Okay, one more double shift for the year……so now I can finally admit it: This month has kicked my butt! When you’re working more hours in a week (on your feet) then your age (and you’re over 50) that’s a lot of hours week after week!
After today, I will have three, yes count ‘em three days in a row off! I don’t have to worry about being called in for the weekend, we’ll be closed.
My plan for tomorrow is nothing. No alarm clock will be wonderful! I can, and may very well, sit all day. Maybe after a few hours of sitting around, I’ll take a nap. I thought about going to the gym, but I all I can hear is the call of the whirlpool hot tub. Might not be a bad idea, since all one does in there, is sit. Or maybe I’ll watch a movie and fall asleep on the couch.
I have a couple of gift cards I could go spend, but that would involve walking. Might have to wait a day or two. The gym, the movie and the gift cards are just thoughts……tomorrow is my do anything or nothing day.
My legs are screaming….I have a blister on my foot….I never get blisters! My knees are ready to stage a revolt….one ankle is sore, at least it waited until last night to get that way….but this marathon month is finally in it’s last day…..Whew……
So Happy New Year everyone. See ya next week!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Rising to the occasion......
.......So yesterday was really cool........There was supposed to be 90 to 100 people in the room behind the lounge AND the lounge, for a Memorial luncheon at 1:30 p.m. There was me, Dave, Katie and Kelly. Dave was there when I got there at noon.....Katie sent me a text saying she was gonna be late, she had to clean up a dog mess.....and Kelly wouldn't get out of her meeting until noon, and would be a few minutes late.
We're all good...it was sort of like a dream team for us, no weak links. Katie was setting up the buffet and said she would take care of the food.....we're all good with that......Dave dragged up two big coffee urns from downstairs and was setting up a coffee bar, on the end of the bar.....I was getting read to fill water glasses.....Kelly was doing a bunch of stuff....we're all humming along......this is gonna be easy....we can handle this......we're right on schedule.....OH SHIT! They're here! 40 minutes early!!! WTF!!!!!! 127 people showed up early!
We were sloshing water filling the glasses (although elegantly) Katie ran in the kitchen to tell the cook to get the food going NOW! .......As soon as the water glasses were filled I ran back behind the bar and never left. they were 2 and 3 deep....Kelly was getting drink orders from tables........Dave took care of all other beverages......Katie was burning herself bringing out the food......OMG did these people drink! I had told the owner yesterday about the draft beer running really slow.....he forgot to call on it....one by one the draft beer was fizzling out on me..…(the condenser (I think) had blown......saw the repair guy carry in a new one just as things were winding up.)
But this was a great crowd! They didn't care! We had bottles of beer! And lots of them!
They even brought in their own sound system and played music! Fun music!
One guy held up his empty bottle....I nodded, grabbed him another one....leaned way over the bar...he leaned way into the bar...from many feet away....he was in the buffet line, his plate was half full and he didn't want to loose his place in line.
One guy ordered two carafes of wine and a beer. (We only sell carafes at banquets) Cool!! They're $30.00 each! How many do you want?
Just when we were wondering how long this open bar tab was gonna run....the host went around and told everyone it was last call. Ok, that answered that.
As soon as Katie broke down the buffet...we all went and got a plate of food....put it on a table thru the swinging door at the end of the bar, that opens to a wait station....and periodically ran back and wolfed some down......I must be used to eating that way....it doesn't bother me......it's like a quick two minute social feast, only a bunch of them.....
When all was said and done....we all looked at each other and said "Damn, we pulled it off. Not only did we pull it off...it was the best ones we have ever worked!" We made bar tips....they tipped us extra......it went by really fast......clean up was a breeze......It was a really good feeling for everyone.
Damn that was fun!
We're all good...it was sort of like a dream team for us, no weak links. Katie was setting up the buffet and said she would take care of the food.....we're all good with that......Dave dragged up two big coffee urns from downstairs and was setting up a coffee bar, on the end of the bar.....I was getting read to fill water glasses.....Kelly was doing a bunch of stuff....we're all humming along......this is gonna be easy....we can handle this......we're right on schedule.....OH SHIT! They're here! 40 minutes early!!! WTF!!!!!! 127 people showed up early!
We were sloshing water filling the glasses (although elegantly) Katie ran in the kitchen to tell the cook to get the food going NOW! .......As soon as the water glasses were filled I ran back behind the bar and never left. they were 2 and 3 deep....Kelly was getting drink orders from tables........Dave took care of all other beverages......Katie was burning herself bringing out the food......OMG did these people drink! I had told the owner yesterday about the draft beer running really slow.....he forgot to call on it....one by one the draft beer was fizzling out on me..…(the condenser (I think) had blown......saw the repair guy carry in a new one just as things were winding up.)
