Mooloo's little tapestry of life, 2016

Today is the aim for finishing off as many projects as I can.
Focus time.
I still haven't talked to the seamstress. I hate confrontation, but I also cannot be dictated too. If I let the seamstress stay then it would mean staff not working on the same days, and that would not worry staff, but it would mean that I couldn't have my day off. I could not easily change the days I take off with the childcare in place, and a few other reasons. Wednesday is a traditional 1/2 day closing so taking it as my day off I only have to pay until 1pm. If I take another day I have to pay until 4.30pm
It also means I would loose my sewing time in a way.
If I meet her half way, let her work Tuesday, but tell her that if she won't work with staff then she can only work on Tuesday, which means that she will loose 3 hours and any overtime opportunity.
Also the niggling small issues about some of her work will still need to be addressed.
If I go through with accepting her offer of resignation then I will have to do the immediate work all by myself. I can probably find the time if I actually start at 9am instead of 9.30, and I stay until 5.30 instead of 4.30.
That's 1 1/2 hours 4 days, and Saturday I currently stop after teaching at 2pm but I used to be open until 4pm so I could work longer.
I also have ofcourse got the options of Cherry Picking the jobs that I accept, and although it could loose me some larger paying jobs, I can accept and turn around more of the smaller, higher return jobs.
The business is used to paying out her wages, so I could start to pay myself instead. Working overtime would feel more worth it if I had a wage to look forward too as well.
When looking at it that way, then streamlining the jobs I accept, and doing it myself (until I find someone else), seems the way forward for me to go.

I called her before I opened up the shop, at that time still in two minds, but after talking to her for 10 minutes or so, I decided that I would accept her resignation flung at me in her haste. She very nearly had that second chance, but she was so horrible about staff, didn't want to only do one day, or even work from home and said she could get £10 an hour working for someone else, so I said that I think it was best she didn't come back, that I would pay her her wages and a weeks money in lieu of working.
I decided to look at the work we currently have in, mostly hems etc and I am perfectly capable to do them. Time will be a slight stress level, as there are about 40 jobs currently in. However when staff came in she was surprised at my decision, but has said she will help me wherever she can. I will just have to work back down on the shop floor more when she is not in.
I will just take the jobs I am able to do, customers are being told the time wait is a little longer then a week, and I will make sure to keep some time sheets to make sure I am charging properly for my time.
Sort out the annomollies.
It will be busy but fine. Then I will see about my wages after I have paid her off.
Her husband stormed into the shop for his gardening money, was very rude to staff, and the woman has obviously blamed staff for her demise! Dread to think what she told him. Poor staff was visably upset, and staffs husband was in the shop to witness it, as he had made a boat for my shop window. We have entered it into the town Carnival Best Window competition. I think if he had caught up with the other husband even them in their late 60's, we might just have had a fight on our hands. Oh Dear!!!
At least there was nobody in the shop at the time and staff recovered after a small hug and we got on with organising our afternoon. We had about 11 jobs come in.
I finished the hand sewing on the curtains, she did the poppers on the duvet cover, I made the tie backs. Then I did several fittings. Followed by shortening of some jeans, a skirt, taking in a pair of shorts ( that originally looked like the poor woman had jodpurs on. Sewed a hook and eye on a dress, made some runners, and generally finished lots of little jobs.
We banked £340. So it's been a respectable week dispite all the upheaval. Today there are further fittings booked in throughout the morning, and no lessons so I will just get on with it.