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M

Mouse

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Recent stormy weather brought gales and lashing rain to cause insomnia, and when one is tired one is grumpy and writer's block sets in to make me feel even worse.

Physical activity like chopping logs helps free up the mind to write, but writing doesn't pay the bills, so my junior assistant manager's job helped supplement my income. Except the cafe's manager relegated me to pulling espressos all day because of staff shortages, and a normal day stretched into twelve hour shifts. I came home not only physically tired, but bored out of my head only to say hello to the dreaded writer's block once more.

6 AM yesterday I phoned in sick, only to be told the coffee bar was closed for the rest of the week for refurbishments. I only had two hour's sleep and the gardenia manager hadn't even told me, let alone the rest of his staff. I said thanks for not telling me, you were always uncaring, dilatory in the grey matter department, and resigned the job with immediate effect prior to slamming the phone down on his objections.

So, what to do? I could live off my partner's income but I'm an independent young woman. Okay, I already had work coming in from my literary agent but financially it was hardly enough to pay this quarter's gas bill, let alone eat. Last night I decided to do gardening for a living, and while I'm still technically a student working on a home study course, at least I will have financial independence and be self-employed.

Dad had a lovely big house and garden, and I'd cut his grass and tidy up the flowerbeds and trim the hedges. It's not as if I'm a stranger to gardening or hard work. In his twilight months I kept house and garden and still managed my studies.

Today I managed to get my first gardening job. Thanks to my adopted family who helped me choose a used Defender 110 pickup that was in good nick bar some dents and scratches, I came away with a bargain. Later in town after I bought a couple of spring rakes, sacks, netting, gloves, a decent fork and spade, Felco secateurs, a Mountfield lawnmover and a Stihl hedge trimmer, both petrol driven, I called at a large property in my village.

The man looked me up and down and remarked that I didn't look as if I had 'much meat' on me. Smiling I said I'd prove him to the contrary in giving him two hours free of my time. If he liked my work, he could hire me on a day rate. The man, a gruff old bugger smiled and said okay, you're on Missy.

"Call me Mouse," I said, smiling. The man laughed.

I raked up all the leaves in his garden and netted them down. I tidied up his flowerbeds and by that time my work had stretched into three hours. His missus called me in to give a large mug of hot steaming coffee. I was hired.

They never took references. They said I was as good as my word. Decent of them, they even paid me for the three hours. Forty-five pounds' cash in pocket, I went home feeling absolutely great.

Today on my 17th birthday I'd passed my driving test and got a new job. One that gets me outdoors, in among flowers and shrubs that don't shout back. And when it rains I'll still have my writing, and in the evenings my home study degree course. The Land Rover Defender pickup drives like a tank. On the roads I feel safe. Mouse done well, then.
 
*Standing Ovation*

So many young people (and some older) could learn from you.
 
Sci-Fi said:
*Standing Ovation*

So many young people (and some older) could learn from you.

Thanks, but I had no other choice except unemployment and no money coming in. But there is opportunity in cornering a market in my village. Also I want to be independent. It's a job that is physically hard going, but I don't mind. No stranger to hard work.



 
Aww Mouse, this is great!

The coffee house although sounds like a fun job (I am a people person so it's right up my alley) I know it was really stressful with long hours for you.
The gardening job is nice, and so rewarding. but in winter can be cold COLD!! (snotty nose for sure) ~(:) but the springs and summer time will be a fun fun fun that you will lovingly look forward too daily.
I know you will do well, because you have a great attitude about it.. and as you know in life, it's all about ones attitude.

*hugs*
-me(:)
 
Nolife Princess said:
Aww Mouse, this is great!

The coffee house although sounds like a fun job (I am a people person so it's right up my alley) I know it was really stressful with long hours for you.
The gardening job is nice, and so rewarding. but in winter can be cold COLD!! (snotty nose for sure) ~(:) but the springs and summer time will be a fun fun fun that you will lovingly look forward too daily.
I know you will do well, because you have a great attitude about it.. and as you know in life, it's all about ones attitude.

