Five more minutes...

There hasn't been much time to recover from all the moving -stuff. I've been doing more here, than I've done in months, which is great. My body wakes me up at around ten the latest, so I get to enjoy the light. But I think I shoud've had at least one big sleep-in after all this. And looks like it's finally starting to show.

I got up extra early today, to go to the other workplace. I had arranged to go to the clinic with my new boss, wait for her and make sure she gets home safely. We announced our arrival and sat down in the waiting room. Soon the nurse came in, all sunny and friendly, and I was introduced to save confusion. I look up from under my hat (OK, so I didn't brush it in order to get five more minutes of sleep, sorry!) and the nurse looks at me in horror.

"Gosh, are you OK? You're looking so teary-eyed. Are you worried or something?"
I said something about tiredness, she looked like she doesn't believe me, but took my boss with her anyway. I quickly occupied myself with a magazine from last October, just in case she'd decide to come back and hand me leaflets for support-groups for carers or suchlike. Bless her.

We had a laugh about it afterwards while waiting for the taxi.
But I might just organize myself a little pampering night in tonight, just to be on the safe side... And while I couldn't be bothered with make-up in the morning, I might just brush my hair tomorrow before our next adventure!

Can't wait....

My internet connection is giving me a headache.
Now I don't seem to be able to comment on blogs with pop-up comment boxes. My modem looks at me, gives me an evil grin and goes on holidays. Disconnecting, re-connecting, shouting and crying have all been tried, and all the methods have failed. Blaah.
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I had my first day in my second job yesterday. I got a call, happened to be off and went in. Worked for a few hours; Did the shopping, cleaned the kitchen and the bathroom. It was great, the time flew and she asked me to come in again next week. And I got a big hug as I was leaving. :)
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We went to Longford yesterday. JC's friend is over from England, and we got invited for a little spin. Had the worst indian in my life, but got to add a new town into my map. Great! :)
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Last but not least:
I'm getting so excited about going to Milan!!!
I actually find it hard to get to sleep, because I keep thinking about the architecture and the food. Mainly the food... :D

There's so much to do... I haven't even decided what I'm going to pack and I need to find something to pack it into. I still have tomorrow, so no stress.
It's going to be our first proper trip together. We've been to Finland twice, but that doesn't count because it's my homeplace. And we were in England once, but Himself has been in there so many times it wasn't really exciting for him. This is going to be the first time in Italy for both of us.

I wish it was Friday already!

More work? Thanks!

I had what's possibly the nicest job interview in my life yesterday.

I was at work when my phone rang and since there wasn't any customers, I answered. It was Himself's friend, who was asking if I could call in and talk to her mother about doing some housework for her aunt and keeping her company a few hours a week.

So I asked my boss if I could leave on time and was picked up from work by The Big Man.
I was a bit nervous, and thankful that I was wearing semi-smart clothes. Landed in, sat down and just chatted away. And it looks like I'll be taking on a second job in a few weeks time.
We agreed to see how we get on, before setting any particular days or hours. I'm actually quite excited...

Happy days. :)

Groundhog day transformed

On Monday night after the boys' gig we had our usual chat. This time the topics varied from Japan to horror movies, and from comedy to work.

Our friend, The Mandolin Man, was telling me about some character who always knew what people were going to say, before they even opened their mouths. That's something I can relate to (when it comes to work, anyway).

This is the conversation I have pretty much every single day at work, multiplied by 50:

Me: Hi, how are you?
Customer: How are ya. (it's not a question, try answering and you'll find out!)
- Then they walk towards the counter, I scan things in and go through the usual "Would you like a bag/box for these?" "It's 9.45, please" and "Thank you, bye bye!"
The older customers usually say something about the weather or the economical situation, the younger try not to say anything at all. And of course I have my regulars who stop and have a chat every now and again.

I noticed people talk to me more if I have a book or sudoku magazine on the counter.
Then I started knitting and doing crochet at work, and that really seems to interest a lot of people. What I found surprising though, was that it's mainly men who comment on my hobby. They look at the needles and the ball of wool and this big smile lights up their face. "Oh, you're knitting!" they say and give me this little nod.
The women just glance at the work and look away again. The only comment from a woman yesterday was: "Are you knitting for the babby?"

Anyway; What I'm wondering is, why are the men so fascinated by knitting? I thought it might have something to do with their mammies and good memories... Or maybe they're happy to see this form of craft isn't dying?

Or maybe they, like me, feel that the days are repeating themselves and are happy to see something as random as the off licence girl knitting.
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Have to go foodshopping, and then to work.

Good news

Yesterday I was told they are going to increase my hours at work again. I was so relieved I nearly hugged the person delivering the news!

When I got home, we had our daily chat. We started counting all the good things that are going to happen this year, and the ones that have already happened, and agreed that it looks like year 2009 is going to be a brilliant year.

The things I look forward to most this year are my dad's wedding, (hopefully) an engagement of our two friends and a baby (or possibly two) in our close circle. Then there's the everyday joys of life; to be able to work more, cook for Himself every day (well, I'd say there might be a sneaky take-out or two...), go for walks with Angel Girl and other little things that really make me happy.

