I do not accept the idea that it is a crisis to not have all hobbies lined up to the edge, absolutely NO dust on the spine that runs across the top of our counters, or other such trivia, just because the Regional Manager MIGHT show up today. But that is not even a fourth quarter crisis. Fourth quarter crises revolve around whether Christmas has been set exactly as the layout shows. (Yes, they actually send out layouts that require us to put seasonal merchandise in a PARTICULAR spot on the counter. This is a departure from the past, more sensible, approach of designated certain sections for particular types of merchandise. For example, use these three sections for Christmas crafts foam items, use these sections for wood items, use these sections for scrapbooking items, etc.) We actually have to find the exact product and set it in an exact location just like we do for the merchandise we carry and have to order year round. The reason it makes no sense is because the stuff immediately begins to sell down and then we have to fill empty spots. (Another crisis is to have a "hole" showing in the counter where there is no merchandise displayed.) So, of course, we have to spread the stuff-- that HAD TO BE put in a very particular spot-- out to fill the holes. This all begins to take place not very long after we had to spend HOURS searching for just the right product to go on just the right peg in just the right place on a particular section of the counter.
But now that the fourth quarter is behind us, it's not quite as bad, but only because there's not near as much Valentine merchandise to set.
They have become quite exacting in how the CLEARANCE must go out too. Whereas, before we could just be sure that ceramics were with ceramics, wood with wood, and so forth, now it has to be "colorized" and organized. If you know anything at all about clearance counters, you have no trouble imagining how long that kind of order is maintained once the doors are opened and customers get their hands on the marked down items.
As soon as the BIG DAY is over, we must immediately switch into the mode of get-the-remaining-Christmas-stuff-out-of-here-as-quickly-as-possible mode. NO Christmas merchandise can be counted in inventory... and inventory comes up quickly in January.
And that's where we are right now. This coming up Saturday will be the inventory day for our store. Before Rgis comes in to do their counts, we must pre-count TONS of stuff: all stems and bushes, all single sheet paper, all foam sheets and felt squares, bandanas, and bolts of fabric. All stuff higher that 6'. All "home accent" products in the middle of the store. All that will have to be done this week.
But, next week I should be going back to part time hours... which I have not worked since I got home from Escondido in November. (I've worked full time hours at part time pay, but I'm not griping because I no longer have a department and am not having unreasonable demands made about what I need to be getting done. And I get to go to church on Wednesday nights.)
Two of my grandchildren from Escondido came for a visit from December 17 until January 4. I didn't get to spend a whole lot of one-on-one time with them because of my work schedule, but I certainly got to see more of them than I would have had they not come at all. I was their main chauffeur from their daddy's to their uncle's, where they spend most of their nights.
I was given the time off for the New Year's Fellowship Meeting, working days on Thursday and Friday, and totally off on Saturday. That was great. It's always an iffy situation to ask for a particular schedule at that time of year. Sis. Ellen from Asheville stays with me every year-- has for I think she said 8 years-- along with her children. For the last two years, this has required the children in residence to give up their bedroom for three nights but they seem to not mind. Jeni seems to have enjoyed Sis Ellen being here both of the years that she has shared facilities with her.
Jeni is in her seventh month of pregnancy. She is SO hoping her house will be done before the baby comes. Things have progressed nicely. The bricklayers were supposed to start bricking on Saturday but didn't show up. She and Jef and going to go shortly and check if they have shown up today. I used to have access to pictures showing the progress of the building process on Jeni's Facebook account, but she decided to purge her account and I was part of the purge, so now I don't get to see her updates. However, the last picture I had access shows that the house is definitely taking shape.
On Friday, I got up at 2:30 AM to take the girls to the airport and be their "escort" until their plane was "in the air" carrying them back home to California. That happened at about 6:30AM. I then came home and slept a couple hours. Got up, took the bag of stuff to be shipped & my tape gun and headed off to the post office to mail the items the girls didn't have room for in their luggage. The largest box I could get at the P.O. just was large enough for their stuff. The cost of the box, insurance, and shipping, cost more than checking another bag would have. And, if they'd checked another bag, their stuff would have arrived when they did. Live and learn. (I'm sure we could have come up with another bag.)
For who knows what reason, I did not sleep last night. Finally, at some time around 5AM, I was able to go to sleep and slept until 7:30. Decided that was not quite enough and went back to sleep until 9:30. Now I need to go somewhere I get the oil changed in my car... because it keeps telling me I need to do that. And I have some other errands to take care of. I guess I'll take another nap later. Maybe.
It may be time to update the photos on the left. Just got the word that Tesia found out today she will be having another boy. That will be a mid year event.
That's the news from my circle for now.
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