Last work days for the year

I've been sleeping very badly all this week - the mozzies just keep waking me up all night long! Mini loves that, of course! She still sleeps next to my head and whenever I stir, she rolls onto her back to 'mummy tickle tummy'! She LOVES to have her tummy tickled!

As a result of the bad nights, I've been struggling to wake up on time in the mornings - and the afternoons have been a struggle to stay awake.

Last night was the first night I got at least a decent amount of sleep! Still with interruptions, but not as bad as the previous three nights.

Of course, I also didn't do much in the evenings - being way too tired to have any energy left! Monday night I did still manage to get started on the dishes - but that's about it. Last night, I didn't even cook myself dinner ... just went to bed.

I had an encouraging conversation with my boss on Monday, where he supported my suggestion of starting systematic continuous improvements throughout the factory. He asked me to prepare a presentation - and was surprised that I had one the very next day!

How? Easy! I had already done that same presentation to him some five years ago! Nothing has changed, so all I needed to do was edit it a little. This time he agrees that a) we desperately need to improve and b) a systematic approach to improvement is exactly what we need!

So, I am spending my last days at work tailoring the systematic approach to our business.

And, to my chagrin, I've come to realise that, although I've been advocating this approach for a long, long time - I've never before been involved in actually applying it! Ha ha! So, I've got a lot of learning to do here, as well!

It's a challenge, and I love it, though! The trouble is, that I know a whole long list of WHAT needs to change - but I'm a little fuzzy on just how best to start implementing! Well, actually, I have already started, of course, but so far it's been confined to just the store. Everything I implemented outside the store - in production, for example - has long ago fallen away. When I was moved out of production and confined to the store, he he.

Grin, personally, I'm enjoying this challenge so much, I'm already dreaming about it!

Anyway, it's Friday and I've had a reasonable amount of sleep last night, so I'm looking forward to this afternoon, when I get home! When I picked up my milk yesterday afternoon, his fridge was again being repaired. Poor farmer! A whole shelf full of sour milk again! But I've already got plenty of sour milk at home - I'm afraid I can't take any more off his hands. The repairman had overheard that I make cheese with the milk, and was quite intrigued. Last night, his wife was with him and he asked me to give her the recipe - which I did. She took my number & I hers, so if she has any questions, she's welcome to call!

I arranged to come on Tuesday for milk again. I meant to get 2 liter on Tuesday, but I had left the second clean bottle on the kitchen counter ... sigh. I'll probably buy an extra 2 liter on Tuesday. I'm thinking of getting 2 liter on Tuesdays and 3 on Fridays while I'm on leave. I'll need to shut mippies inside when I drive off - but they come in and doze around the place from around nine onward anyway, so it shouldn't be a problem. He's usually there before 11 am and after 4 pm.

Yesterday, I caught a bit of a break - they were working in my office, so I asked if I could quickly go to the shops (since I couldn't work anyway). I treated myself to another Sushi! Yum yum yum! And I also managed to get some fresh produce - more bananas, more strawberries and a watermelon as well as a stash of juices. Those little energising booster bottles - expensive, but really good! That was an unexpected bonus! I didn't think I'd get a chance to stock up.

I caught an interesting episode on the mip-show the other day! Mewthos was near Sir Galahad when suddenly one attacked - I don't know who; and Ziva and Tynx ran to Mewthos' aid like a shot! They didn't attack Sir Galahad, but made it very clear that Mewthos is not alone! Sir Galahad backed off and Mewthos came slinking home to me.

I know Ziva is very protective, but I was surprised to see Tynx rush to Mewthos' aid without hesitation as well! I was also a little surprised at Lady Jane's inaction - she just stayed where she was!

Another interesting revelation is, of course, that clearly cats don't have chauvinistic ego issues - they simply let each member of their society fill the role they are best suited for, regardless of gender, size, etc.

At work, after lunch, I went back to the office, when I came outside for a smoke some time later ... I found everybody outside enjoying a beer and a fire going! Nice, eh? Well, I joined them. I left around four.

Mippies were happy to see me, they don't quite know, yet, that I'll be home for two weeks now. Every day! They will love it!

But before I can start my holiday, I have to catch up with the housework I couldn't do during the week ... so, I cleaned the kitchen. That was about all, by the time I was finished, it was pretty late. I sat outside for a bit, then mippies came in, and now I'm ready for bed to start my holiday nice and early tomorrow!