One down, two to go

I finished my first month of work yesterday

It feels good to have accomplished that 

Yesterday 

I was on my own all day looking after 26 guests

That means making breakfast and serving it

Clearing up after 

Washing all dishes and the dining room

Setting for the next meal

And making sure all jobs are done

When I saw I was on my own yesterday 

I asked my manager if it was a mistake in the rota

She assured me that it wasn't 

And that I was more than capable

I can't lie

I felt pretty darn anxious about it

My manager asked me what part of it I was worried about 

So I told her 

Porridge 

Yes

Porridge

Why porridge I hear you ask

Well as well as making teas and coffees and toast for eight tables 

I also had to make porridge 

This meant turning on the gas 

Making sure it's ok

Turning on the burner

Making the porridge 

And minding it as it cooks 

Then taking orders and trying to keep it warm

You see my problem?

Anyway

My worries were unfounded 

I coped

I made porridge 

Nobody died 

Everyone was fed and watered 

Result!

As everyone filed out of the dining room

I began to clear the tables 

And bring all the dishes down to the kitchen to wash 

Which is a big job 

But I don't mind it at all

It's great to be busy 

I don't like having nothing to do

So all the washing done 

I clean up the kitchen 

Then head upstairs to clean and reset for the next course

All this work is often interrupted with guests asking all sorts of questions and requests

Whether they want to know about this or that 

Or they've locked themselves out of their room

It could be anything 

So then 

When everything is washed and bleached to within an inch of its life 

I can make a cup of tea 

Head down to the break room 

And take a few minutes to recharge and get ready for the next wave

I called them waves as that's exactly what it is like 

Everything is quiet and calm in the kitchen

And we are all standing around looking at each other

Then all the guests arrive and it's action stations 

After my break 

It's time to get ready for lunch 

It feels like I have just cleansed everything 

Then it starts all over again

But that's life I guess 

Lunch is the main event 

Four courses no less 

Soup

Main meal 

Dessert

And tea or coffee

So our kitchen is down stairs 

To get the meals upstairs we have a dumb waiter 

No that is not a stupid person 

It is a mini lift for food

Which let me tell you saves a lot of tooing frooing

Everyone seated 

And soup is up

Bring on my own yesterday 

I worked in a clock wise direction around the room

Just to keep track 

Soup served 

I go around with a bread basket?

Bread for you?

White or brown?

In my best professional voice

I leave them to it while they eat

Handily 

We have a camera in the dining room

So we can watch from the kitchen what's going on 

When I see them start to move 

I give the chef the signal to start playing the mains 

As he goes that 

I go up and start clearing bowls and getting as many as I can back down to the kitchen to put through the dish washer 

Mains are up 

And I serve them

There are 3-4 different chefs in the kitchen 

1-2 on at a time

And I soon realised that they all do things a little differently 

But what can you do 

Just get on with it

And roll with it

Mains served 

I go around with the gravy jug

I have to tell you 

People are very particular about their gravy

But then so am I

While serving mains 

I remember that one guy takes no potatoes 

And two of my golden oldies take one potato each 

I swear you think waitressing is easy 

Let me tell you categorically that it is tough 

You're going from the heat of the kitchen 

To the tranquility of the dining room

You do every thing with a smile and kind word 

Nothing is too much trouble 

And it's all done in jig time

Then 

Again

I give them time to eat 

I get all the soup bowls washed 

Get the tea and coffee ready 

And send up the dessert 

Clear up all the dinner plates 

Serve dessert

And go around with the tea pot 

The highlight of my day yesterday was when a boy called Stephen with Down syndrome told me my shoes were nice!

After that 

I leave them to it 

To chat  and Have their tea

Every time I leave the dining room

I take a handful of plates to get going on the washing

Which let me tell you can be never ending 

The amount of cutlery I polished yesterday was massive 

But it's enjoyable work 

It's not difficult 

But it's hard work

And when you have nice co workers it makes all the difference 

My manager seems to have a great knack of picking the right people for the centre

So

I get all the washing done 

And again set the dining room for the next course 

Yesterday it was exactly 4pm when I finished 

And now I am off until Sunday 

Which is just heaven!

This morning I woke up 

And revelled in the fact that I didn't have to get up at 7am

Utter bliss!

I called over to see Coco this morning 

He was in great form

It looks like he might be going to a new home 

So I am hoping he finds a home in the area so I can still visit him

There are a couple of options 

So we will see if any work out

Coco and Lea are best buddies 

It is just adorable to watch them 

Coco follows Lea around the field 

He tries to groom her 

And even bite her

Very cute 

Today Coco let me pick out his feet 

Which was brilliant!

He's becoming very tame and domesticated 

So proud of the little guy

Both my dogs are 12 now

And their age is beginning to show 

Lea has a spinal condition called spondylosis

Which effects her walk and balance 

She also seems to be going deaf 

As you know 

Honey lost an eye a few years ago

And now it seems her remaining eye is becoming infected 

So it's back to the vet we go 

I am hoping and praying that it's something that can be treated 

I guess we'll know more soon 

Anyway 

I am well 

All is well

Well mostly 

But mostly is good enough 

Thanks for reading 

See you on the next post...