A Mixed Day ...

After Sunday evening, when I took my meds with dinner, and threw up three hours later, I'd hoped it was a one-off. No such luck though, as after taking my meds with dinner (a *lovely* roast chicken! What a waster!) exactly the same thing happened last night. My blood sugar was 25mm/ol just before I ate dinner last night, and is still around the 15 mark at the moment. I've felt sick and 'spacy' all day, but managed a banana and roll for lunch, and just chanced an Indian ready meal, which might not sound like a good choice, but was the only thing that vaguely appealed. I'm being very naughty this evening though, and *not* taking my meds. Partly to see if I'm sick again or not, and partly because I need to keep some food in my system longer than a few hours. Why do I get the feeling that I'll be moved to insulin after my review in 3 weeks? Not that that bothers me, I just want to know what's going on!

Better news now, from work, of all places! I discovered today that I'm owed a week's wages. When I went back to Safeway in 1996 I was paid weekly, a week in arrears, which stayed the same when we changed to Morrisons. It seems though, that when we were bought by Waitrose, that part of our contract was not transferred, so all old Morrison's staff who were riginally on a weekly paid contract are owed their first week's pay by Morrisons. Mine will only for 25 hours at £4.97 an hour, but when we finally get it it will be a nice little extra.

I also had my ARP at work today. That's my Annual Review of Performance, and is where I have a sit down meeting with my line manager. We have a new ine manager who has only been with us a few weeks, so our old one had already decided our pay grades, and is doing our reviews. She's lovely, and I'm really sad that she's leaving in a few weeks. Anyway ....
We're graded on our Competancies, which are basically behavioural, and on Key Result Areas, which are basic areas of knowledge, etc. There are 5 basic grades, from 0-4, with 0 being best and 4 worst. Typically, only 1-2% of partners across the whole company get a 0 or a 4, and the majority get a 3, which is fully acceptable. Then some more get a 2 - good, and a lucky few get a 1 - very good.

Jo went through the set-up with me, and asked me how I would grade myself, so I said a 3 - acceptable. She sid "Well, I've graded you as a 2 ... you look surprised". Stunned was more like it! I *know* my attitude hasn't been brilliant recently, and I was amazed that I got a 2, especially as Jo said that very few other people on the section have been graded as high! She said some really nice things, and it was nice to know that after weeks of stress, low morale, no staff etc, someone has noticed that I (and others) are actually doing the best we can. Jo said that she has discussed every checkout partner's grade with all the other section managers, as well as with the two deputy store managers and the store manager himself, and they all agreed I'm a 2. That really did cheer me up, because most of the other managers only ever speak to me to tell me to do something! I still don't know what my actual pay rate will be, or even *if* it will change, but I feel pretty positive about my performance at the moment.

Jo also asked me to consider doing more training, both in areas I'm not trained on yet, and with regard to training other staff. She's like me to do more till training, and also to consider becoming a section sponsor, which would mean I would become responsible for the training and mentoring of new staff. I'm not sure about that ... every one I train leaves in a short space of time! It was a positive meeting though, and I'm happy with my grade.