What a long, weird day it's been...

I guess I was bound to have an "interesting" day after having yesterday off- it all started this morning at 5am when I woke up for work (man, that makes me sound so grown up!) I drug myself out of bed, showered, dressed in my festive all black uniform, and trudged downstairs to open the bakery promptly at six. I got along alright the first hour- it was only the second time I had opened so it is a lot to remember-turn on the lights, stove, coffee machine, bread warmer, dishwasher, and music; check the order form and bring out all the bread loaves, scones, cookies, cakes, and pies to the front; organize the cakes in the front window and display fridge, line up the bread, and make orders for the early customers who pop in. I figure, I'm doing alright- it's seven o'clock and I haven't screwed anything up yet. Spoke too soon. Veronika (my manager) showed up at seven and asked what I was doing. A little disconcerted, I answered opening the shop-why? Was I doing something wrong? She just said 'crazy girl...you should be in bed! You don't come in until eleven!' I guess she had changed my schedule so I could sleep in a bit after my day off and I hadn't realized it. Oh well. I guess showing up when you're not supposed to is better than not showing up when you should. Off to bed for a couple more blissful hours of sleep.

Once I arrived officially at the correct time to work, it was a chaotic mess. Melanie had shown up to 'oversee' how things were going and she brought three new employees with her. It was a Saturday so we were super busy and all the poor new employees just got in our way because they had no idea what was going on and we didn't have the time to show them. On top of that, Melanie is running around making changes and trying to 'improve' how things are done at the bakery. On a Saturday. At lunchtime. Veronika about had a fit. Well we managed to survive the tirade that is Melanie and closed the shop without too much trouble on time. I made my way upstairs and decided to take a wee nap (see, the Scottish are getting to me already!). I have been so exhausted lately for some reason- I hope I'm not getting sick. Whitney probably managed to give me mono from across the world for all I know... :) About an hour into my snoozefest, I awoke to the sound of knocking at my door. I groggily yelled 'come in' and then some guy who I don't recognize opens the door. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, still confused in my semi-comatic state. The guy (who looks vaguely familiar and knows my name) asks me to join him and Veronika at the pub. I politely decline, using my declining health as an excuse and prepare to roll over and go back to sleep. Alas, this guy didn't give up that easily. Since I didn't want to have a drink at the pub, would I like to have dinner at the Chinese restaurant down the street? I kept saying thank you but no...I'm very sleepy and don't have much of an appetite at the moment. Well he kept pressing and pressing until I finally gave in, and the next thing I know I'm sitting across from him at the restaurant before it dawns on me that he probably sees this as a date. Crap.

Well this guy (who turns out to be Albert from Africa) just moved in and will begin working at the bakery on Monday. I decide I would be nice and try to make him feel welcome and it can't hurt just to have dinner-right? Wrong. I guess he had seen me working on Thursday (which I don't recall) and he had come into the shop again today which is why he looked vaguely familiar. We had just sat down when he started talking about how his grandmother had told him what an angel looks like when he was young and I was that angel and he couldn't believe how perfect I looked and how he was so nervous to come to my room to ask me to dinner and on and on. This is before we got our waters; my hopes for a friendly casual dinner were dashed straight away. In the course of the (painfully long) hour meal, he mentioned introducing me to his parents, knowing what a wonderful person I must be from the first time he laid eyes on me, planning picnics and cinema trips, and reiterating how lucky any guy would be to have me. I went from catching up on some z's to some random guy I just met planning our lives together in about 15 minutes. I only wish I was kidding.

So after we ordered, I figured I needed to address the painfully obvious subject of Albert being inexplicably instantly in love with me conflicting with my own feelings of confusion and basically freaking out. I tried to gently and nicely point out that I was only looking for friendship here, but he was not deterred. Next, I did something I'm not too proud of. Yes, I played the made-up I have a boyfriend waiting for me at home card. Shameful, I know, but what's a girl to do? I have to work and live with this guy for the next five months! Anyways, I do feel quite bad about lying, but he finally got the picture and at least said he was content with being just friends. However, I didn't manage to get out of having a KFC and wine indoor picnic tomorrow after work, so we'll see how that goes. I absolutely abhor sticky situations.

Well now I'm back in the (I hope) safety of my room. Tomorrow I work at eight so I'll have all day to dread another uncomfortable sudo-date situation with Albert....wish me luck!

Oh, one more thing- Happy Birthday Noah!!!! I love you!