But this was a great crowd! They didn't care! We had bottles of beer! And lots of them!
They even brought in their own sound system and played music! Fun music!
One guy held up his empty bottle....I nodded, grabbed him another one....leaned way over the bar...he leaned way into the bar...from many feet away....he was in the buffet line, his plate was half full and he didn't want to loose his place in line.
One guy ordered two carafes of wine and a beer. (We only sell carafes at banquets) Cool!! They're $30.00 each! How many do you want?
Just when we were wondering how long this open bar tab was gonna run....the host went around and told everyone it was last call. Ok, that answered that.
As soon as Katie broke down the buffet...we all went and got a plate of food....put it on a table thru the swinging door at the end of the bar, that opens to a wait station....and periodically ran back and wolfed some down......I must be used to eating that way....it doesn't bother me......it's like a quick two minute social feast, only a bunch of them.....
When all was said and done....we all looked at each other and said "Damn, we pulled it off. Not only did we pull it off...it was the best ones we have ever worked!" We made bar tips....they tipped us extra......it went by really fast......clean up was a breeze......It was a really good feeling for everyone.
Damn that was fun!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
The Idiot Quotient.....
Maybe it’s just that I’m a little weary after this marathon month of working 55 hour weeks on my feet……well….that may have something to do with my attitude, or maybe (actually no maybe about it) some people are just idiots.
Working wit the public, one is always going to encounter idiots. They come in various degrees. Sometimes they are just mild idiots, and you sorry for the people they are dining with. Sometimes you get one who is a big enough idiot to cover the entire table of 10, and on rare occasions, they cover the idiot to non-idiot ratio for the entire restaurant.
There was one woman yesterday who covered the quotient for her table of ten. It started out innocently enough…she was looking at the lunch menu and asked if we had Eggplant Parmesan. I told her it was on the dinner menu, but she could order it if that’s what she really wanted. So she did.
Apparently she didn’t care for the sautéed red and green peppers that are a part of the dish. She had them shoved off to the side of the plate. The rest of the plate looked like it had been wiped clean, most probably with bread. (I’m giving her credit for not licking the plate in public)
When it came time to pay the bill, she called me over as she stared at her bill, and said, “I don’t mean to complain (yes you do) but I wasn’t really satisfied with this dish.” (Then why did you do everything short of licking the plate?) She gave me her reasons for not liking the dish , blah blah blah….why didn’t you say so earlier, like before you ate it all, you must have known at that time?!? I told her it was on the dinner menu, common sense dictates that dinner prices are generally higher than lunch prices. So we take it off the bill. Her reply to that was, “I didn’t mean for you to take the entire thing off the bill.” (Yes you did.) I think she freaked out when she saw the price, and decided she didn’t want to pay for it.
However, the won who took the cake was part of a group of three, who came in ten minutes before closing and told us “We don’t want to be rushed.” Really? Then you should have gotten here an hour ago. The kitchen is just about all shut down, and we are ready to leave. When the server brings your food, and you send it back declaring that you are not ready for it yet. I’m glad I wasn’t your server, or I would’ve been tempted to serve to you suppository style.
She makes various comments about us during the meal….her friend tries apologizing for her behavior….when it comes time for the bill, she comes marching back to the wait station, (an area not meant for the public) waving a coupon. She is far more impressed with herself, than any of us are.
Working wit the public, one is always going to encounter idiots. They come in various degrees. Sometimes they are just mild idiots, and you sorry for the people they are dining with. Sometimes you get one who is a big enough idiot to cover the entire table of 10, and on rare occasions, they cover the idiot to non-idiot ratio for the entire restaurant.
There was one woman yesterday who covered the quotient for her table of ten. It started out innocently enough…she was looking at the lunch menu and asked if we had Eggplant Parmesan. I told her it was on the dinner menu, but she could order it if that’s what she really wanted. So she did.
Apparently she didn’t care for the sautéed red and green peppers that are a part of the dish. She had them shoved off to the side of the plate. The rest of the plate looked like it had been wiped clean, most probably with bread. (I’m giving her credit for not licking the plate in public)
When it came time to pay the bill, she called me over as she stared at her bill, and said, “I don’t mean to complain (yes you do) but I wasn’t really satisfied with this dish.” (Then why did you do everything short of licking the plate?) She gave me her reasons for not liking the dish , blah blah blah….why didn’t you say so earlier, like before you ate it all, you must have known at that time?!? I told her it was on the dinner menu, common sense dictates that dinner prices are generally higher than lunch prices. So we take it off the bill. Her reply to that was, “I didn’t mean for you to take the entire thing off the bill.” (Yes you did.) I think she freaked out when she saw the price, and decided she didn’t want to pay for it.
