Author: Aaron Bennett

Making Lucy Crease Herself With Laughter!

Today was very busy. I finally got round to clearing the top of the lockers. Unfortunately there was loads of cardboard and other rubbish up there, as well as the costumes for fundraising and the Resussi Annie Doll. The costumes got boxed and put on top of the lockers, along with the Resussi Annie Doll. It looks alot better. It took ages to sort out and it meant taking loads of cardboard this down to the bins. This took several trips.

We also managed to tidy the Work Room. This took quite a bit of work as well and meant taking loads down to the bins. Our bin shed is now full to the brim. Thankfully tomorrow, I will be putting the bins out, so we will get getting rid of loads and loads of rubbish. The Work Room won’t stay tidy for long, as we are always getting donations and I am sure that we will be getting a delivery of more stuff in the coming days!

Tidied Stock Room

I did manage to do some work on the shop floor, as well as my normal cleaning duties and sorting out the locker room. I served customers and tidied up the shop floor at the same time. We also did all the Health and Safety Checks, which included the Fire Alarm Test.

Then, I managed to make Lucy crease herself with laughter. While I was cleaning the toilets, (at the end of the day) Dirty Blondes kept coming on our radio channel. The 1st message was about an order for table 23. Then when I was downstairs, I heard them call: “Hello hello hello?”

I could not help myself and had to sing Adele down the radio. “Hello, it’s me, I’ve ordered a Pepperoni Pizza and I’m sat at table 23!” This made Lucy almost wet herself with laughter! For me this was very quick whited and extremely hilarious. I wonder what Dirty Blondes thought or if they realized it was us having some fun with them? 😂😂😂😂

It just proves, we have far too much fun at the British Heart Foundation! 😂😂😂😂😂

Halloween @ The British Heart Foundation

Today, we all dressed up for Halloween at work. I was Winifred Sanderson, Bethan was Mary Sanderson, Maria came as Binx, (The cat in Hocus Pocus) Lucy was Freddy Kruger and Pat came as a cat.

Me as Winifred Sanderson
Left to Right: Pat as a Cat, Lucy as Freddie Kruger, Maria as Thackery Binx, Bethan as Mary Sanderson

I have been on the shop floor most of the day and my feet kill from wearing heels all day. However, it was all in good spirits and our customers loved the banter. Especially how I really got into character as Whinny!

Team BHF

I just had to share this picture of us all at the shop. This is just a few of the brilliant people I work with! They are all as crackers as me, apart from Mary; who is probably one of the sanest at our shop!! 😂😂😂

Tomorrow is Halloween and we are all dressing up, so if your local, come in as I will be dressed as Whiney from Hocus Pocus. Bethan is also dressing up Sarah Sanderson, Maria is being a cat (Thackery Binx) and hopefully, Lucy is dressing up as Adele. (Hello it’s me)

Left to Right: Lucy ( Deputy Store Manager) Mary (Books and DVDs Coordinator) Bethan (Store Manager) Me & Maria

A Tribute To The Late Prunella Scales

With the sad passing of Prunella Scales today – who was amazing in Fawlty Towers. She played Sybil Fawlty – the Matriarch of the Hotel, bossing her Husband Basil around and often beating up Mr O’Riley, who is the Cowboy Builder; that Basil often employs to do odd jobs round the hotel. However, he always seems to “botch” any work that Basil gets him to do, infuriating Cybil and often resulting with several slaps from her handbag!

I got Chat GPT to make this tribute to her. It is a image of her stood behind the Reception Desk in Heaven, checking in those that have recently arrived.

Rest in Peace Prunella. xx

If you have not seen Fawlty Towers, watch the below video, which is where Sybil attacks O’Riley!!!

If you want my favourite Fawlty Towers Moment, it has to be the scene in the episode “The Germans”, where Basil insults the German Guests and does the silly walk! “Horderves… Horderves…  Which must be obeyed at all times, without question!” 😂😂😂😂

Massive Sort Out

Today, I had a huge sort out. We had a massive backlog of Bric, (Bric-a-brac) which really needed sorting. We had boxes and boxes of bric, which I sorted through. Anything that was unsalable, got thrown away. We had these really filthy mugs, which needed cleaning, so I used elbow grease and a bit of Cif Cream Cleaner and got them back to white. After lunch, I sorted our toolbox. Don’t ask me why we had 15 pairs of scissors in there…. They went into the sharps bin.

