Shirls is back online!!!!! Yipppeeeeee!!!

[Headfry]

Hi Shirl, good to have you back with us!

[shirlthegirl43]

Morning folks, nice to know I am missed, the only time that happens at home is when someone needs clean socks

How's the celery wind going Hazel?

[Hazel at the Hill]

Morning folks, nice to know I am missed, the only time that happens at home is when someone needs clean socks

How's the celery wind going Hazel?

I am hoping that is a typo, Shirley!

Celery Wine ready for bottling - tho' a shortage of nice clear bottles means that I might rack it off in the next couple of days then stick it back in the dj until I've scavenged some!

How's the rhubarb and strawberry going (gone?) down?

[shirlthegirl43]

Oops, someone has spotted that the letters have all worn of the keyboard (and I wasn't watching what I was typing)

The rhubarb and strawberry will have to be done again in larger quantities!! I got 2 bottles from it, one has been muchly enjoyed, the other might just go along with Easter dinner. It was red to look at but nicer served cold - drinking wise, you can really taste the strawbs, lovely and light and dry like a rose.

Have you tasted the celery yet? It looks good - well done again!

[smallblueplanet]

Where's me clean socks shirley?

[shirlthegirl43]

Where's me clean socks shirley?

LOL, same place as they can be found here - the laundry pile!!!

[HeyWayne]

Welcome back ya old Gti! Missed you we did.

Now, about this celery wind, can I suggest you don't put a cork in it.

[shirlthegirl43]

LOL, thanks Wayne.

[bramble]

Hi Shirl, glad to see you back online. Missed reading your daily posts..

[Mrs Dobby]

Welcome back Shirl! Sorry I too have been absent, someone nicked the BT exchange locally, no-one in West Sale, Partington or Carrington had phones for about 10 days, plus been mad busy at work again, just about getting the new brnch up to speed, and now we've a new Area Manager, so hoping his first visit next wednesday is a good one!

[shirlthegirl43]

Cheers Bramble and Mrs D - haven't seen much of either of you lately either.

Elder son has just left for an extra shift at Halfords - they have lost a load of staff lately for one reason or another.

[Mrs Dobby]

Thanks Shirl! Been coming in from work absolutely worn out, so not been online much at all!

Possibly your local branch has lost staff due to local issues, or it could be the new wage budgets for next year, I've 'lost' 5% of my wage budget for next year, and thats before I factor in everyones pay rises, so in real terms I'm going to have about 10% less money to spend on wages this year, so my plans of taking on more staff have now had to be shelved! Ah well, if we can have as good a year as I think we are going to, then next year I'll have a larger wage budget!

Or it could be that folks are fed up trying to do their job with masses of extra workload coming thru on a daily basis, a new computer system (every aspect of the tills, back office, etc has been changed) that was pushed out too quickly and has handicapped the folk in the stores (its brilliant when it works, but we have one terminal that hasnt worked for 8 weeks, despite screaming for help daily, and most of the other terminals have to be rebooted at least once or twice a day), or it could be pay, the pay rise for a highly performing manager (5 grades available, Unnacceptable, Acceptable, Good, High, Outstanding) is only 1% different than for the grade below, so a pay rise differential of only #200 for working your absolute hardest compared with just doing the basics, and the FT staff pay rises are not happening until October, when those who are on minimum wage get a rise due to minimum wage, and the others are getting 1%, so their differential pay for being more experienced or a keyholder is being eroded! Lots of issues within the company causing low morale, but hopefully when we get our new Chief Exec he can start to turn some of these issues around and rebuild the morale in the stores!