However, the won who took the cake was part of a group of three, who came in ten minutes before closing and told us “We don’t want to be rushed.” Really? Then you should have gotten here an hour ago. The kitchen is just about all shut down, and we are ready to leave. When the server brings your food, and you send it back declaring that you are not ready for it yet. I’m glad I wasn’t your server, or I would’ve been tempted to serve to you suppository style.
She makes various comments about us during the meal….her friend tries apologizing for her behavior….when it comes time for the bill, she comes marching back to the wait station, (an area not meant for the public) waving a coupon. She is far more impressed with herself, than any of us are.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
What day of the week is it?
Starting last Friday, I lost track of what day of the week it is. This is that weird time of the year where schedules are all turned upside down. Last Friday I went in early, we closed early and we didn’t have any entertainment. We were closed Saturday and Sunday, days I usually work….I worked yesterday, and I usually don’t work on Monday’s…This Friday I will go in early to get ready for New Year’s Eve, and then off again Saturday and Sunday….is it any wonder I’m little confused?
This week sort of feels like being in limbo. With so many people being off work this week, we don’t know what to expect on any given shift. Even in the ever-changing flexible schedules of the restaurant world, we are still basically creatures of habit.
It kind of reminds me of being a kid on Christmas vacation….you’re not really sure what day it is, you don’t really care, the names of the days are totally irrelevant, all you know is how many days you have left until you have to go back to school.
I have to work a double today….will lunch be freakishly slow and I’ll get to leave for a couple of hours…..or will all those who are off work and meandering around choose this as the day they decide to wander in? Won’t know until it happens….or not. Will tonight be the night that everyone who has leftovers is tired of eating them and decide to converge on us all at once? Again, won’t know until it happens.
I guess as long a s I look at the schedule everyday, and know what time I’m supposed to be there tomorrow, or the next tomorrow, the day of the week can remain irrelevant for now.
This week sort of feels like being in limbo. With so many people being off work this week, we don’t know what to expect on any given shift. Even in the ever-changing flexible schedules of the restaurant world, we are still basically creatures of habit.
It kind of reminds me of being a kid on Christmas vacation….you’re not really sure what day it is, you don’t really care, the names of the days are totally irrelevant, all you know is how many days you have left until you have to go back to school.
I have to work a double today….will lunch be freakishly slow and I’ll get to leave for a couple of hours…..or will all those who are off work and meandering around choose this as the day they decide to wander in? Won’t know until it happens….or not. Will tonight be the night that everyone who has leftovers is tired of eating them and decide to converge on us all at once? Again, won’t know until it happens.
I guess as long a s I look at the schedule everyday, and know what time I’m supposed to be there tomorrow, or the next tomorrow, the day of the week can remain irrelevant for now.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Time to rewind......
First of all, thank you to all the Christmas Eve diners, who did exactly what we were hoping for…….they ate, and then left. No one lingered…it was great! The bulk of our reservations were between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. By 8:15 p.m. everyone was gone!
You’ve never seen a restaurant staff work harder to keep someplace clean. We wanted out as soon as we could, so we spent every spare second cleaning, so when the last guest was gone, so were we. Yay! Our holiday has begun!
It felt wonderful to have two days in a row off! Instead of being on my feet for 8 or 10 hours, I got to sit! Annnnnnnd….. I didn’t have to cook!
Sunday was total rewind…..went out to breakfast with my son, felt bad for the servers who were frantically running around (it was REALLY busy) so I left a 50% tip. Went to the store and got a new pair of work shoes. I realized the sole had split open on the right shoe. Oh well, they lasted a long time.
After that it was nap time….no alarm clock……had visions of getting things done, but decided nothing had to be done, so I lazed around, got sucked into a video game on my computer while watching a movie….(when you spend all your time at work multi-tasking, it’s hard not to do it at home)….went to bed early and slept for 10 glorious hours. I guess I needed it.
So bring on the week! I think I’m ready for it! Of course knowing that I have the 1st and 2nd off, makes the week totally bearable. Is anyone else ready for January? I am.
You’ve never seen a restaurant staff work harder to keep someplace clean. We wanted out as soon as we could, so we spent every spare second cleaning, so when the last guest was gone, so were we. Yay! Our holiday has begun!
It felt wonderful to have two days in a row off! Instead of being on my feet for 8 or 10 hours, I got to sit! Annnnnnnd….. I didn’t have to cook!
Sunday was total rewind…..went out to breakfast with my son, felt bad for the servers who were frantically running around (it was REALLY busy) so I left a 50% tip. Went to the store and got a new pair of work shoes. I realized the sole had split open on the right shoe. Oh well, they lasted a long time.
