 10:45 she showed up.  I had already discussed with the manager about going to the funeral and she had told me that I could.  I just didn't see a way it would be possible, but when J. showed up, I dropped everything and made "a bee-line" for Morgan City.  I knew I'd be late but I also knew that I'd probably only miss the opening remarks.  When I came in the chapel was full and people were standing in the back.  I joined them there.   The obituary was being read.  So I was right in that I didn't miss anything but preliminaries.   I was glad I went.


Afterward, I went to the graveside service then ate at the local cafe.   I had called my manager as I was leaving and told her I was on my way to the funeral and asked what time she wanted me to return.  She said, "As soon as the funeral is over," to which I said, "I'm supposed to close."  She said that was okay.   So I got back to work at 1:15 and worked until 9PM.  That was altogether twelve hours of work.  Four and a half in the morning and seven and a half after I got back.


The fabrics lady stayed until closing too.  And we did not have time to do much on the set.  I cut fabric all day.  At times she did too.   I cannot imagine who in the world came up with the idea to do a MAJOR reset in fabrics in October when people are all about making costumes for all kinds of events at school and elsewhere because they are "celebrating" Halloween.   We had fabric stacked all over the place because we did not even get enough breaks to put the stuff away.  People just kept coming.  In most cases, all day long, it wasn't just one person being cut.  It was someone getting their stuff cut and several others in line waiting to be next.     But I had found my good shoes and I had on my support hose and I made it better for that day than I did on the six and half hour day on Monday.


On Wednesday, I knew with that much time over what I'd been scheduled, I would have bargaining power to leave early and go to church.   So I asked early on if I could leave when I got my freight out.  I was told I could, but I did have to have MY freight out.    Mine was out just after 3:30.  I recovered my department and clocked out at 4:24.     It's 'kinda' weird, but standing in one spot pricing stuff made me more tired than the twelve hour day I'd worked the day before.   When you cut fabric, there is more movement involved.    It is very  hard on me to stand in one spot for hours at a time.   And on freight day, since I have been given help to get my freight out, that is what I do, because the man helping me want so put the freight out.  He's quick at that and I'm certainly not going to try to change a situation that is working for me.  The freight is getting out.


Of course, I have a confession to make.  They are being so pick-a-unious about me keeping my order the same every week that I stopped ordering like corporate says we're supposed to and started looking at the numbers instead.   Corporate says look at every item and they want us to keep our stock up to a certain level on each one.   The district manager doesn't like it if the numbers go up and down-- regardless of the fact that big ads bring about more sales.  He thinks we should be having about the same amount EVERY week.    So, I think to myself, I can do that if that's what you want.   So, I just started ordering "outs" and counting my numbers.   When I get to the number that he wants me to have, I quit.  That means the amount of my freight coming in is less for me to put out.  I get it out quickly.  If it's all out, then I have bargaining power for going to church.   It's a win-win situation EXCEPT I'm not ordering like corporate wants me to.  (But then from the VERY BEGINNING when this new manager came in and I reminded her of how much time corporate said I should take to order, she blew a gasket.  The only thing that registered with her was, do this-do that-do-the-other (because someone might be coming who would  not be impressed with her store if those things were not done), then do your order.   That meant my orders were up and down.  If I slacked one week, the next week was heavier.   Of course, she never recognized that any of that was her fault.     It was a "time management" problem that I had.


I really enjoyed my day on Tuesday.  I'm hoping when I go part time, I will go back to enjoying my work.  I won't be the one of the ones who is getting slapped down because I'm not "up to snuff" with all demands that are being piled on.  (It seems to me that one of the results of a high unemployment rate is that those who are employed are being treated much more harshly and expected to do much more than before with fewer people and fewer hours to do it in.  It's not just where I work that it's that way.)  Of course, I will be making less money because they don't pay part time workers as much as they do full time people and I'll be working fewer hours... I guess... but I'll be glad to go back to enjoying my work.

Today I'm cutting off another hour or so, to get me back in line with the number of hours I was scheduled to work this week.   Felicia had hoped I could watch Daxton while she took Braxton for his one month check up but I won't be here that long.  Jeni is going to watch him, but I'll be here when he comes.  He is such a sweetheart.  He has a very pleasant disposition.   But then all of Felicia's children do.


*****


Daxton didn't show up. I'm disappointed.  No word from Felicia as to why she changed her mind.  Oh, well.  Off to work I go.


Note:  Felicia messaged Jeni and told her she wasn't coming but I guess Jeni doesn't get all her messages or something....  anyway, it was just a fluke.  Maybe next week it will work out with the rescheduling...  maybe.