Working

The new job is very full on. We are putting a new, large store together from scratch. It's been hard, dusty work and played havoc on my sinuses. We've spent the last 2 weeks putting up fixtures, unloading trucks, unboxing and putting out stock. I think we started out with 10 or 12 staff, one didn't come back after the first day and several have been asked not to come back. 2nd week they had 30 more staff recruited through a job agency start. One of the stipulations made was that we needed english speaking staff, we live in English speaking Australia afterall. We ended up with about 5 who could speak English and the rest had very limited or no ability to do so. It was an huge effort trying to tell them what to do, in the end you had to do the job yourself. Most of them were not asked to come back the second day, the ones who had very basic ability were kept on. Third day was still very hard with those, the morning of the fourth day was the straw that broke the camel's back. On that morning a tragedy happened in the street outside work, when we arrived the Police had the entire street and frontage taped off as a crime scene. A couple of the ladies were insistant on getting into the complex even after being told by us that they were not to cross Police lines did so. An officer took off after them, trying his best not to contaminate the crime scene, when he finally caught up to them they stood and argued with him. It was only after the rest of us sideskirted the taped area that we were able to get them out of the area. I think they will be charged. Another group had gotten into the complex via a back entrance, we spotted them cruising around in a car, they got out and walked straight across the taped off area to get to us. Our poor boss had really had it by then, he got onto head office to told him to send all but 5 home, he had to explain to the police that we had told him that they were told not to cross the line, he thought he might have backlash from it even though he hadn't arrived til after the fact. Next day we were down to the original lot and only 5 of the 30 extra, which meant harder work and longer hours for the rest of us. We are now working 8 - 6 each day plus 8 - 5 Saturdays.

I don't want to sound like a racist nor make my boss sound like one, he's an immigrant himself, from a non-english speaking country as are several other employees.

Some of us have made the offer of bringing in friends or family who may be suitable to work, he is very happy to do that but stipulated that he does have a budget to stick to. I suggested my 16 year old daughter and was going to bring her in tomorrow but for the last few days she's a had a cold so I'll let her recover a bit more before taking her in.

I really do love the job, have only had 1 time when I was wondering why I was there but it didn't last long. I come home grubby, tired and achey but I know it's only for a few short weeks. I'll survive.

For those who are wondering - the crime was a shooting in which one man tragically lost his life.

I have a job

Applied for a job a few weeks back, emailed the application Thursday evening, was called Friday morning and interviewed Monday morning. I had never felt so comfortable during an interview. The job is helping in setting up of a new store, fulltime casual rates, 4 - 6 weeks duration with chance of being offered further employment at the end of it.

Started on Monday, with about 10 other people. On the first couple of days we were given jobs as a group putting up fixtures - I found myself taking responsibility of collecting pieces to keep things going smoothly, noticed if we ran out of an item some of the others just stood around waiting. Yesterday the boss asked me to work on one section on my own, today was the same. Kept having others ask me if they can help, told them I was all right, I was revelling in working on my own and not having others just standing around, arms crossed waiting to be told to do something.


This morning first thing we were all given a short lecture about work ethics - grouping up on jobs that one or two can do, disrespecting by just walking out when they think breaktime and day end is due, mobile phones being used, etc. We were warned that they were keeping an eye on us and at the end of the day we would be told if we were no longer required if we weren't up to shape. He did it quite well without singling out any one person, but it made me realise he wasn't talking about me. I realised that only 2 of us have been given solo jobs, the others have been working in the same area with almost constant supervision from the boss and his 2IC. Every now and then he comes over and says he hasn't forgotten me. Yesterday I was feeling a little guilty over what I thought was not doing fast enough work, I had only set up 4 units and put out a few boxes of stock for several hours work. Then I realised I had been doing everything from collecting and installing shelving, putting out stock and cleaning up on my own, not to mention fending off 'helpers'. Later I saw the amount of work done by the others as a group and realised I had been working my butt off.

Wrote the above last night, another day finished. I was still on my own most of the day - loved it. At the end of day I was asked to rearrange one panel and put up stock left on the floor in another section. An hour later the boss came over to see far I had gotten, I had finished what could be hung and tidied the aisle up. Her words to me were "oh jeeze you were quick". I'd really love to be doing this sort of work more often, going to put an application in for the next one - shouldn't be too long they are looking for another site at the moment. The only downside has been that I had major allergies this week, due to the dust am finally clearing up.

Vegie Garden and a visitor

Yesterday we finally started the vegie patch, I went out to buy some more advanced plants than the seedlings I already have. We now have Grosse Lisse, Beefsteak, cherry tomato, capsicum, chilli, eggplant and beans. These were bought as a mixed lot from Bunnings. I also planted beans I grew from seed. Also bought sugarcane mulch. There is still more to do, I have corn, cucumber and watermelon ready to go in and still need to start lettuce and some herbs.

I got up this morning to give them a drink and found this rooster wandering around the yard - I wanted chickens but for the eggs not the crowing. Only have one neigbour who has chickens so we spent the next 10 minutes herding it around the yard, prising a fence paling off, it eventually jumped over the fence. My neighbour came over to talk to me but I had no idea what she said, speaks no english all I could do was nod and say yes every now and again.



Have started bucketing water out of the shower again, bought 8 buckets and they go on the floor in the shower. I put the shower head into one while waiting for the water to heat up - that filled the bucket. Ended up taking 4 buckets full out to the water butt.

Visit into Sydney

Had a wonderful time in the city over the weekend, we stayed in a convent that offers accomondation - best I have ever stayed in, very good value so close to the city. We took a tour around Vaucluse House, then visited Queen Victoria Building for a shopping trip before a ghost tour of The Rocks. All of these places have part in Sydney's history, Vacluse House was built in 1805 by William Wentworth, Colonial Statesman, lawyer and explorer (took part in the first crossing of the Blue Mountains by Europeans). Queen Victoria Building AKA QVB an impressive builing completed in 1898 and covers an entire city block. Was built to house markets and saved from demolition before being restored to gorgeous condition, it now has several floors of shops. The Rocks area is a historical part of the city, dating from early settlement, it too was saved from developers. The Government stepped in and bought the entire area in the 70's keeping it from the clutches of the greedy developers who wanted to do nothing more than raze the entire area to the ground and build skyscrapers.
On Sunday we were back there for the street market held every weekend, I was very good all weekend spendingwise - kept a limit on my buying. The only part of excess was with food, it was good food but expensive.

Got home to find that David had been shopping, there was a new plasma tv and a new laptop. He bought me the laptop because mine is on it's way out. A lot of expense but paid with his tax return so no debt.

I was back in the city Monday and Tuesday, Monday had an interview for a job, waiting to hear back from that and then afterwards went back to The Rocks for some solo shopping, bought myself a beautiful Citrine pendant. I saw it in the first shop I was in, then looked around at others found similar pendants for much more than this one was. Ended up going back to buy it.

Yesterday I took the kids in, we bought a ticket that allowed us unlimited train, bus and ferry rides. Took a round trip ferry to Watson's Bay and then one to Manly where we walked along the Corso, browsing in shops before spending time on the beach. It was a great day and the ticket really paid for it's self. Today is a rest day - though I am supposed to be cleaning up the house.