I know that most of you doesn't even have a hunch of a clue of who all this people I'm gonna write about are, but please try and lets just say that you know who they are. If only for today!

Todays been one hectic day. The phone have rung at least ten times more than usual, I have run up and down, down and up. It feels like I have been everywhere. Everywhere at the same time.

Today, the 6th of October 2010, was a big day for Paul UK. Today we opened our 23rd shop in London on Baker Street, just a few blocks away from us in Marylebone. And of course the majority of all the calls this morning where from them. In the beggining we helped them with plessure, but after a while it just became annyoing. It sounded like they didn't have anything prepared for today, at all. The last straw was when they asked for baking trays and a metal spatula!

I woke up this morning with the rain tapping on my window, and the rain continued the whole morning and didn't stop until way past 9 o'clock. Just because of the rain we had a very quite morning. Not that I am complaining, because the last couple of days have been waaaay more busy than usual. We had time to do both general and deep cleaning, but as soon as the rain stopped - the people started to come. One by one... and soon we were all running our asses of! Finally at 12 with all the people for the day on the floor I had time to sit down, take something to eat and just relax. But my quite time alone was short lived when M'hamed came running to me with the phone - "Sorry to ruin your break but I have a lady on the phone who is asking for the person in charge.", the way he was speaking made me concerned and I remember thinking "who is this upset customer that want to complain?". But it was no customer, on the other end of the phone was Esther N waiting for me. Esther is our OM, Operation Manager.  She wanted to tell me that James together with Francis Holder just left Acton and is on their way to Covent Garden for the moment, and you are next. One of the benefits of working in a bigger shop, or more precise one of the flagship stores with a resturant. Covent Garden and Marylebone always gets all the attention when some important people are in town. And what a nerv-breaker it is!

In the middle of lunchtime, with a floor busier than usual I didn't even have time to give it a second thought. I hade to make sure everything else was perfect, spotless perfect. This was way worse than any audit, ever! As soon as I hung up the phone with Esther it didn't even take 30 secounds until Meriem called to tell me exact the same thing. Half an hour later she called again - Listen Rebecca I am sorry to tell you this but Food Alert are in Regent Street and you are next. Had I missed something? Anyone forgot to tell me it's April fools day?! Francis Holder and Food Alert on the same day, your worst living nightmare ever.

After this everything suprisingly run very smoothly. Except for the fact that Neill called one million times just to ask if James and Francis been to the shop yet, and to promise me to call as soon as Food Alert left Regent St.
One last call from Neill - Food Alert will be finishing of here within half an hour so he will be with you wihtin the hour. Ok, one time frame to go after. Half an hour later I got a call from Esther O, our HR Director saying that James and Francis just left Covent Grdn and will be with us in aproximatly half an hour. OK screw your worse nightmare - Francis Holder and Food Alert will arrive to the shop around the same time. That is way worse than your worst living nightmare.

In the end everything turned out well. Food Alert did not turn up. I suspect Neill got something to do with that. Talked them in to come tomorrow instead just because of our French visitor, or something like that.

After I finished, me and M'hamed took a quick trip to Baker Street just to check it out. It is really nice. But what a pain in the ass it must be to clean at night! When we saw our French friend enter that shop, we went back to Marylebone. There I had a quick tea with the smoking gentlemen Neill and Clement. Suddenly Sandra, a girl I met while doing trainer skills turned up to pick up some things for Baker Street, she needed some help to carry it so I gladly offered my help and we spent a nice walk to Baker Street doing some catching up. When I left Sandra at Baker Street I could't help but feel damn proud of myself. I don't know why. But I just couldn't help it.