You can never know too many guys with trucks.

I stood in my bedroom last night, listening to the very loud sound of toddlers crying next door, in their yard, right next to my bedroom wall.  Then I went back out to occupy my time watching Law & Order reruns. 

God love 'em.  It's completely "unreasonable" for me to expect them to be very quiet on Sunday and Thursday nights, when I have a delivery.  I understand that. 

As I went to bed, over an hour later, I reminded myself I could take a nap today after work.  And I did just that.  A very nice, satisfying, nap. 

I do have to wonder, why the littles always cry in the yard.  Are they wanting attention?  Did they hurt themselves?  Are they just being petulant?  I don't know. 

I did take my shower last night, which worked well.  I did a henna too and it came out OK.  Nothing dramatic, just more of the same, but the roots are well covered. 

Apparently I have a lot of salt and pepper roots.  You can't tell now.  It was looking pretty bad, an obvious stripe.  It appears my hair really does grow about half an inch a month. 

So, when my alarm went off, I got dressed and did my God Time.  I ate and helped Ron and went off to work. 

I stocked everything I had on hand, then got our delivery. 

A little backstory: when "we" (both vendors) were given a pallet jack several years back, it was "understood" "we" would be sharing it.  It didn't really take with the other vendor.  He's always made a big production out of "allowing" me to use it, after, of course, they were done.   If I was very, very, nice.  [rolleyes] 

Forget I could get my stuff and be done in 5 minutes, they take a lot longer... I expected more of this today with our delivery.  Sure enough, they took it and did not offer it to me. 

I had a couple of options.  I could have asked to use it, but they were dragging a few items around on a pallet while they talked amongst themselves.  I was pretty sure they'd say "We're using it".  Pretty sure they would turn it into an issue. 

A big, ugly, issue, where I'm the bitch.  No thanks. 

I figured they saw me.  They knew I needed it.  If they wanted to withhold it shame on them.  They've taken 90% of the stockroom, or I'd have my own pallet jack.  If they want to be ugly about this then fine, let them hang themselves in God's eyes. 

I went and got my handcart, loading it up with product, and bringing it back.  Then I got my other handcart (I can just wedge both into my area, with my merchandise), and loaded it up.  It only took two trips.  I couldn't see to drive, but I managed. 

The handcart is a lot easier "driving" than a pallet jack, anyway.  Pallet jacks can shred your rotator cuff.  Pushing a handcart is a lot safer. 

I did forget to wear my back brace, but I think I'm fine.  I didn't know, but Ron was so furious I had to unload the pallet and put it on my hand cart, he went and told the other vendor's employee, who actually found me.  However, I was already coming in with the last load. 

The guy was great helping me put up my coffee cups (large and heavy boxes, have to go on the top shelf).  He's a good guy in a very hard spot. 

I put what I could in the fridge (2 cases of water) and put the rest on my racks.  Since I had already used up a lot of my inventory, I had plenty of room for the merchandise.  Like I told the other guy, "It should be a lot longer putting up a $500 order!" 

It was great having the merchandise on my carts - I could just go stock it.  Ounce and half peanuts for 60 cents.  Big bag chips in exciting flavors.  I was thrilled. 

I handed out a sample bag to some of my best daytime customers.  They seemed to like it pretty well. 

I'd already set Ron up - he'd done canned sodas and he worked on bottled drinks (he can reach everything but the top row, from his wheelchair).  He finished before I did and rolled over, chatting while I worked. 

A postal worker came by.  He's offered to help us off the clock if we ever need it.  He has a truck.  Ron asked him if he'd like to help us make a supply run now and then (we have one guy with a car, and one guy with a truck already).  He said sure, no problem.  Sounded fun. 

Good.  We don't drive.  We can never know enough guys with trucks. 

Pretty soon, we'd finished.  That's the great thing about getting to work at 4 AM, having just worked the day before; not much to do. It's easy to get it done while things are quiet and I got to see 2 different shifts. 

I try to stay available to all shifts.  Customer service is so, so, important.  Here's an example. Within 2 miles of the plant, you can find a McDonald's, a sit down restaurant, a drive through BBQ place, two Chinese restaurants, a donut shop, a Subway, a Burger King, a Little Ceasar's, a Stripes, and half a dozen covenience stores.  All of them sell competing, or "better" product. 

What have I got?  I ask myself this.  I have fantastic customer service.  I have "helping the handicapped" good feeling - we always thank them for supporting us.  I have convenience, and I have lower prices.  I have to have ALL of this to compete. 

I never, ever, take a sale for granted. 

I can't. 

Then, as hoped, we had a wonderful ride home with "Big John".   He told me he had come by to pick us up a while back, but we weren't home yet.  Apparently Baby Girl came up to the trainee, looking for Mommy, and scared the trainee.

She's just a little brown thing, but I guess they don't like cats. 

Sure enough, Baby Girl came out, I got my tummy rub (only when I come home), and I took my nap.  Ah.  It was a good one. 

I did have an odd dream about buying songs on Amazon, though.