It Pays To Read Your Reciepts

Last night BF and I had to grab a few groceries from the store near our house. When it was our turn in line I remembered to call my mom and see if she needed anything. I had to walk to the back of the store to get milk so I didn't get to watch the cashier. Big mistake!

The store by our house is notorious for charging incorrectly, not crediting coupons and double charging. By the time we got home with our groceries the store was already closed. I did a quick scan of our receipt, as always, to find we had been charged for cheese twice. Dagnabbit!

The cost of the cheese was $7.77. I called right away this morning and complained. They told me to come in and talk to "Trish" who would return our money today. That's great but why is this always happening?

Last time I was there the girl tried to charge me for 50 Fruit to Go's instead of 5. I happened to catch it on the screen just before paying. It's pretty ridiculous if you ask me.

In the pharmacy I often have to ring things in and I'm very careful to charge people correctly. What is wrong with these girls?!

Oh, and we did use our cloth bags. Every bit helps this green and beautiful planet we live on.

Lunch Failure

I have been so bad at bringing my lunches since I started at my new job. I suck! I really need to buckle down because I'm spending way too much. I'd better make that one of my December goals. I am just too tempted with a full food court right there. The places I worked before weren't around any restaurants or even gas stations so I had to eat what I brought or starve all day. Not good... not good at all.

Another Student Loan Payment

I got paid on Friday and made a payment on my last student loan right away. I was able to put another $425 on it. That makes $825 so far this month. I have an automatic payment of $75 that will come out at the end of the month bringing me to a grand total of $900. It's 300 short from my goal for the month but I still feel its quite a lot. It's been putting some strain on my finances but if I can get this loan cleared by the end of the year it will so be worth it!

Left to pay off after $75 payment : $843.72

It feels really good to have less than a grand left to pay off. I just wish I wasn't trying to put the squeeze on my finances during the holidays. Oh well... I'll just need to be more creative this year. I have some gift ideas in mind that should help me out.

*******EDIT********
Sidebars are updated! Yay for progress!

Changes at Work?

I don't really want to rehash the last week of work. Too much high school style drama. Let's just say the whole team is fed up with the Bitchy tech and she walked out Friday and said she may not return. This made most people happy but it just made me tired. Bitchy tech had turned her evilness on me this week and so I ended up having to talk to the boss. Sucks! I hate drama at work. I just want to go to work, do my job, go home, and pick up a pay cheque every two weeks. *sigh*

Free Haircut

Lately I've been wanting to hack all my hair off really badly. My hair grows really fast and its been awhile since I've had it cut since the Mad Cow was my hair dresser. Dang! I was very impatient the other day so I decided to give myself the same cut I used to rock in high school. Yes, I cut my own hair.

I'm loving it! I use the old school technique my mother used when she was a hippy teen. I flip my head upside down and cut it that way. Luckily, I've had a lot of practice because I used to do it when I was younger. I know how make sure its not crooked or too short in spots. I'm pretty proud of myself for remembering my technique and thankfully it worked out awesome.

I have issues with my hair. When I was very stressed a few years ago I became very ill and my hair started to fall out. It slowly came out for years. I went to specialists and everything. My hair is very thin and some spots on my scalp are a little more bare than I would like. The best thing for me to do is not think about and do my best to make it look good.

Most people never notice unless I show them but I'm still very sensitive about it. This cut seemed to perk my hair up and give it volume. This is a great thing for me as BF loves my hair longer but I hate it because it shows how thin it is. Now we are both happy.


Total cost- $0
Happiness Factor - Way up
Time - 5 minutes

Yay!

Thinking About Xmas

Xmas is not my favorite holiday at all. I enjoy xmas lights and eating lots of food but thats about it. Oh! I like the xmas tree too but thats it! I try to suck it up though because everyone around me loves it. Especially BF, its his favorite.

I've been looking around casually for gifts but haven't bought anything except for one item I picked up last week for BF when he was distracted while we were shopping. Its something I know he really wants. I'm trying to figure out what else to get him. I need him to make a list. There is one gift I am considering giving him but its not something you can wrap up. Stop thinking dirty! It's nothing like that. I'm not going to write about it now though because I'm not sure if he reads my blog or not.

