So poor I can't even pay attention

Piquant_2

Hello wonderful folks :wave:I can't believe how many of you are interested in my dreary life. At this rate I'll be on EastEnders in no time at all...

Robin, thank you, I can't believe you went to the trouble of thinking out my situation and coming up with so many different solutions.

Let me explain the situation at the yard, it will make things clearer and help you all understand the parameters I have to work in.

The yard is a family owned business, basically one person is dictator (yo) and his daughters work the yard. Of the 'outsiders' who work; there's the yard manager (ym) and two other adult who are paid the minimum wage.

ym has eight horses there and lives in a caravan on site, he pays no livery but does not earn enough to leave and is at the beck and call of yo.

Eldest daughter (ed) is lazy and a bully, but yo will not have a word said against his family. Any one who has tried has been thrown off the yard. And yes, it is that dictatorial.

It was ed who let the details of the arrangement out not ym.

To date, I have had no problems with being at the yard, depite nepotism and an inept service. I have always ensured the Captain is well looked after, so he hasn't suffered in the slightest. I hope that those of you who have met me will agree, I am easy going and smiley (well, was smiley) and tend to get on everybody, so I have never rocked the boat in anyway.

The yard has always been full of people boasting about what they've achieved, how much they've spent and only buy, the best designer type stuff for themselves and horses. I've had a few comments over the years about how scruffy the Captain and I are, but I've always laughed and said we're both beautiful on the inside. Now, of course, I'm getting it full on:(

Horsey people are the same as any other small clique (is that the right word?) as any other. They don't see outside their small world, don't like outsiders and like to have some sort of uniform. Some of them know a lot about horses, but nothing about anything else!

Piquant_2

Mara_uk7 wrote: »

PS ... operation sales rep is underway, news soon
x

Take them my stories of the Captain, maybe they'll sponsor him and make him a celebrity! Seriously, I could send you some of them if it might help. I can write more...

the_cake wrote: »

Good post *Robin*! There certainly are some horrible people in the horsey world ... but some angels too. Is there any chance you could "formalise" your gardening for the Yard Owner - work out an hourly rate and do as many as cover your livery fee and any other bills? Then you could tell the petty minds on the yard that you are paying your way, which might defuse the situation. Good luck, hold your head up Piq. xx

He doesn't formalise anything, it is a small dictatorship! Which is why I was so surprised when he was so helpful.

missrlr wrote: »

As for suggesting you pay, well turn round and tell her you ARE PAYING in the form of time freely given in the garden which you bill at £15 per hour (MINIMUM round here any way for gardening just did a quick check! And you have to commit to minimum hours and regularity to get those rates!)

I can totally sympathise, spent most of yesterday morning in tears at work too.

The only other thing I can suggest is you know who the queen bee of the yard is , or at least the vocal !!!! stirrer in this case, so plan your comments and take them out in the nicest possible way in front of as many people as possible in the yard. Will take a HUGE amount of courage but a few well chosen sentences to make the point will probably stop this once and for all.

I don't like it that you're unhappy too missrir. I wish I could help. If only we could swap places for a week or so, sort out each others problems, what an amazing thing that would be...

I can't take on anyone right now, too weak and weepy, I'm afraid

Are gardeners paid that much??? wow...

Piquant_2

Dot and Walkers you are both adorable, you do make me smile....

Thank you

Piquant_2

In other news:

I went to the job centre yesterday. I had an appointment with my advisor. I always try to see him as he is less stressful than the others and he tries to help.

The appointment was at 9:00am, so as usual I turned up at 9:05am (not standing in the queue outside

We'd just started the usual pleasantries when two large security people came up to the desk and said we'd like you to leave now. I said why, I've only just got here. Big chap one says 'not you, him, collect your coat and any personal belongs and come with us':eek::eek:

I'm still astonished that he was sacked in front of me :eek: and, yes, he was sacked. He waited for me outside to apologise for any embarrassment I may have suffered. I felt really sorry for him. He said he's seen the writing on the wall for a while so was not surprised. I wish him well, he did try to do his job well.

