Like that title? I intended to make this entry Friday and put it in the category Friday Talk. But I obviously didn’t make it. I have been on some similiance of vacation this past week. I was off Monday/Tuesday and Saturday/Sunday (today) by my regular schedule. So I took Wednesday/Thursday/Friday as vacation days. Have I accomplished anything? I think I have.
The Hearing
I had the hearing via phone Thursday about the caregivers for Lauren. I did not get what I would have preferred to have had, which was 24/7. However, I was granted that for which I asked. The DMRS (Department of Mental Retardation Services) said they would pay for 6 hours of care on school days and 12 hours of care on nonschool days.
I wrote an appeal stating I was still under doctors care and had a 10# weight restriction. I told them, however, I understood the situation they were in. It’s all about the Budget. I know that. It’s not about the ‘human element’. I went on to explain 6 hours were not enough on school days as there are days I do not get off work until 9. Lauren’s sitter gets to the house at 2:30 to help her off the bus at 2:35 or so. Six hours would mean 8:30. So I had to have 7 hours on those days, no matter what.
My argument for nonschool days was that I needed someone here to get Lauren out of bed. Someone also needed to be available to put her to bed. Therefore, I requested minimally 14 hours for nonschool days.
The attorney who was presided over the case, questioned the fact it was only one hour or two hours per day that was the riff between myself and DMRS. She told us to solve it between ourselves and dismissed herself from litigation. All parties involved were respectful and very nice.
While they did question me on my work schedule, I continued to explain I have a four week rotation. However, I can’t tell someone what days I will be working what hours. They wanted to know if Lauren’s bedtime was nine why I needed anyone until 9:30. Well **DUH**. If I work until 9, someone needs to be here until I get home!
Long story short, I did get what I proposed.
What I was never questioned about, but I thought about, was who would get Lauren out of bed for school. Well, that will be me. I have no other choice. No one will come to work for an hour and a half just to get her up and on the bus. I have a support that I will have to wear to help me be safe.
Desktop
The desktop is in the shop. I have so much stuff on it that I had about 2% memory left! I couldn’t even defrag because there was not enough space to do that. That means I can’t post pictures, because I am not going to upload them to the laptop. I’ll just wait until the desktop is upgraded.
Bathroom Remodel
Believe it or not, the bathroom remodel I began in January is finished. Did I finish it? No. I hired it out. I was tired of looking at it unfinished. So I hired it out. It is real nice and I am very proud of it. I didn’t want Daddy to know what I had decided too do. I figured he would fuss at me for spending money on something he and I could have done. But he didn’t fuss. Now it’s finished and I don’t have to worry about it any more.
Wonder what project I’ll begin next????
Finally,
Work
Two weeks ago, my department was #22 in the COMPANY! We have been rockin’ and rollin’! We also made budget last month, the first time in probably eight or nine months. That means we get a bonus! WhOo HoO! And this past week, CJ and I sold over $30,000 in sales. That is HUGE!
CJ has messed up a lot in the earlier part of his tenure. But he has learned from his mistakes. I have harped on him over and over on what to do. And the last couple of weeks, he has shown tremendous growth.
Fast forward to yesterday…..I have learned the store manager called CJ into his office and told him he is moving him back to OPE Specialist, which is the position he held prior to Millwork. OPE-Outdoor Power Equipment–Lawn Mowers, trimmers, chain saws, etc. Mr. Manager told CJ it has nothing to do with his performance. So then why do it? "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!" Mr. Manager is moving a guy from Commercial Sales to Millwork, and the current OPE Specialist is going to Commercial Sales.
Problem? Mr. Commercial Sales does NOTHING. He says he can’t work but 7-4 and no weekends. All specialist, with the exception of Commercial Sales Specialist, have a responsibility to work a corporate schedule which includes closing shifts and weekends. I get one weekend off per month. He only has to work one per month as a Commercial Sales Specialist. He says he can’t. Well, I can’t either. And I’ll be DAMN if I close every frigging day and work every weekend so that he doesn’t have too.
Second problem is that whenever anyone wants estimates for say, siding or roofing, he will not do it. He sends the customer to Millwork. Technically, Commercial Sales should take care of those areas because of thier expertise in building materials. I don’t know who he’ll send them too now. It better not be me! I don’t even know if Mr. Commercial Sales knows how to set up for an estimate! Much less to work a quote once the estimate is returned from the installer! He knows his stuff, but he doesn’t want to do anything. That is what has gotten this whole ball rolling anyway.
Those of us who had chairs at our desks, lost them because Mr. Commercial Sales had multiple complaints against him because he wouldn’t get up and assist a customer. This was back in January. Mr. Store Manager said that was it. Through the months, Mr. Store Manager has seen problems. He has address them with Mr. Sales Manager. (That’s another story.) This past Friday we had Customer Appreciation cookout for our commercial business men. Commercial Sales Specialist DID NOT CALL any of their accounts to tell them what we were doing! Rumor has it Mr. Store Manager went ballistic! Next thing I know, all these changes are taking place effective immediately.
I wonder if the point of this is to try and force Mr. Commercial Sales into quitting. He is eligible to retire this year, but says he can’t afford to do so for another year. Trust me, if you’re not ready to retire when your time comes, another year at Lowe’s is NOT going to make it any better.
Because I have seen Mr. Commercial Sales not go out of his way to help customers (except those he knows), it concerns me he will do the same thing in Millwork. Millwork has made budget! We are on a roll. We can not afford to have this change right now! We need someone who will work! We don’t need a body who will be bitching about everything. CJ is going to talk to Mr. Store Manager today. I want to talk to him, too. But I don’t know if I wouldn’t harm my relationship. And I think we have a relationship based on respect.
Any department is only as good as the associates who work in it and want it to succeed.
I have discovered how to fix a ‘glitch’ in the computer system. We all knew what was happening. No one, including Mr. Store Manager, Mr. District Manager and a lateral with Mr. District, knew how it was happening. I figured it out! Yeah me! All parties know, too, it is I who figured it out. I have also submitted the finding and resolution to corporate.
Also, because I have a lot of newbies in the department who want to learn, I have spent a lot of time, effort and money (okay, not a lot of $) in preparing step-by-step instructions folders on ‘how-to’. I didn’t do all that so that someone else could come into the department and push us back into the red. We are in the black!
I guess that’s pretty much all I’ve got. Wow. Go for weeks without blogging, and now I blog a book!
As I have said before, if you’ve made it this far, Thank You!
Blessings Among Us 