This year everyone buys for my parents and for the kiddies but we are doing a siblings draw. Siblings and significant others draw really. I was in charge of it. It's already a mess so I'm handing the details off to my mom. I handled Thanksgiving. I am suggesting a cap of $30 this year. I am really watching spending. I'm also going to give myself a budget for the other people I'm buying for. I'll work on that and post my list later on.

Work Drama

It seems no matter where you go there's always drama at work. I find this to be true especially in pharmacies. It's rather pathetic. I wish everyone could just deal with each other and get on with it already.

Soon after starting at the pharmacy I realized there was some major tension between the techs at the store I'm working at now. I was kind of irritated because I stressed in my interview that I'm really not into dealing with that type of childlike behavior.

Apparently the girl on maternity leave that I'm covering for over the next year before we go to Australia used to be a big component of fighting so I guess I'm glad she's not around. As for the other two we have two classic pharmacy personalities.

1- The been around the block tech. This technician has worked all over the place for different chains. She thinks she has it all figured out. Granted, she does know a lot and I'm impressed by her knowledge! Unfortunately she shares this with everyone in a unfriendly way. Her explanations are long and dragged out so that they become impossible to listen to and I find myself dozing off internally while she talks. She thinks everything should be done in the manner she wants. Even if it has nothing do with her. She takes everything personally and makes depressing and negative comments all the time.

2- The head tech. Usually comforting and welcoming. The head tech is more relaxed in her environment and enjoys being a technician. She's a great trainer and really listens. She also can't stand being pushed around on her own turf. This is her domain and she's going to protect it.

Put these two together and the planets collide. When I was offered the job at the hospital I knew it wasn't the right thing at this time for me but I almost took it because of the crap going on between these two. I discussed it with the head tech. I told her I really hate dealing with that sort of behavior and I really just wanted to be left out of it. It was affecting my training and that's just not cool with me.

Head tech went away for a week to Mexico and BATBT was in her glory. She was much easier to work with and actually very pleasant. One day she called me her protege though and that worried me. I had to stand my ground a bit at that point to make sure she doesn't think she can tell me to do whatever she wants.

Head tech came back and the dynamics changed again. BATBT really wanted to make it known that things went great while HT was gone. *sighs* BATBT stopped being pleasant and became really quiet again. After a week and a half of HT being back the lid blew off the roof.

Now I'm not sure exactly what happened but it was really stressful day yesterday with head office being there. A lot of projects just couldn't get done because of them being there and tying up every one's time. By the time BATBT tech came in for her shift things were still chaotic. At 4pm the owner was leaving for the day when I saw him being approached by BATBT. Next thing I knew she was "borrowing" HT for a few minutes. I'm thinking... "WTF there is so much shit to do and we're slammed with prescriptions".

I was so annoyed. The boss left them almost immediately, but they stayed in the private patient consultation room for two hours before the pharmacist on shift broke it up and told them to deal with it on their own time. BATBT came out crying. There was some loud discussions during those two hours. I didn't hear anything or care to either.

HT went home an hour late. BATBT blew her nose and came back to the dispensary. It was time for me to leave and there was so much left to do. I gave her a rundown and she seemed irritated she would be left with all those tasks but seriously... they ditched me for 2 hours in a rush! Not cool at all!

I left work with a pounding headache and less respect overall for my workplace. The pharmacist with me that night told me she was sick of the drama.

At what point do I let my boss know that this is bullshit?

I'm trying really hard to remain focused on my work. I just have to learn how to navigate myself through the shit I guess. I really want to stay at this job for my last year on the Island and am trying really hard to turn a blind eye to the drama. Why are pharmacies always a mess like this?

Long Weekend Has Started!!/ New Family Member?

Since I worked on the holiday I get today off with pay instead which gives me a long weekend. Hmm... I'll take it!

