3-5-06

I arrived at my first new job in 16 years! I was amazingly calm I was as I walked into this little shop on Bridge Street.

As I mentioned before it is a newsagent. It sells newspapers and lots of assorted magazines, a bit of tourist things and a Hodge-podge of school supplies, wallets, picture frames, toys, greeting cards, puzzles and sweets. They also have some more high-end items like statues and glassware and even a few bits of Irish china. It mostly makes its sales from newspapers, cigarettes and lottery.

I was introduced the first of my co-workers, Ruth who was a tall woman with very black hair. She was standing behind the register, which is a very narrow area to one side of the shop. The shop is in desperate need of a total revamp. It’s not “quaint” it’s just used and abused. Non-sale items are stuffed everywhere. The box’s for the statues and little knick-knack stuff is on top of and under shelves. The extra cards (which are many for some reason) are in wooden box’s that line shelves below the counters and in small cardboard boxes stacked wherever they can fit. At the end of the counter that makes up the register area and the sweets (candy) and ice cream area is a broken copy machine and a small table that makes up the “work area” for stocking and newspaper inventory and such. But even this area is not workable, it is stacked with books, packaging slips and just about everything else that has no home.

[read on]

March 1, 2006
 

Here we go again…

Teresa and Mary picked me up at Noeline’s house and brought me back to Teresa’s.  I again pulled the red monster and my other items into the front bedroom, sat on the bed and felt again… defeated. 

I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason, but that is usually after I’ve had some time to process the events. Till then I fall apart like everyone else!
 
At this time I was just upset, tired and confused, I just wanted to know “what the hell is going on God?”  I unpacked and waited for an answer, but there was none.  I felt I was back to square one.  I was once again was in temporary housing and was too far from the Westport to get any work.  I also felt that I was a burden to my new family.  What a way to start a new relationship – asking for help.  Now what?????
 
But I still had hope that I could get the job at the hotel, but it was still a long shot.
 
Monday I was determined to find out what my options were. 

 I was told that I would hear from Newport House Hotel on Friday as to weather I had made their short list or not.  I didn’t hear from them, so I figured I would call them.  Catherine answered the phone and said I interviewed beautifully and had all the skills that they needed for the position plus many more.  And that I made the short list!  I felt my heart jump out of my chest!……….. “BUT…I took the short list to the owner and he decided to try someone else, but we’ll  ..blahblahbalhbalhbhlah

bblahblahbalhbalhbhalahbbla”.

So this job was not going to happen. All in one day- no home, and no job. GREAT!
 
The whole rest of the day I just sat around and brooded on what I was going to do…drank tea, had some cric with Teresa and Anthony and all the stoppers by.
 
That evening I got a call.  It was Margaret from a newsagent store that I had applied for a position a few weeks prior.
 
I had seen an Ad in the Mayo News and it required a “Mature Woman”.  It was for a part-time sales person. I figured that I had the mature part down and I was a woman.  So I called the number listed, Margaret, the manager answered.  I made an appointment to meet her.
  [read on]