This has been another busy week, with me working 4.5 hours overtime. My feet know it! No overtime scheduled for next week, so far, though I am working bank holiday Monday for 4 hours. The one day it was so boring. The system was down, so we had to go on the shop floor and tidy shelves. After 90 minutes I was thoroughly fed up, so offered my services to till work. At least I was sat down for about 90 minutes. I then checked, still no system, so we tidied yet more shelves until we were released at 2pm once all orders had been cancelled. Mind-numingly boring!

I was introduced to other staff members, and their manager this week, and Wednesday and Thursday I won't be picking, I'll be on the shop floor on Stock Control. This involves checking dates on stock on the shelves, and even restocking. I think. After Thursday, I'm not entirely sure what I'll be doing. I think maybe it depends if they think I'm a good fit, and they can use me, and if I can be released from my usual job. I'm told this is a trial, though it could lead to a permanent move for me due to too many staff picking orders. I did ask, and the newbies have already been given new contracts. Hmmm. Part of me welcomes the chance to try something new that hopefully won't be so physically demanding, but another part wonders if I was asked because I'm too slow.

Anyway, the title. I've been at this store for a little over 2 years now, and whilst we have access to reduced stock on occassion, we also have some free food. For example, I recently was able to buy a windscreen scraper for 40p, and a huge can of de-icer for a little over £1. There have been other items, but rarely anything I want or need. In the canteen, we have access to free home brand tea and coffee, bread, and cereals, milk, and access to a microwave and a toaster. Obviously boiling water too, and chilled water and squash (blech!).

This week, there has been crates of food left in the canteen that is labelled as 'free'. This is due to the date on the food having expired; legally, they can't sell out of date food, however they can give it away. I've never seen this before, and wonder if it's a new drive to avoid wastage, and to help us out in these times of rising prices. Over the past week, I've had a pack of corn on the cob, a small loaf, a 6-pack of hot dog rolls, a punnet of very nice grapes, a pack of 4 cookies from the bakery, a pack of 'special' carrots, and I ate an apple and cinnamon pastry whilst on break, then left the second one for other staff. A lot of this has made its way to the freezer, though some we've eaten already. The bread is pefectly fine for toast, and the cookies were great with a coffee. Waste not... Today, Sunday, I noticed a table had been set up in the canteen with a big sign. We can now have a tin of beans or spaghetti or soup for our lunch, and the sign stated it was to help staff in these difficult times. How nice is that?

The job is hard sometimes, and some customers can be a pain, but I do like working for this supermarket. I just hope my new role will be to my liking. Fingers crossed...

Some 'fun' this week: my current credit card provider is changing banks, so I've had to reapply for a card. I honestly didn't think I'd get it, but it's been approved and I now have my new card. I had to authorise my new card, and had to do this online. I signed in using an ID, and password, and a special number. They then sent a text which I had to enter. I then had to enter certain characters of the special number again, then they sent a second text which I had to enter. OMG! It was tedious, but all works now. The funny thing is, I most likely won't keep this card. You earn points, and they're exchanged for vouchers to a certain store. This store is too far away to be convenient. In South Wales, it wasn't an issue, here it is. I've also applied for a credit card from the store I work in, been approved in priciple, and I'm just waiting for confirmation. I'll earn points to be redeemed at the supermarket I work for, and these will be far more useful. I always buy almost everything on credit, then pay it off in full each month, so I can get points/vouchers for shopping. It works for me.

Have a great week ahead. The weather isn't great, though being cooler is well received, by me at least :)