One month at the new job

Good morning, Tapestry Craft! This is Kris. Can I help you?
So I’ve nearly finished my first full month at the new job. Go me! Some notable milestones and highlights:

• I met Sharon Aris! She came in the shop and placed an order for some Jo Sharp wool. As I was writing it down I asked for her name. As soon as she said it, I blurted out, “You wrote that book!” She was pretty amused. I mentioned to her that we’ve got several Sydney knitting buddies in common, including the SSK folks and Amy (who was quoted in the book!). My first knit-celebrity sighting!
• Somehow the Aussie phrase “No worries!”, which I had previously avoided, has totally and completely insinuated itself into my vocabulary. I say it All. The. Time. I can’t stop. Need some help with that wool? No worries!
• I’ve now got “my” customers, the ones who know me by name and like me the best. My own personal favorites are Monica, an awesome Chinese chick, and her totally cute Mom. They come in all the time and they think I’m a knitting genius. I love them.
• Mrs. Coote always calls in and orders tapestry supplies for her elderly mother, Mrs. Proft. There was a problem with the last order though and I needed to contact her. She wasn’t at home so I tried at the mother’s house. “Hi, this is Kris from Tapestry Craft calling. Is Mrs. Coote there?” A creaky little voice said, “Ich verstehe Sie nicht!” Cool, I thought. Time to bust out the German! “Oh, sprechen Sie Deutsch? Ich spreche nur ein bisschen.” (Do you speak German? I speak only a little.) I was totally expecting this big Miracle on 34th Street moment where the little old lady and I would chatter on happily in German about her tapestries. Instead, the old biddy hung up on me! *click* I must have totally freaked her out. When I finally got ahold of her daughter the next day, I was like, “Uh, did your Mom mention that I called for you there?” And she was all, “Mom doesn’t speak English. And she doesn’t talk to strangers.” Yeah, I gathered. Still, a funny moment.
• My legs and feet have felt great since I got the Kumpfs. I still haven’t been back to the gym yet though. I actually got a letter from them yesterday asking if I had had an accident. Good grief. Now I’m going to feel all guilty and defensive when I finally venture back. (The slightest physical exertion still makes me hack up a lung, so it won’t be anytime soon.)
• I’ve had some great visitors! Rodd’s sister Jeannie and his nephew Kurt stopped in to see me one afternoon, and on another day Mary-Helen and Sandra came in. Oh, and Ma Snook called to say that a family friend had been in there unbeknownst to me and given her a glowing report.
• We had a big serious meeting with an AMP representative about setting up new pension accounts. I told him that I’d be sticking with my old fund. I did not, however, tell him that the real reason was my inability to trust my retirement money to a man that said “pacifically” when he meant “specifically.” *shudder* I should write a letter to corporate headquarters.
• I’ve met so many North Americans in the past month! A woman came in from Kentucky yesterday and I could feel my accent gravitating towards hers every second. It’s funny, though; most Australians don’t peg me for American. They think I’m Canadian or – oddly – Irish. I have no idea where that comes from.

Oh, and for those of you that know the shop, frickin’ Linley was in again tonight. And get this – she was wearing a hat she’d knitted out of her dog’s hair. It was grade-A, 8-ply, hand-spun Golden Retriever, I shit you not. I asked her with a straight face: “When it rains, does it smell like wet dog?” Needless to say, she didn’t see the humor.