(45th Entry) What to call this one?

It might be better not to write a blog entry when you’re somewhat emotional… But what the Hell! The last couple of days have been quite traumatic for me… actually this whole week. It started Monday morning after what I now realize was a stressful weekend. I often tend to be intuitive and tend to sense things before they become apparent or they’re revealed.

Monday morning I came to the office agitated. We’re beginning to build a factory to make candles and on the previous Friday I had met with the contractor so that I could have a quote by Monday morning. The candle maestro arrived. It quickly became apparent that what we thought was needed in terms of a building was in reality quit different.

Luckily the contractor was able to meet us. We all sat down together and were very specific about what was needed. Our office is out in the country where it can be windy and dusty so that the building needs to be insulated to some degree from the dust and dirt. One of the reasons I was so agitated was that I had planned to be back in town by 9:00a.m. to meet someone… obviously this wasn’t going to happen.

My office manager asked me what was wrong today. I don’t think she had seen me this way in quite some time. In the beginning working with her in Mexico this was quite common. I’m glad we all had this opportunity to meet however, and that we were able to straighten out any misunderstandings before we began construction. Of course that conversation doubled the cost of construction… that was also a little stressful.

Switching from candles to glass carving… We’re opening two different factories in less than six months.

The Maestro: (previous blog) Well… he is around 60 years old. He is a maestro of grabado… carving on glass done with grinding stones. He’s been here for approximately five months, lived in my apartment and has had his wife to visit. She returned last Friday night because he hasn’t feeling well. He’s from another city in Mexico which means he commutes home every other weekend. I’ve given him everything that he has asked for which ironically he confirmed yesterday. I never tried to negotiate with him, but was grateful that we had found what we thought was an honorable man who had an interest in what we were trying to accomplish.

From the time his wife arrived last Friday evening, I had this feeling that things weren’t going well. They both acted differently than they had before when she was in town. Wednesday morning I woke up and wrote an email canceling my trip this weekend which was planned. I really wanted to go, be with friends, see great folk art, etc. Maybe next year? I had this feeling that I needed to stay. As I said earlier… sometimes I have these intuitive interventions and this one was strong enough to make me listen.

We’ve been having problems with the maestro for some time. As the office manager and company accountant puts it… “He’s difficult!” They also say that the more I give him the more he wants and expects. He’s a contract worker, but thought he ought to get paid for holidays and days taken for doctor’s appointments. He remembers if I don’t do the things he wants, but quickly forgets when he leaves early and promises to work on Saturday’s to make up hours.

Yesterday when he was asked if he was working this Saturday, he tells the office manager that he’s leaving on Friday and will not be returning. Somehow I had felt all of this without really knowing what or why or how come. My home is my sanctuary and when it’s tainted my life becomes less peaceful. I now understand why I felt agitated on Monday morning.

I didn’t even get to my title… so more to come.

P.S. These two factories are mentioned in my Mission Statement (right hand column), they’re part of my “dream” plus I have employees that count on my family. This was a big blow… but life and business goes on! How to persevere is the question!