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Sunday 14 July 2013

Ooops on the website name & a comical day at the Salt Mine!

I wondered why our website failed to respond when i switched on my desktop?  It didnt take long though to realise what the problem was.  I had a Free account with Dyndns which for the uninitiated turns your ip address into a website name .  One of the rules for the free account is you have to login at least once a month or they "cut you off".  Seems i forgot! 
So there we are OUR new name is http://hakuraman.doomdns.com 

I picked up on this story about a Drone landing on a US aircraft carrier I always imagine a drone to be quite small and in fact remember back in the 70's when the Brit Army were testing them they were only model aircraft size.  This US one is massive and weighs 20 tons!  Impressive video

Here's another of those Trusting person attacked by wild animal stories some "celeb" was in a compound with a handler and was told this rescued cheetah would lick water off his hand.  As he bent down to scoop up some water it jumped on his back  Safely rescued by the handler it was then, and only then they told him its dangerous to bend down in front of a cheetah! - - - No! dummy, its not safe to pretend wild animals are tame!

Finally - - - We continue with our fantastic weather here in the UK and I can only think "we are going to pay dearly soon for it!"  This made for an interesting, challenging and in the end comical day down at the Salt Mine which masquerades under the name of Sainsbury's Matlock.
I had not long ago actually gone in on one of my holiday days, Doh!  My only excuse was that as I only work part time and wasn't actually "going on holiday" days off don't really mean a great deal.
There I was then contemplating a hectic day when "ping" a reminder popped up on my phone "Days off tomorrow" In checked my Outlook Diary and sure enough "3 days off" ahead of me.
It was then with an unusually sprightly spring in my step I stepped up to the clocking in machine 3 minutes early as usual and electronically announced my arrival.

It was a hot morning in the shop as they don't seem to ratchet up the air conditioning until the customers arrive.  Everyone realised quite early it was going to be a "challenging day".  Lots of folk in for the "BBQ shop!"  As the crowds got bigger the "frenzy began".  First the shoppers start dashing about thinking they are going to miss out.  One offshoot of this is "they become blind!".  Cant see anything! cant find anything! Solution? find a member of staff.

Twice I was assailed by customers in a state of panic asking for an item that was on plain view and right in front of them! amusing!  Then "the panic spread" the management, hey no names here just generally the management pick up on the panic!  They rush past and have barely time to enquire, "everything OK!" its a statement rather than a question and my standard reply is always the same, "Fantastic!" as they disappear into the crowd.

The bread rolls/cobs/bread cakes/balm cakes in the locals vernacular are  disappearing almost faster than i can put them on the shelf except 2 types in particular, i spot they have today's date on and this is why the shoppers are ignoring them because of the sheer numbers of alternatives. I muse that there will be a scrum when as is the procedure at 1300 they will be "REDUCED"  This normally ensures they will be sold.
I have a brief respite for 20 minutes as its my turn on Saturday's to empty the cardboard bailing machine and deposit it outside in the yard.  It entails tying up a few strings opening the metal hopper door dumping the blob onto a pallet, resetting the strings and then getting the blob out of the way.  Finished with this task i return to the "battlefield" to complete the reductions!

I'm still being assailed for all angles by goggle eyed shoppers and the odd manager when I at last remove the rolls with today 's date on and dump them with their bright yellow "REDUCED" labels on our "Special Offers Rack"  Sure enough the rolls left on the shelf now start to go!
A vision in some pretty colour appears at my shoulder, "lets call her TracEy" and announces that "Matt'l go mad " if he sees we are reducing rolls" on such a busy day.  I don't even protest, just point out that "they are on the report"   No reaction from the vision in the pretty colour as she is already peeling off the labels i have just stuck on.
I spend the next 20 minutes peeling them off the offending rolls and putting them back on the shelf, they remain there as the keen eyed shoppers see not only today's date but the residue of the REDUCED label.
I finally complete all the reductions and rush to top up the shelves with the fast disappearing bread before my shift ends.
4 minutes to go as I glide down the isle pushing the bread stack before me like a battering ram.  As I reach for the first loaf, I hear a voice in the distance.  It is the "Vision" again, "Mike I need you to do a bail" I check my watch and announce that "I cant complete a bail in 4 minutes" The vision says "I'll get someone to help you!"  I decline the offer pop the bread on the shelf thinking its more important than getting rid of a blob of cardboard and make a B line for the clocking out machine.
I always make a point of not leaving the shop floor until the last minute of my shift and as i punch in my number note i have given the company 2 minutes of MY time.  With the 3 minutes i clocked in early that morning it makes  5. I wonder if they'll pay me.  DOH!
Dave the cleaner ribs me for clocking out late, we have this game to ensure we clock out on time.  As I walk across the sun baked car park, I watch as more customers hurry towards the shop door and am glad that i now have 3 days off!  The day had started well and ended well what more could you ask for - - - -


Enjoy the day  
Follow this link to see  our weather website
Or this one just to see  the streaming birdfeeder cam










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