After that it was nap time….no alarm clock……had visions of getting things done, but decided nothing had to be done, so I lazed around, got sucked into a video game on my computer while watching a movie….(when you spend all your time at work multi-tasking, it’s hard not to do it at home)….went to bed early and slept for 10 glorious hours. I guess I needed it.
So bring on the week! I think I’m ready for it! Of course knowing that I have the 1st and 2nd off, makes the week totally bearable. Is anyone else ready for January? I am.
Friday, December 24, 2010
It's Christmas Eve, dine out wisely.....
This is our last shift, and then we all get two well deserved days off!
I completely understand that there are those who wish to dine out on Christmas Eve. This is a very hectic time of the year for many. You want to be together with family and friends…..you don’t feel like cleaning the house or cooking, so you opt for dining out. That’s fine, but there a few things you need to remember……
You are not being waited on by a robot staff. The holiday does not belong to you alone. We too, have family and friends that we would like to gather with, also.
We have resigned ourselves to the fact that we have to work….so please don’t drag this out any longer than necessary…and by necessary I mean for all of you with a 6:00 p.m. dinner reservation, eat and leave.
That may sound harsh, but I am not going to apologize for it. We shouldn’t have to remind you that you are not sitting at your own dining room table….we want to close as soon as possible so we can go visit with our loved ones….eating leftovers from the dinner we missed…..or hoping to make it to church on time.
So share the spirit of the season…..the spirit of consideration towards your fellow man.
We are just as deserving of this holiday as you are.
Merry Christmas…..
I completely understand that there are those who wish to dine out on Christmas Eve. This is a very hectic time of the year for many. You want to be together with family and friends…..you don’t feel like cleaning the house or cooking, so you opt for dining out. That’s fine, but there a few things you need to remember……
You are not being waited on by a robot staff. The holiday does not belong to you alone. We too, have family and friends that we would like to gather with, also.
We have resigned ourselves to the fact that we have to work….so please don’t drag this out any longer than necessary…and by necessary I mean for all of you with a 6:00 p.m. dinner reservation, eat and leave.
That may sound harsh, but I am not going to apologize for it. We shouldn’t have to remind you that you are not sitting at your own dining room table….we want to close as soon as possible so we can go visit with our loved ones….eating leftovers from the dinner we missed…..or hoping to make it to church on time.
So share the spirit of the season…..the spirit of consideration towards your fellow man.
We are just as deserving of this holiday as you are.
Merry Christmas…..
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The mad rush is almost over....
Well, the last few weeks have really kicked my ass. Just two more days, and then a guaranteed two days off. We will be closed on the 25th and 26th. As an added bonus, we will also be closed on the 1st and 2nd! Whew…… we need it…..as short staffed as we are, two people quit during the last few weeks….but the rest of us powered through it. We did it together, and that’s a cool thing.
I don’t have anything particular in mind this morning, so I’m just gonna ramble….(mostly what I’m thinking about is Sunday…and sleeping and doing nothing, if I choose.
Oh! I heard an interesting theory about our building and ghosts. It all has to do with the temperature changes in the building…..you can go from one room to another and feel at least a 10 degree (or more) difference in temperature, depending on what rooms we are using on any given day. So with all the heating and cooling going on, the wood contracts and expands with temperature changes. Sometimes slowly, which may cause the wine glasses to rattle, sometimes quickly, which may cause a wine bottle to shoot out from a rack…..it’s an old building with a lot of wood. I’ll have to start paying more attention to the conditions next time we have a “ghostly” incident.
As for right now…..I have a chance to get another hour of sleep….and my mind is thinking only of that…..so that is what I’m going to do….you can only fight it for so long…talk to you tomorrow……
I don’t have anything particular in mind this morning, so I’m just gonna ramble….(mostly what I’m thinking about is Sunday…and sleeping and doing nothing, if I choose.
Oh! I heard an interesting theory about our building and ghosts. It all has to do with the temperature changes in the building…..you can go from one room to another and feel at least a 10 degree (or more) difference in temperature, depending on what rooms we are using on any given day. So with all the heating and cooling going on, the wood contracts and expands with temperature changes. Sometimes slowly, which may cause the wine glasses to rattle, sometimes quickly, which may cause a wine bottle to shoot out from a rack…..it’s an old building with a lot of wood. I’ll have to start paying more attention to the conditions next time we have a “ghostly” incident.
As for right now…..I have a chance to get another hour of sleep….and my mind is thinking only of that…..so that is what I’m going to do….you can only fight it for so long…talk to you tomorrow……
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