Next was the top of the kitchen cupboard. I moved the Britta Filters to the cupboard under the sink (also known as the Facilities Cupboard) and I chucked away a load of bags of crisips that had gone off. (2024!)  I also chucked the cheeseboard and knives, as they in a very bad state. As I had to cover the till, I didn’t manage to finish what I was doing. I want to fully damp dust the top of the cupboard, so it is clean. I did however, manage to get a framed newspaper clipping about our shop hung on the wall. It had been on my list of things to do, for a couple of weeks.

Trying to get out of work was a nightmare! I had customer after customer and wanted to get them all served, before I left. Then when I did leave, I got to the bus stop and realised I still had my radio in my pocket. I managed to nip back and take it in and still get the 15:10 bus. I was yaking to Kira all the way home, as she got on the same bus as me.

Fire Drill 🔥

Today, we did a Fire Dill at work, which was fun. Read this post, if you have no idea what a Fire Drill is. We managed to evacuate the building in under 2 minutes, which is really good. Our customers were very cooperative and evacuated when the alarm sounded. Maria missed all the fun, as she came in late. However myself, Lucy, Bethan, Nigel, Kira and Anne, were all involved in the drill.

Thankfully, the weather wasn’t too bad, so we didn’t have to go to the assembly point in the pouring rain. However, Fires do not care if it is wet and dry… When the alarm sounds, it means evacuate, even if it’s wet!

Brown, Squidgy and Smelly

This afternoon, I had to deal with something rather nasty on the shop floor. I am not going to say what it is, but put it this way, it was squidgy, it was brown and it it smelt nasty. A pair of gloves, a carrier bag was what was needed. followed by the mop and bucket to wash the floor afterwards. This got me really angry, because it was caused by a 4 legged friend and the owner could not be bothered to clean up after their furry friend. I then also ended up banging my head on the shelves. I am OK, it was only minor, but it got reported anyway.

BIFFA Strike Again!

BIFFA are back in my bad books again, after blocking the fire exit again. I have taken a picture and sent it to Bethan. It clearly states by the gate, that it a fire exit, so BIFFA have no excuse to block it. Thankfully, I was able to shift the bins, before we did the Fire Drill. Either the Bin Men are blind or ignorant! (Or Both!)

The bin men should know better than to obstruct a fire exit. I was furious to find the fire exit blocked by the bins! If the bin men better not block the fire exit again, or I will shove my pricing gun where the light doesn’t shine!!!!! 😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬

Blowing in the Wind….

Finally, the bad weather has damaged the building. The roof of the bin compound has had it’s felt blown off. MSL are aware of this and should be coming to fix it, later this week.

Entertaining Day

Today at work has been fun, as it was only myself and Lucy in. Of course, we found ways to keep ourselves entertained, bouncing off each other with rubbish jokes and plenty of laughs. I spent most of the day on the shop floor and even may have convinced Lucy to dress up as Adele for Halloween. I even got asked by a customer, to come down in my high heels that I am going to wear with my Halloween costume. Of course, I didn’t mind parading round the shop in them. (That and a bit of Kenneth came out – OH MATRON!)

Once again, I left late, as I had a backlog of jobs to do before I left. – Hoover upstairs, wash up, clean the toilets, put the bins out and generally tidy up. However, I did manage to get the 5.30 bus, so that wasn’t too bad.

New Mug

I grabbed this mug at the end of my shift. I payed a decent price for it, along with 2 bathroom mats. (Under a fiver) I love this mug, it has the Periodic Table of Text Messaging on it. This is a list of short codes used during texting. IE: WYL = Watch Your Language) It also has the codes for different similes. It is proper cool and I love it! 🙂

I have had a few brews out of the mug. (Coffee, 3 sugars and very milky) Sadly, my bathroom mats are not a full set. It was missing the mat for around the toilet. This is why my boss sold it to me for a mere £2 for both mats. I may be able to get a mat that matches online. At least now I don’t have to stand on the cold Lino, when I get out the shower!

BTW, my Winifred Costume comes on Tuesday to work. I am going for the whole hog on Halloween, to be Winifred Sanderson (from Hocus Pocus) at work, this Halloween!

This week is going to be fun, as Maria is supposed to be off and Pat is off all week, so more than likely, I am going to be on the shop floor loads. I don’t mind, as that’s where all the action is. Our customers love me, as I am so entertaining and random. From my Fireman Sam (“Oooooh Boyo! Now then Norman, it’s not good to play with matches”) and Kenneth Williams Impressions, “(OOOOOH MATRON!”) To telling rubbish jokes (“Why can’t Dalmatians play hide and seek? Because they are always spotted”) and singing and dancing round the shop. Yes, I am nuts and proud of it!!! Just stand clear when I let out a loud fart on the shop floor! (Frrrrrrrrrrph – “More Tea Vicar?”) 😂