Sure guys, this back pain, it's like labour.
I wonder if it's like kidney stones.
That's all I need now is kidney stones on top of it.
My dad has kidney stones.
He's had half of his kidney removed.
I'm not sure if he's due to go into another half of another kidney removed by far like that.
I've got a couple of people saying that every time they come to the shop it's shut.
Well, I don't know what shop they go into because...
And I've got a couple of people saying it.
It's not just one person in different areas.
We write on our Facebook every single day what shops are open.
Because obviously we rely on volunteers and if somebody is ill or somebody's child is ill then we can only open on a limited basis, can't we?
I've got to be able to shut my shop that I'm in quick to run off if there's an emergency elsewhere.
So, for example, say there was a fire or the roof caved in and risk a shop.
Then I would have to shut my shop and run off down there because it's an emergency.
So I'm usually in one of the places I can shut up easily.
Now what I found in the donation centre was because we had so much stuff out the front I couldn't shut the shop easily and run off somewhere.
But like this shop or risk a shop then I can do it, you know.
Pontypool shop I wouldn't worry about because the stuff out the front is all on CCTV and I'd only have to ask the people across the road to keep an eye on the stuff on the CCTV and they would because the people in the flats and the cafe are next door to us they're all good as gold and they would say all right James had to run off so I wouldn't worry about that.
But I don't know why people are coming to the shops and saying they're shut all the time.
Now I'll be honest with you we have brought our hours down we're now doing 10 till 4 but I did put an announcement out.
Because sometimes if say we got a mum that's opening up a shop they might open up at 9 o'clock so maybe that's what's thrown people I don't know but I always say 10 till 4 because even if the mother's going at 8 o'clock in the morning it gives them a chance to get sorted and unless they unless they say oh I'm open 8 till 6 tonight or I'm going to do 8 till 8 tonight then I don't really bother some nights I work all night you know that but I haven't I'm feeling very well,
previous to Christmas, and taking a bit of time off.
And the cold gets to me now.
Now I'm not fat anymore.
I feel the cold is something awful.
Don't bother.
Stay fat.
Stay fat and happy guys.
Don't be thin.
Um, awful cold.
I'm dreadful with the cold at the moment.
I've got about six layers on.
Honestly, I'm dressed some days I've got two bobble hats on.
I'm dreadful with the cold.
So I'm not sure, um, why people can't find the shop.
So I've put the maps up again.
Risk a shop will probably be open tomorrow.
Um, I've got some staff back.
Um, I've spoke to my one staff that's on bereavement.
I think they're coming back.
I've got another one that's still off.
Um, so we are, for us it happened at a good time because obviously Christmas were quieter anyway this time of year and it's cold.
But of course going into spring now everybody will be out walking about on bikes, taking the dogs out for walks more.
Um, you know, people will be wandering about the lights, the lights are lighter and they, so people will be out later.
So we will start taking staff on again now.
Um, always check our Facebook, see if we're open.
Because obviously we close.
Or if I got to go early, like Dan shuts early on a Monday now in Pontypool.
So you're shut at 3.
But the other thing is don't come in at 10 to 3 or 10 to 4 and think you've got an hour to shop because you're in there.
Now I, I know that Sammy would wait for some customers.
And I've said to a couple of our customers, if you stay by here, I'll do the charity run at 4, past 4.
You mind the shop, I'll run round there, get the staff, come back and then I'm open till 6, 7 o'clock.
Now I know we've done that in the past.
But when, when I got volunteers in, you need to keep it like at a, I know somebody turned up and they were quite arsey with Dan saying, well, I've been allowed to stay.
It's like, well, Dan said, well, I'm going, you know, I'm packing up.
I'm going 4 o'clock.
That's me done.
Off he goes, does the charity shop run and then comes home because he, we got other stuff to do in the house.
You know, we got our pets and the rescues to look after and other stuff.
So and they were like, well, I've been here till 6 o'clock some nights.
Well, maybe you have, but at the moment we're operating on winter hours, which is 10 till 4.
And there's no point coming in at like quarter to expecting to spend two and a half hours wandering around the shop.
We have got a customer that takes forever wandering around the shop.
So I think that was that customer that came in.
And obviously, Dan isn't going to be staying there that amount of time.
So hang on guys, I've got customers.