I then sat at the desk, nobody came over. In the end I went and asked another advisor what I was supposed to do. Their response.....'your appointment should have been cancelled' Clearly it was not.....

They were decent enough to sign my form though, so my stamp will get paid.

I'm also getting some paid leave from work, all holiday has to be taken by April, so I'm getting most of March off. It's a good time I think. I may be able to sort my head out a bit. I'm going to think about what to do. Maybe put a gardening card up in the local post office

Skint_but_Optimistic

Eeh thats shocking the poor man. Its tough all over isnt it? Why not grasp the nettle! (feel free to use that as a gardening services name haha) and begin empire building. As for the horsey set, just bluff it out.

Bullies are the same the world over and to give them any time will give them more power. S0d them. enjoy your March off. Twill be lovely!

Baldybear

shocked by the tactics of the job centre, I think that is an absolute disgusting way of treating people

As for the yard wish you lived closer you would like it were we are, scruffy and ponies of all sizes and nobody cares as long as they are all happy and looked after ok

walkers60

Hi Piq
I love it when you post as it is always something unusual, exciting, different, emotional, so funny I cry and laugh out loud at the same time, sometimes I cry with you, - but never DULL!
When you write you put up ideas and others add to them - just like SbO above suggested 'grasp the nettle' (brilliant) you could paint the name you choose on the broken-clay-pot-rim, take photos and put a postcard with photo and details in not just the post office, but the supermarket, local paper, freebie paper, 'cabinet notice board' outside village hall (I somehow imagine you live in a village), local church notice board - the list could be endless but I must go and do some of my own gardening now! Imagination - you have loads of it! Very pleased you have holiday leave now - it will give you a chance to see things in a clearer way and get your strength back - physical and mental.
Fancy giving the chap the sack and make him leave without looking back.
So pleased you are back posting - its my fix for the day!
Walkers

NewLeaf_2

wow you do have the craziest things happen around you. Gosh poor you and poor guy. Thank goodness you have got the form signed.

The whole yard sounds like a feudal system. Awful x

Skint_but_Optimistic

Also, grasp the nettle can be the name for your Inspirational Tales.

get writing them up! I want to read The Captains Tail and Yarns of the Yard!

As Walkers said, your prose inspires. Big hugs.

*Robin*

Hi Piq, :hello:

Thank you for clarifying and correcting [STRIKE]our[/STRIKE] my misapprehensions about the yard. It must be a large concern, if YM alone has eight horses there - umm, has he got internet? The whole story seems rather familiar from his POV (not from this site though).

Anyway, I can now see why you're having to tread so carefully. It wouldn't do to challenge Eldest Daughter; as the old adage says: keep your friends close and your enemies closer. :think: Don't suppose ED also has a garden that could do with some TLC? By the sound of it you don't have a lot in common with her so overtures of friendship are likely to be regarded with suspicion at this point.

However the whole situation could well be a serendipitous <love that word!> stepping stone for you, re a potential gardening business. Skint has suggested a fantastic [very appropriate] name for it.. And yes, gardeners are well paid. One of my DSs helps out a family member who started a similar business after not being able to find a graduate job; he gets paid £14 per hour so the clients must be paying a lot more than that for the service. The trick is to tap into that layer of society who are still doing well despite the recession. My lad suddenly got very busy after one of his boss's clients had a garden party where their work was seen by lots more of the local 'upper crust' (as they think of themselves). DS' boss also has a catchy, easily remembered name for the business which must help..

From what you have written about the other clients at the yard, I suspect that, if you can stick out the b!tchiness now [until Yard Owner's garden is flourishing] then at least some of the better-heeled horse-owners could be potential clients for you as a gardener..

Weird situation at the Job Centre. Think I would take that as another [very oblique] sign to pursue the idea of becoming self employed. Shame for the poor guy of course; sounds like he was just too nice..