On break at the Cornish Pasty Bakery – must eat and write fast as I only have 15 minutes. Hmm, working a 9-hour shift and only being given 2 fifteen minute breaks seems somehow unlawful. If we were in Canada I would have  two 15 minute breaks and a 1 hour unpaid lunch break. I am not really complaining though, because at the end of the day I walk with 9 hours pay.  I’ve been working my way across the counter to try all every pasty. Today is steak and stilton, and you can really taste the cheese! It’s good, though, they sort of taste similar. Traditional is probably my favourite, but I’ve still got all the veggies and chickens ones to go. On to the next counter next shift.

I’ve got the next two days off! Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and the boys and I (mostly me) are going to prepare a Thanksgiving feast. It will be my first attempt at cooking a turkey. Might prove difficult as we still don’t have internet at home so I can’t really look up instructions. I’m just going to have to go by what I’ve learned from the movies. Hopefully, I don’t poison anyone.  We could only buy a 10 lb turkey since it’s not really turkey buying season over here.  And I accidentally promised pumpkin pie before I learned that they don’t have such a thing over here, which means instead of just buying a can of pumpkin pie filling I have to turn it into a “from scratch” sort of deal.

*Just finished my pasty, I’ve decided I do not like steak and stilton

On break again, a mere 1h45 later. There is clearly a flaw in the system. My hands smell like a combination of wet towel and rubber gloves. I’ve been on dish duty most of the day, but I don’t mind because I get to hide away from all the bustle of the shop. Working here is fun, when Ron is here. A lot of people seem to take this place too seriously. It’s important to care about your work but everyone gets too stressed out. It’s a bakery, it should be a happy place. One employee has been off sick as a result of the job since I started (2 weeks ago) and another one has actually developed anxiety issues from working here. Ron always used to go on about how England was laid back, he clearly hadn’t met these people yet.

The location of the shop is really great. It’s in a place called King’s Square. It’s pretty much in the centre of town, next to a section called “The Shambes,” which is a really old collection of streets (I want to say 1490s). On weekends there are street performers in the square opposite the shop [edit: I have now learned they are out any day of the week], and horse and carriages stroll by the window regularly. I do like working here (and working in general) but I am looking forward to getting a grown up job. Maybe something with a desk, or where I get to wear my own clothes.