Another season altogether

I can hear loud noises coming from the mall today. It's been raining a lot these few weeks, but I enjoy being inside. The news is still filled with disasters: earthquake, dead lambs, dead whales, and I don't know when this will stop. Have we angered the Gods, or have we brought this on ourselves?
Dad's been working on an earthquake early warning system, basing his theory on low frequency waves just before the main event. However, there's no reliable earthquake warning systems in place anywhere in the world just yet. This theory, along with other theories such as "animals acting strangely", are not deemed scientifically enough for the general geological community. My opinion on this is that we shouldn't rely on these signs as the only measure to major earthquake events, but we should take these signs as what they are called: warnings, and act accordingly. Sometimes, being slightly paranoid is okay if that means saving lives. I also think that New Zealand general public has been well educated (like dad said), and there was no casualty from this earthquake.
Christchurch is rebuilding. There's no doubt that it will take some time, but sometimes it is good to change the scene a bit. People worry that their houses are sitting on liquefied land. If you can afford to buy another piece of land and move onto it, I am sure this problem will go away. For most people, though, this is not possible, and being told that your house cannot be rebuilt, or the opposite, can both be stressful. How much money will it take to rebuild the whole city? That's the houses that are uninhabitable. How much money will it take to purchase new land? People can't stay in hotels indefinitely. The situation is dire. I am just watching them on TV, and even I feel helpless watching them.
One thing that will be helpful is to ensure that they can still work somewhere so they can help themselves. The other thing that can be done is create shelters that can accommodate people long term. These people needs houses, a roof over their heads so they don't have to worry about not being able to wash their clothes or have a shower.
The shop is doing well, even though it doesn't look like I am going to sell any shoes today. I guess I had a great day yesterday and can't really wish that everyday will be like the last. Although, it will be pretty cool if I can sell two pairs of shoes everyday, but it will be good if we average one pair each day.
The Chinese lady is (finally) gone, and I hope that she will take her antics with her elsewhere and not come back and haunt me anymore. I am so tired of her! She ordered so many shoes that I've already lost a lot of money by doing that, and she wants me to return the shoes that she doesn't want. I had to write to Susie D and apologize profusely. Does she care that I went through so much trouble? No, I am sure she doesn't, and she had the gull to say that it's between me and Susie? If you want to order shoes, then pay the deposit for them! She didn't even want to pay the deposit in full, and now she wants to return the shoes? There's no logic in that, and I will never do this again. My shop is not the charity shop, nor is it a golden hall. She needs to change her mindset, and this is no ordinary shoe shop. It's a wedding and evening shoe shop that is a boutique high end establishment. She was trying to get discount from one pair of shoes, and I gave her two heel stopper to stop her asking more questions. No loss for me there, and if I can't sell the shoes that she ordered then it's my own loss, she's not going to get her paws on those beautiful shoes and tell me that they are worth only 80% of their original price!
I am so angry about that, felt so tired after talking to her and her fiance. What an idiot! I told her in the end to just buy one pair of wedding shoes, and no discount whatsoever! I have to recover my losses from her, and it starts there.
I am glad that my other customer was easier to deal with, even though her mother asked for a discount, she didn't. I managed to sell the jandals to her without too much trouble. It was the right colour and size. Kudos to me that I "guessed" right.
If I can sell one pair of shoes today then I can go home and say this week has been a success. If I don't, I can still say it was an okay week because I worked very hard on every sale I've made.
The weather is still crap. I haven't put in the spring onions yet, better do it some time today, though. I don't want to waste them!
My garden is still in a bit of a disarray, but that's understandable with this horrible stormy weather. I am going to Auckland tomorrow, then meet up with friends for tea, and watch belly dancing in the evening. Great Sunday I have planned. Tonight, I will run with G and maybe with the husband. I am feeling alright after yesterday, not worried about the shop anymore. It will just come right itself.
It is supposed to be spring, but as far as spring go, it is not my favourite one.

When dreams come true

Mum wrote to me last night about making dreams come true. I've had a talk with husband and now it looks that one of my plan has fallen flat. I've planned to go to Fashion Week for months, and when there was some funds before for that, now there is none.
I don't expect anyone to understand this, but I did have a plan. I planned originally to go up as a buyer, but I know I don't have much money. Right now the shop is holding on precariously, I don't think I am going up to Auckland. The main reason is shopping anyway, and we don't need to buy anything at the moment. We can't afford to buy things.
Today has been a good day, though. I did sell a pair of shoes. It was a bit strange to charge one more dollar than the marked price. I think I will have to change the price to $299.99, or have to pay the lady back. I guess I won't give her money back, but I will put the price up? It's funny how I don't put price down in this shop, but it is necessary. I've put the price up for Tiger and Tanza today since Susie mentioned that they are charged $269 in her shop. I am not sure if this is the right move, but the young girl came yesterday to say that these shoes aren't that expensive for this price, is it? No, I replied. I am not selling expensive shoes, I sell affordable good quality shoes.
I don't know why I have to give myself so much pressure. I am going to stop now, but of course, I will long to go to Auckland this weekend. I will want to go next year, this weekend, next year's weekend, and the one after. It is like going skiing. It is like going to Europe. It's like finding the right guy. It's like getting married.
Sometimes, I think I work so hard to make my dreams come true that I have been forced into a corner so I can't be happy when my dreams come true! How sad.