I'm supposed to do my L test today but I'm not feeling very confident about it. A few years ago I passed it without even reading the book. Failing this year scared me off a bit. Plus, I have not been filling my obligation to myself to read a little each day and do the online practice test. It's just so boring. I've attempted to read it a few times but either doze off or stare into space instead. That's how exhilarating I find it, lol.

BF and I may have inherited a pet. As long time readers know, earlier in the year we lost our beloved pet. I still cry about it and miss her a lot. We want a pet so badly but don't think its fair because we would have to leave it in one years time. We could never do that to the animal or to ourselves.

A lot of animals hang around our house. Some even come inside. There was a grey cat our friends and us named Apple that came around. (I like food names. Our last pet was Cherri). Unfortunately Apple's family moved away. You can read about Apple or see pics of her here.

Now we have an orange cat who has visited once or twice in the past. The last two nights in a row she's come over and waited for us to get home so she could come in. She was desperate for cuddles and food. At first we weren't sure if she was hungry or just begging but after watching her eat we fed her a little more because she looked like she was very desperate. She has no collar but really nice fur. After watching her clean herself it may just be her own doing. One thing we did notice is that her nails are a little long on one foot and seems to bother her. BF said he's not going to do anything yet cuz he's not sure if it has an owner.

We let her sleep for awhile and then BF decided she must go outside because we have no litter box and he was worried there may be an owner wondering where their cat was. This morning when we left the cat was sitting outside again with another cat just outside our house watching BF leave. As soon as he came on MSN at work we talked about it. I heard the cats get into a fight and then the other one took off running. The orange cat however sat down and stared at our house. Aww! I watched the cat for awhile but it didn't go anywhere. I

So I took some pictures of her last night (we think its a her). Here are two of them!

I know my parents have a big orange cat that visits them at night when they sit out on their back deck. They nicknamed the cat "Morris" and I wonder its the same big cat. BF wants to buy a litter box and food now. We are thinking of using the bottom of our old cage for Cherri for a litter box because we don't want to spend too much because we're unsure of what's going to happen.

The best part is its the first cat I've been able to pet without having an allergic reaction too. Amazing! Oh... what are we going to do?

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

In Flanders Fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Extra Extra! Read All About It.

Things have been pretty busy for me this week.I've also been feeling under the weather and so I decided to write a quick post of all these news from the last few days.

Sunday - Major yard work, laundry and cleaning was going on. We spent the day in the yard raking, dumping and cleaning out the plant pots, and turning the garden and compost bins. It's been raining a lot here lately so we had to take the opportunity to get it done when we had it. It felt good to get out and work in the crisp air with my favorite pink toque.

I also took my first ride on BF's motorbike. I'm still undecided. We just went places within our own neighbourhood which was perfect. I used to ride on the back of my friends scooter all the time in Penticton which prepared me a little bit but still... this is a lot bigger. I'm not ready to go across town yet but soon.

Monday - Christmas music at work has begun. WTF!>!> I object! Don't even get me started on this one! For now it rotates with other music but in a few weeks it will be full on. They'll need to put me on suicide watch at the pharmacy. I could go mad!

My favorite pharmacist and the person I mentioned creating a great relationship with at work announced her resignation. :(

Tuesday - I had to work today but I get Friday off instead which gives me a long weekend! It was really slow for most of the day which was great. I also got to spend some one on one with both my boss and his wife because I worked with them both alone today as I was the only technician. My boss gave me a lot of great compliments and encouragement today which meant a lot to me. :)

I stood in the rain for 25 minutes before calling BF at work for an emergency ride to work. I called the bus to bawl them out for not showing. The good thing was that I asked if there was a problem with that particular bus run before yelling because he politely informed me that it was a holiday. Crap! On holidays if the bus runs at all it runs on Sunday schedule which is... practically never. Once an hour if u are lucky. BF was happy to run me to work and saved the day. I need an umbrella.

What will tomorrow bring?.......

Also, I have not felt very well the last few days but I'm trying to not miss any work. I've got a big goal to meet before the end of the year.