The Bag Lady

Wouldn’t it make shopping so much more pleasurable if we were greeted with a friendly “hello”, “good morning” or “good afternoon”.

Why can’t cashier assistants be pleasant? Wouldn’t it make shopping so much more pleasurable if we were greeted with a friendly “hello”, “good morning” or “good afternoon”? I’m certainly not saying all cashier assistants are unfriendly but I reckon a good three quarters are.

I’m sorry but I feel, as the customer, I should be treated with respect and professionalism and not have to put up with a sullen person who doesn’t have the decency to look at me or say thank you when I hand over my hard earned cash. Yet again, last week I felt the need to say something after a cashier assistant who barely glanced my way, never spoke through the whole transaction and then began chatting to her colleague before she’d even finished serving me. I reminded her if she doesn’t like her job there are plenty of others who can fill her shoes. I don’t think she was very impressed but I really didn’t care. Here’s to a more pleasant shopping experience next time.

Father’s Day

Socks, ties, wallets, books, CDs, wines, chocolates – the list is endless. This year try and be a little more creative and make your dad a hamper of his favourite things, and try keeping to a theme.

For book lovers

Take an empty shoe box or a similar box, cover with old magazines, line with crumpled tissue paper, buy his favourite book and a bookmark, and add a clip-on reading light. Perfect!

For gardeners

Buy a basket from Multi Flora, line with scrunched up newspaper and add a ball of twine (string) garden labels, packets of seeds, pocket gardening tools (fork and trowel), gardening gloves and maybe a gardening magazine. Enclose in green cellophane and tie with thick string.

Gin lovers

Cheers to Dad! Silver Creek Craft Distillery brings you two brand-spanking-new gins made in the same style as gin of America’s notorious Prohibition era. As with the already-famous range of fine, roof-liftin’ ‘shines, Prohibition Craft Gin and Prohibition Pink Gin are handmade in small batches – distilled to a fine spirit from carefully selected grains. The new Prohibition Gins retail at around R360 a bottle and are available at selected bars, restaurants and liquor outlets around the country. Visit www.silvercreekdistillery.com for more information.