Wednesday Battle
We are half-way through the week baking pies without Rebecca. Today was the hardest for me because of shipping. A lot of jelly jar pies were going out across the country all with heart felt notes by the sender. The morning started out great, I had made sure all the jars were ready to filled with various fruits and nut pies. Plenty of dough on hand, a baking schedule completed and a full team to accomplish our goals. Everyone worked in harmony and the ovens were never empty of pies and jars. At noon most of the baking was about to be completed. I was feeling mighty fine, until my husband called and said our dogs had broken through the fence and was on the loose. Come home and help him correct the situation. We live in a rental house south of town and the wooden fence is old and my dogs have learned that with a little nudging they can move the slats and gain freedom. Our two dogs obey me whereas they just look at my husband when he talks to them. One of the main reason he needed my help. I was away from the shop about an hour. Not bad, I thought.
The crew was cleaning the kitchen while the last of the jars were still in the oven. I put on my apron, washed up and began to seal and label the jelly jars. One of the most dreaded jobs at the shop is the jelly jars when they come out of the oven because most tend to swell and juices spill down the sides. Before you can lid them you have to make sure they are cleaned and not sticky to hold. I have been the designated person to do this job. Rebecca says "You're so much better at this!", Sure, give me a compliment and I am stuck with the job forever.
Cleaning a lot of the jars are time consuming and around 3 p.m. I finished. I was feeling good about the shipping and all was needed was to box the orders. Then I remembered the shipping labels! Rebecca is spot on in having these ready for me and now I had to do them. I have NEVER printed out shipping labels. She gave me a quick tutorial before leaving and I didn't know if I could remember how. I needed her computer to do this and off I went to her house driving and thinking hard on what she taught me.
When you enter her house, there is always a warm welcome by the livestock. Two cats (Charlie and Miranda) and Sparky, a beautiful red lab. Found the computer, its a Mac. I gently handled this instrument because Rebecca usually won't let me touch it. After putting inn the passcode the screen popped up and I stared for a good five minutes trying to figure out how to get on the internet. I began pushing buttons, feeling frustrated and thinking why didn't she give me a tutorial on how to navigate the desk top? I don't know how, but I finally found google and went to the UPS site. Found the shipping form and filled out the first order, except that it wouldn't let me continue until I answered how I planned to pay (credit card or paypal) for the shipment. I was stumped because we have a business account with them and that was not an option for payment. Several minutes later, I went to live chat for help. After telling them my problem, the first thing they said was "are you sure your logged in?" How stupid I felt. Besides that, the keyboard on the Mac seems awkward and I was using the one finger method to type.
With Miranda constantly trying to lay on the shipping orders or my lap and Sparky wanting in and out of the patio door, I began to sweat profusely. Running upstairs to her office and making sure the labels were printing made me think I am too old to do this. REBECCA PUT DOWN YOUR MARGARITTA AND COME HOME! At 4:30 I finally get back to the shop and Sydney and I began filling and taping boxes for shipping. At 5:30 I made the drop of packages to UPS. At 5:35 I came back to the shop and announced that we were going home. LEAVE THE MESS I shouted. Everyone looked at me to see if I was serious. I never leave the kitchen in a mess. I was serious and we all marched out and I locked the door.
Today I felt whipped, emotionally and physically. Shipping problems and animals misbehaving is not a good combination. Next week when Rebecca is telling me all the work that needs her attention on the computer, I will compliment her, praise her and tell her "You are so much better at this!" It's true and how handicapped we are when one of us is away and the other has to cover their part in making Peggy Jean's function.