I also have some goals I've set for myself for the year, and I'm excited to see how I get on with them. I'm trying to create more things in different ways, keep the flat tidier, learn new recipes and complete a few sections of my studies.

All in all, the start of the year has been so good, I can't wait to see what happens next!

It's nice to be nice... But do I have to?

Last night, as soon as we got home, Himself had to go to work again. I got to stay at home for a few extra hours before following him to the one and only music venue in our town.

Seems that we have nearly started a little family business; "Hire a guitar tech, get a merchandise person/doorman/extra pair of hands for free" (Hmmm.. Now there might just be something there...)

So I took the money and stamped more hands than I thought I'd ever see. I don't know how I didn't have any dreams about hands last night; There definitely was enough material for a whole movie! Pale, nearly blue hands; hands with dozens of bracelets (which cover stamps nicely and make the checking part of work ten times harder), nervous-looking hands... And a pair of older hands, with lacy arm warmers. Who says punk is dead?

This kept me entertained for a good part of the night. And suddenly things started to happen. Some people couldn't understand the concept of paying to see a gig, and tried to push their way in past me. See, when you reach a dizzying height of 5' 3", and try to do work normally associated with big guys with walkie-talkies, you get these people who think you won't try to stop them. Somehow I think they weren't expecting me. Oh, how I hate breaking people's dreams. (insert evil laugh here) Using my best voice (what I lack in height, I have in volume!) I gently pushed a group of ten people back a few steps. After that I didn't have any trouble with payments and got to enjoy the rest of the gig.

At the end I started to take down the shirts we had on display. Managed to get the last one into my hands just before I fell. And landed on one foot. And, of course, hurt my ankle. The funny thing about this was, I'd been drinking juice the whole night watching people around me get drunk. And yet, none of them got as much as a scratch. This nearly makes me believe in one of Himself's favourite sayings; "Trying to be good really doesn't pay off".

So here I am, nursing my poor ankle in the safety of my workplace. (At least I have a counter between myself and the customers...)
And I'm pretty certain, that the next time you see me doing the door or climbing after merchandise, I will have a nice pint of Guinness in front of me!

Working for the (big) man

It's over, and I can't say I'm sad.
Thankfully I had time for at least one of my traditions, gingerbread figures. There's some piggies, hearts and trees, just waiting to be eaten. The dogs in Himself's homeplace were over-excited when they smelled the baking cookies; they seemd to remember them from last year. So I had two little helpers running around the kitchen.

Last night we went for a few drinks in our friends' house. Champagne, crackers and cheese, they really were spoiling us!
Got to bed at around four, and had to wake up early today to go to a little town for a gig. (Won't even try to spell the name, Irish place names can be a bit confusing at times)

You'll never guess, where I'm writing this at the moment! In an old church, which has been converted into an arts centre. It still has the lovely, old windows and wooden floors, and of course the high ceiling. What could be a nicer place to write in?
Himself will be teching for a band called Superstate and I'll be taking money at the door and selling CDs. It's so nice to be doing this kind of work again, it's been a while since the last time. I have my little station all set up next to the door. CDs, mailing lists and pens all in order.

The boys are soundchecking, I'm drinking lukewarm tea and waiting.
And hoping I'll have lots of work to do tonight!

Bad day

When I was very young, my Father gave me a useful bit of knowledge. It was "Never shit on your own doorstep". I've brought that with me to my later life, expanding it to mean not only my old family, but also the new one and my workplace as well. I try not to let outsiders into certain things that happen in these little circles, because I always believed that loyalty is paid back with loyalty.

When I came to Ireland, I noticed that loyalty is hard to get, especially if you don't happen to be Irish. Shitty jobs, bad contracts (or no contracts at all) and strange arrangements have followed each other for the past years. I've talked to several nice, smart and hardworking girls, from different countries, and the story stays the same. One of them had a boss, who made up a story about her and fired her as a result. One works for way too many hours a week for about 3 euro/hour. It goes on and on.

I've worked the whole time I've been in this country, paying taxes and never getting anything back. When my hours got cut in my second job, I tried to get help. I was told, that my interest is not in the state and that I have connections to other countries (since I happen to have parents who live in another country. Shocking!). So I couldn't get any support.
The same thing happened again, when the economical situation got worse a little while ago. This time the fact that himself is Irish was considered to be a bonus. Funny, that. :/

Today, I came to work.
I needed to get some papers signed and my boss asked me to come to the office. He told me, that my hours are needed for his children and that the business isn't successful enough to keep me in. He told me, that I could work today, and get my P45 on Monday. Fast action.
I don't know which one of us got more of a shock, me for loosing my job or him, when I burst into tears. (I'm not one of the feminine, quiet tears -type of cryers either, so...)
He gave me three more weeks, or so.

I pulled myself together and went to work. Service with a smile, at that.

My Mother also gave me a tip for life. "Leave a place in a better shape than it was when you first came in."
So, after I got the news, I came in, armed myself with a brush and a dustpan and started cleaning. At least now there won't be any actual shit on the doorstep. *laughs*