The end of the line?

The day when I leave the retail trade seems to be drawing ever nearer.

I agreed, at some stage last week, to work the night shift tonight, largely because the January sale stock has got to be out by tomorrow and it's the best way of ensuring it's out the way I want it, my mild concerns about exhaustion being allayed by knowing my flight to Switzerland wouldn't be leaving until the afternoon of Christmas Eve - understandably, my brother and I are both going to be at our mother's side this year, no two ways about it.

Then, two days ago we were told the night shift would be starting at 3pm, going on until whatever time was necessary to get all the stock out. Last year, they weren't finished until 4am.

Now I can just about put up with work preventing me from doing all the singing I'd like (see here, here and here for the details of that saga), but if there's even the possibility of my family life being affected, there's something seriously wrong. This Christmas is going to be difficult enough as it is, and if I'm left too exhausted to do my part, it makes a nonsense of my going over to Switzerland.

All of which means I'm trawling the vacancies pages again - there's one good possibility, on which more in due course. Let's get the festive season on the road first ...