SoapZone Community Message Board

Yes! My good church friend and I went to what might be the only holiday craft show I'll be able to get to this year (not counting the one I'm participating in, on December 6). I was adamant about attending, and work was almost an issue (long story), but ultimately, gcf were able to spend a little over an hour wandering the craft show and buying the things we always buy from the vendors we know are always there. We even had time to squeeze in brunch at Scrambler's; it was extra nice because not only is their food great, gcf had never eaten there. She loved it! I *did* have to go in to work for about 6 hours Saturday evening but we were just the right amount of busy, so that was fine. And then yesterday I went to church, came home, had lunch and spent part of the day doing a few crafts, only one of which was for a potential sale.

Ugh. This is my very first time working retail and thus also my very first time working BF. Last week I worked 5 days instead of the usual four; this week I'm working 4 days but both weeks, I had/have longer than usual days which is good for the paycheck but bad for the soul. But honestly? God is good (as always)...we have had many incredibly busy days since I started at this job but not once have I been at work during the busiest times. Today was no exception; in anticipation of a lot of holiday shoppers due to certain deals (and some phone calls to the frequent flyers), there were five of us scheduled to work...we only had maybe a half dozen people in the store in the 7 hours I was there. At least one person was one of those frequent flyers who always buys a lot, and before she left for the day, SM took a call from another who ordered about 20 items, so the day's final sales wasn't too bad.

As for vacation time...yeah, not unless you count the store being closed on Thanksgiving. I *did* somehow get scheduled off Saturday for the first time in MONTHS (and the other two Saturdays I didn't work were only because I told them before I got hired that I needed those days off). I'm really looking forward to a "traditional" 2 day weekend this week!

Staying home and just cooking a small Thanksgiving meal for Dad and me.

Grocery list, yes. Holiday shopping list, no. This is going to be a weird Christmas...Bro's family and I agreed last year we were DONE giving each other gifts for Christmas. I *think* Sis' family and I did the same but it was less absolute; I'm planning on sending them the usual Christmas crackers (the British party traditional kind, not the Keebler or Saltine kind) and that's it. Good church friend and I are exchanging gifts but she's already mentioned her gifts will be more...modest this year, as she's not working enough hours, and I'm thinking bff might be doing the same. Her favorite musical group--Il Volo--is coming back to town next March, and I offered to get us both tickets as a Christmas gift (and frankly probably also a birthday gift since I'm not making a lot of money either). I was both surprised and frankly a little relieved when she declined...she said she still loves the group but has seen them often enough in concert and doesn't really want to see them in March. Part of me was glad--tickets are pricey, and I'm not nearly the fan that she is--but part of me worries she declined because she's much more of a homebody these days and doesn't like to do much of anything beyond meeting for a meal.

*sigh* I'm working the noon-7:15 PM shift. I've been told the shoppers at our store don't usually come in till 11:00 or later, which is a bit different from those BF shoppers who get up at 4:00 AM to hit stores by 5:00 AM (we don't open on BF till 8:00, which is 2 hours earlier than our usual time). Part of me thinks store traffic won't be that much more than usual as the (mostly) women who shop at our place pretty much come in whenever they please instead of waiting for big sales but part of me thinks with our clientele being mostly older, they might be less prone to online shopping and will come in on BF instead.

Nope, though the wish list continues to grow...

No and no. Dad gets stressed out by the decking of the halls, even as his only jobs are to haul boxes of decorations to the top of the attic stairs (I bring them down--he just slides them from the rafters to the main part of the attic) and to put up the tree. So I usually wait until the weekend after Thanksgiving weekend to decorate. But a lot of my neighbors already have their outdoor lights and displays up, and it's lovely!