Day 3 - I don't think I can do this...

...But I have a greater appreciation for those in hospitality!

For those of you who don't know me very well... my backgroud is in office work. Senior admin work mostly, but also done investigations, a bit of reception work. I have a national diploma in programming. The past 3 years I've been focusing on my uni studies though and haven't been to work. Now I've somehow put myself in the deep end and into general assistance work in a guest house.

I don't think I was fully prepared.

I started work at 6:30 this morning, helped with cooking breakfasts, then cleaned up (hoovered the kitchen, dining rooms, utility, downstairs bathroom and reception area), I then moped the kitchen, the small bit in the dining room. Then cleaned the staff toilet. Then I stripped the beds in 4 rooms, made the beds in 4 rooms, cleaned the 4 rooms (work-surfaces, shower, toilet, sink), topped up the tea caddy, hoovered and mopped the bathrooms. By this time it is 2 o'clock. Lunch time! Until another evening shift.

I then went out for lunch (tagged along happily and merily with my manager thinking the last few hours later will be fine), at 4 I was back to work again (straight after getting there, after getting freezing cold and wet in the rain and wind earlier) . First looking at the booking system online, filling out some more paperwork, then did some ironing - thinking I was finishing at 7.

I was wrong. 7 came and went. Manager said she needs the ironing done. By now my legs are hurting, my wrist hurts (I don't do an awful lot of ironing, if at all, I do what I need when I need it) and my back is killing me!! I have to continue doing more ironing, and by now I'm fuming. At about 8, or quarter past 8, we have to prep for breakfast tomorrow. Ironing not even done. So sit down for a few minutes to read through the breakfast orders (although I can't get comfortable because of my back) and when my manager has figured out how much we need for breakfast, into the kitchen to prep. Putting things on trays, out of the freezers, cutting up tomatoes and mushrooms and then washing up the chopping boards.

It's now nine. Finished.
Struggled up the stairs. Barely able to move.
I went to my room and just burst into tears. Not only is my back sore, my legs are, my hips started as soon as I stopped, my wrist hurts from the ironing, and my feet and ankles from being up on them all day.
It takes a lot to make me cry.

I'm going to be really sore tomorrow.
And it's another 6:30 start!!
Living the dream... ha!
I don't know how long I am going to be able to do this...