Speedtest

42 words

Speedtest

Not too shabby, considering I am balancing the laptop on my knees while typing in bed. I'm in bed because I wasn't feeling well at work today so came home and went to bed. Had a good sleep with a strange work related dream where I was fired - I was asking how I could be fired when I am finishing up voluntarily in 3 days.

They actually did want to keep me on but I made the decision to finish up as I am not interested or ready to go back to working retail. I will keep my hand in the pie so to speak, have my name down to be called for stocktake and for future set-ups. Apparently they find it hard getting staff for set-ups, a lot of staff find it too hard, it was hard work but I enjoyed it.

Have spent time this afternoon looking up free patterns - I love free patterns

Burdastyle
Burdafashion

These sites have fullsized patterns that can be printed out on a standard printer, then they are pieced together like a big jigsaw puzzle. Some patterns on Burdastyle can be downloaded to print fullsize at a printshop.



Japanese sewing patterns

There's a range of patterns available on this site, clothing, bags household items. The site is mostly in Japanese, I used Google to translate it but it's still a bit iffy to understand. The patterns need to be drafted to fullsize, the measurements are all there but all the instructions are in Japanese. Most look very basic and can be easily reconstructed without needing translation - I hope.

I started knitting a pair of socks this week, using sock yarn bought from work, I've not used so small a needle before, 2.25 mm it may take a while. These are knitted top down on 4 needles - another challenge for me am very new to 4 needles as well. I did have trouble starting off but after several goes I finally got it going. I'm hoping to have the pair finished by winter - only have around 6 months to go. ;)

It's almost over

I have one more week to go before I will again be gainfully unemployed - WOO HOO! This week has been easier physically but still very tiring, even though we are back to the standard 9 hours. 10 minutes into Monday definitely reminded me why I didn't want to go back to retail - a whinging customer demanding to know why a sign said $29 instead of the advertised $19 even though the item rang up at $19. I had told the Project Manager the week before we opened that I would only work the first 2 weeks. I was desperate for a day off after working 18 days straight so yesterday morning asked the Store Manager when I was going to get time off (I was the only one who hadn't had time off), she looked at the roster and told me that if I wanted I could go home and have yesterday and today off, needless to say I jumped at the offer.

On the way home I took advantage of some retail therapy, bought myself a new watch and a couple of pairs of earrings. I know it's not very frugal minded but I figured I deserved it. I did buy the watch on special, but full price on the earrings - a silver pair for $39 and a junky but pretty pair for $12, they make me feel good - am wearing the silver pair right now.

Over the past few weeks I've done some hard thinking about my home, the place has gotten so messy while I have been too tired to do much - I don't know how those with full time work do it. I really need to pare down what we have in this house - clothing, my craft items, saved for a rainy day things, books etc. A major clean up is in wings. Especially for my craft - why keep so much for scrapbooking when I am not into scrapbooking, more into card making. Even talked myself out of buying a cutting system just because it was on sale - that was before I saw how much the cutting dies would set me back - ouch!

Came very close to a moment of madness through lusting after a sewing machine. My machine is showing it's age (not so much it's physical age but more the use I've gotten out of it over the last 8 years). At work there is an equivalent machine on special and I was very tempted to buy it. But came home and reasearched it on the net before deciding that it wasn't what I really wanted. I did find a couple of honest reviews that cemented my resolve, a lesson to all not to just read the hype from the manufacturer.

After some major cleaning work done out here I'm going to concentrate on my sewing room, over the past several weeks the Daddylong legs have had free range in there, there a cobwebs all over. The next few weeks will see me concentrating on Christmas gifts, trying to only use what I have on hand to get the stash down. Then I'll look long and hard at other items I have in there, deciding whether I'll ever use them or making time to actually make up things.

Still working

It's been mostly enjoyable but also very frustrating as we often have to double handle (triple/quadruple handle is more apt)just about everything. They like to have stock on shelves even if they don't have the right shelves for the stock to go, so when the right shelves come in we need to redo everything or minds are changed several times over how items are to be display. We are coming to the end of it, opening day is Monday, there is still alot to do, so far have worked 11 days straight, 71 hours last week - this week may end up more if we aren't where we are supposed to be up to on Saturday, we won't go home until it's done.

There have only been a couple of "why am I doing this?" breakdowns over the past few weeks - Tuesday found me in tears simply from frustration over minor trivialities.

The decision has been made not to persue a position at the store, I just haven't had a great feeling about it. I told the Boss today, did tell him I am very interested in doing this all again, there are 2 set ups earmarked for early next year.

In just over 2 weeks I'll be back to being a SAHM until then. Opening is set for Monday so there is no chance for a break before then, we will work until the store is up and running, plus 2 extra weeks to help out during opening sales, hopefully being able to have time off as well.