Mooloo's little tapestry of life, 2016

Savvy_sewing

greenbee wrote: »

Make sure the Ts & Cs are put up somewhere obvious (and are large, with large print) and make clear to all your staff that they are not to be moved. You might also want to have some printouts and ask that they are handed out to new customers.

You're running a business, so you need to get the hang of asking for money!

Tinned rice pudding is a perfectly good snack. I really need to have a bath and head off to bed, but am still battling with some work. As usual all the people who didn't provide input at the start of the process now have opinions at the end and want to make drastic changes when there simply isn't time.

Hope you didn't work too late.
I will take the laptop into work today, I am on my own in the shop, and I will try to get the paperwork, the odds and sods of the business worked on as trying to sew while serving customers is not so easy, and maybe I will get the sewing done after shop hours as I don't have to rush back home for anything particular except the ironing mountain.

Slinky

I know it can be difficult asking for money, we're way too British, but when you've told them how much it will be, go for the close then.

'Fitting a new zip will be £9.50, how would you like to pay, cash or card?'

Nobody would expect to go through the tills at Tesco and pay when they've eaten the food 2 days later.

Once you've got in the swing of it, it will become much easier and normal.

With the signs your staff are clearing away, are they just printed pieces of paper or are they in a frame on your wall. Even laminated and taped to your till will be less easy to throw away (you can buy laminator pockets for under a fiver, and you don't even need a laminator - iron gently and evenly with a dry iron and a teacloth between the iron and the pocket.)

I'm sure once you get in the habit of not offering credit (which is what you are doing), your profits will increase as every job you do you will be paid for.

dktreesea

Hi Mooloo, hope you are feeling better and enjoying a bit of time to yourself.


Ironing! I know this may go against the grain when you sew, because sewing and ironing do go together, but how about looking at the mountain and seeing what it would be okay not to iron? I used to iron, back in the day when I was in my 20s and everyone ironed. Then one day after a two hour marathon my back was killing me - I remember I was ironing jeans when I had my lightbulb moment - I was contemplating tackling some sheets which had been hanging out on the line and were drip dry anyway and pretty much crease free and I thought never mind all this, folded them up, put them in the airing cupboard and didn't notice anything when I next used them. Likewise towels which I used to iron diligently, more fool me. For work, I started to look for fabrics which didn't need ironing. Lo and behold there were plenty of lovely things to wear. Ditched the linen trousers and skirts and the cotton shirts for lovely wavy, curvy clothes than hung beautifully.

Slinky

Life's too short for ironing bedlinen and I can't for the life of me work out why you'd ever want to iron towels!

Savvy_Sue

Slinky wrote: »

Life's too short for ironing bedlinen and I can't for the life of me work out why you'd ever want to iron towels!

I have a friend who used to reckon that they dry you better if they've been ironed!

However, I'm so much of a non-ironer that when DS1 started nursery, he thought the toy iron was a boat!

My lightbulb moment was faced with a pile of DH's shirts for the following week: I used to do them on a Sunday night but I was so tired. And I thought 'hang on, by the time he's put his jacket on, and worn it for five minutes, no-one will know whether it's been ironed or not!'

When I didn't have a tumble drier I would give everything I once ironed a good shake, and then hang it as uncreased as possible - shirts on a hanger, trousers with their creases in etc.

Now, when I get stuff out of the td, I shake it and either fold it or hang it as soon as I can.

I sometimes have a silk-shirt ironing fest because they sometimes get stubborn creases in along the collar, but I usually wait until I'm away, then I only iron what I actually need! (BTW all my silk shirts come from charity shops!)

Savvy_sewing

For some reason my tumblr side of my machine, is not that good, and things come out very creased!
I try to hang things in the bathroom to dry, then they don't need much ironing. But for some reason of late I was putting the washing up stairs all mixed up. I cleared an IKEA bag, and a basket full of things last night. I stopped about 7.30 to eat and then watched Vera and Law and Order on record. So that was enough.
The things on hangers are put away. I have two large piles of folded things to put away in the drawers either if there is time before work, or when I get home.
I will need to put petrol in the car so I can go back to Mum tomorrow, it's on fumes so I have been walking to save a bit of fuel, and because I don't have DGD to take too and from school etc.
DGD skyped me last night saying she missed me. But not so much that she wanted to come home yet. They are going to the zoo today if the weather permits. Think they have an annual pass.
Time to shake a leg, have my shower as my hair is like a birds nest, and remember to take some lunch today as yesterday I bought a bacon roll mid morning as the smell was so strong from next door.

Savvy_sewing

I really don't like being "home alone", it is so strange without DGD.
Today is my Mum's 80th Birthday so after work I will be going over to see her.
I have parked the car on the road as someone left lots of shards of glass on the pavement edge where I normally reverse the back wheel between my house and next doors. Probably deliberate to damage my tyres, but I can't prove it, I just know the things done in the past to other neighbours.
I happened to walk yesterday and noticed it. I wouldn't have seen it if I had driven as I usually do. I got the dustpan out last night, and swept up what I could as I was worried about doggy paws and children's bikes more than my car. I wish the company the highways agency recommended would hurry up and come and give me the quote, get the license underway and lower my curb. Then I could have the police intervene if next door continue to park across the front, or do damage etc
Petty little idiots is what they are.

So I have read my emails, checked my bank balances, and moved my money about accordingly, nearly finished my cup of tea, oh and come on here ofcourse.
This all from the comfort of my bed.
I shall have to brave the cold and go downstairs to put the heating up very soon.
I have just over two hours before I leave for work, so a meal in the slow cooker, ( thermal bag), possibly I will also dry some more fruit, and am thinking about making some bread as I have only wraps left. We will see.
I still have a lot to do in the spare room as well.
I need to brave the loft, but really don't like doing that when I'm on my own I case I fall or have a panic attack up the ladder!
I better getup and do the chores then.
Have a good one.

dktreesea

Maybe it would be a good idea, with the problem with your neighbours escalating to that extent - wow, what kind of people do things like that?! - to get onto both the Highways Agency to tell them the company they recommended has done nothing, not even given you a quote, and then get onto the company and say what happened, say you've spoken to the Highways Agency because it looks like they are not interested in the job and see what they say. See if it will give them a hurry up (as in they will be around to do a quote on Friday at 8.30am (no point in letting them make you late for work) or of they will confirm (what I suspect) that they don't want the work, but don't want to annoy the Highways Agency because they also get bigger meatier jobs from them. I don't appreciate contractors like that, greedy people who only want the big profitable jobs and not the little jobs that are meant to go along with the bigger jobs.


Maybe get the house fully sorted before doing anything with an out of the way place like a loft? I have an attic, which is chocka full of stuff and big enough to have full stairs up to it. I bring stuff down one or two items at a time to deal with and never take anything up there. I know it seems a slow way of doing things, but I've found it suits me to do it at this pace and I am gradually seeing space.

Savvy_sewing

I'm only getting an answer machine at the moment.
So frustrating.
My Mum had some lovely flowers sent from my sister in France, as well as some I had taken to her.
We didn't get out as it is too wet and cold.
I just had a cold caller on my mobile talking about my recent accident! Really, where was I then as I never had an accident. Wonder how they got my details?
Time for dinner, chicken curry and rice. Yummy

dktreesea

Hi Mooloo, I'm SO glad it's the weekend. This is the first day off I have had in ages. Still have to do a little bit this afternoon - so much for a day off, but at least there is nothing pressing on me for the business just for once. I hope you manage to get a lazy weekend to yourself and DGD too. Don't get me wrong, I love my business, but sometimes..... I just want to snuggle under the duvet and wish it would go away for 48 hours.