*hugs*
-me(:)

I loved the buzz of working under pressure in the coffee bar, not so much the endless queues of grumpybums, but I treated them with a smile and a free cookie. Getting a free mucnhy with your coffee is a treat and makes for good business, except the manager thought nothing but loss of profit and because I disregarded his telling me not to, he demoted me. Otherwise, working in a busy cafe where the clinetelle was predominantly young, or businessmen just wanting to neck a cup of scalding hot espresso before leaving minutes later, I enjoyed the work but not the mean manager or his paltry wages. Or the hours: 06:00 to 18:00 on an apprentice scheme. No thanks. Not for me.

I don't actually mind the cold. It's wet weather that gets me down. I'd rather it be -10C and dry than the howling wet weather we're getting lately. The man who gave me work is also giving me indoor tasks like clearing up his outhouses and cleaning his (garaged) cars. When I worked at the caff I cleaned the toilets. Someone had to do it. It's all work. I'll take what comes.

Like for the writing, so I keep accounts. I'm got an appointment with my accountant tomorrow, get good advice.



 
Mouse, you dam near uttered a profanity (gardenia), I'm utterly shocked and amazed- maybe phaedron is right about the world ending in 2012.

All kidding aside, well done Mouse. Are you setting yourself up as a legit company or is there an amount you're allowed to make in a year before you have to start declaring it?
 
Lonely in BC said:
Mouse, you dam near uttered a profanity (gardenia), I'm utterly shocked and amazed- maybe phaedron is right about the world ending in 2012.

All kidding aside, well done Mouse. Are you setting yourself up as a legit company or is there an amount you're allowed to make in a year before you have to start declaring it?

I haven't earnt more than £120.00 a week, afterwhich the threshold for tax is currently £5,030 a year based on weekly annual earnings for people under 18. Even if I earnt above £5,030 I would offset non-capital allowances like maintainance of plant & machinery, office heat and light and fuelling payments for the mower, and also getting a clothing allowance against tax. Petrol expenses I could claim for if I set up a company, but presently I'm trading as sole trader. Tomorrow I'm seeing my accountant who will contact my local tax office to get a specified tax code. The coffee bar issued me with a P45. If my accountant thinks they've ripped me off too much tax, then he'll give me a P46 to claw back any tax owing. Technically I am a student, so should not have to pay income tax. But in this country one never truly knows if by next April when the UK's budget goes out, what I might be liable for. Again, it's down to my accountant. He's a sharp guy, highly qualified, a chartered bloke who knows his stuff. My trust is in him, and the rest is mouse whiskering. ;)

kamya said:
Pretty inspiring. Mouse done well =P

Thanks Kamya for dropping by, wishing me well. :)

 
james john said:
Career change our direction so we will remind all issues and never
determine all matters we remind all issues and be accomplish a best
role for best role in life.

Switching careers was the only decision between either going broke, or never having enough income to provide for my little family. Gardening is something I've already done and been praised for, so being paid for it and enjoying the job has given me huge satisfaction.

Since starting in my village, word has gone around fast. I have enough work to see me through to the end of the month. I come home exhausted, starving hungry but feeling I have achieved something very positive. And money in the bank.

Of course, I still have my Open University degree course in English Language, Medieval and English Literature to do, but that is being done at night. I will always love writing. It's my second skin; quite a thick skin, too.


 
The fruit tree's are going in today,Mouse ! Better get the jam jars ready! Lol :)
 
gabriel20 said:
The fruit tree's are going in today,Mouse ! Better get the jam jars ready! Lol :)

Mmmm, they'd better be plum jam and even better - greengage jam! That's a real yummy. Just less sugar, please. :p
 
sometimes I'm not happy for my situation,but I don't fight a lot to solve my problem. You're giving me a great lesson... thank you so much,little mouse :)))
 
Sennar said:
sometimes I'm not happy for my situation,but I don't fight a lot to solve my problem. You're giving me a great lesson... thank you so much,little mouse :)))

'Little mouse' - awww, thank you. :)

I am pleased that even three years' back, my life as a gardener and the way I got through the day has been of great help to you.
 

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