[Diana]

... sigh. I so envy those either retired, working from home, or that are in a job which they can juggle days, work weekends to make up for midweek days off, or just plain own the business so can do as they please!

I was just getting everything properly straight this morning. 14 nominations have gone in from now till Christmas. And probably 10 of those are on weekdays.

I know right now that the chances of me getting a run in all is zero, which is lucky because I only have 6 days holiday left this year, but its such a headachy judggling act. possibly one of the WORST parts of trialling. Holiday from work.

Ok, if you are on the draw, with a run, super duper, you get a week or so warning and a day can be booked off. But when you are number 18, or 20, or as the first result back is: 22.... its a bloody nightmare. Do you take the day off 'incase' you get a call in the last couple of days beforehand, and then sit at home with a day wasted. Or do you not book it then call in sick (not a good idea - especially with a boss like mine that has a tendancy to call round when you are off sick to check the car is on the drive!). Or do you constantly annoy the powers that be by booking days then cancelling them at short notice, like the day before, when you know you haven't been called!??! IT IS SO HARD!!!!!

I wonder how others who work deal with this?

Can everyone REALLY either be millionaires, own the company, work flexiable days or hours or keep 25 days holiday JUST for the winter so wasted days are OK because you have tons to spare?

Having just been rung to have a place on a FT training day at Ampton on Tuesday, I HATE LOATHE HATE having to say 'I'm so sorry I can't!' I have to give at least a weeks notice on holiday and thats only Tuesday!

Rant over. Placate me PLEASE people! How do you deal with this work/trialling situation...?

Di

 

[Contender]

Well, I guess I'm one of the so called lucky people that are self-employed doing mainly doggy stuff and shooting stuff 8) I often hear people saying: 'God, I'm so jealous of you, I would like to do the same' and I always reply:' Please, do! if you can live with never being 100% sure if you can pay this months rent/mortgage, never have holiday, working when others are off, only buy work clothes and constantly have to say no to doing some of the away, fun doggy stuff because that is really a luxury that you can't always afford, then start doing what I'm doing' :lol: :lol:

It's my choice so I'm not complaining but I guess unless we all win the lottery, then we will always have to juggle things no matter what job we're in. I know some people have all their holiday in the shooting season so they can go picking-up on weekdays, go shooting or field trialling if they get a run but still this is only possible because their work place and boss is 'flexi minded'.

I can fully understand your frustration of having to say no to training days or even trials especially as it can be so hard to get a run.

As for beating and/or picking up then it's going to be interesting to see if some shoots are going to struggle to find people this year. Some people used to be willing to travel quite a distance to go picking up or beating but with the current fuel prices and the overall economic climate then I don't think that people would risk 'pulling a sicky' or can afford to take extra time off. I think we're heading towards semi-pro/semi-full time pickers-up/beaters on some of the big shoots that are doing 2-3 days of shooting per week - this is already the case on some shoots up north where pickers-up are paid £50-£60 and the beaters something similar. One Estate here in the east is paying the beaters £100 8O 8O but they never have any 'set' dates and when the keeper phones up the evening before, you're expected to be able to go the next morning. This very often creates a problem for other shoots that may be so unlucky to have a day on that same date as they will loose 4-5 of some of their beaters to 'top dollar Estate' :roll: :roll: Who said that people can't be 'bought'?

Natasha

 

[_Lizzy_]

Sorry can't resist....





do I have to train my hound of questionable background to JUGGLE now? 8O :wink:

 

[Diana]

You do yes.... it comes after teaching back and before left and right ;-)


" I know some people have all their holiday in the shooting season so they can go picking-up on weekdays, go shooting or field trialling if they get a run but still this is only possible because their work place and boss is 'flexi minded'. "


Yes... the problem is I like to still do some dog things too like go on holiday (I don't know how people with our lifestyle DON'T take a break, I would hang myself if I did this 52 weeks instead of 50 - chuckle! Hat off to you for not!). So I use about half hols taking 'hols' and half in the winter or for weekday working tests/going to distant stud dogs and so on. So really not keeping it all for winter is entirely my own fault. But even then, the boss is a good man but not 'flexi minded' so the rules, is the rules. A day booked has to be taken... sigh!

Di

 

[Moj]

Can you do compressed/condensed hours in the winter? Work 5 days over 4, and then keep 1 day for other things without having to use annual leave? I think by law, employers need to show willing when it comes to flexible working patterns??

I can't do this in my current job, but in my previous one, quite a few of my colleagues worked FT hours over 4 days. Not me though.... I would cry seeing everyone else walk out the door at 5 and me still having an hour and half still to do, plus the commute home on top! It worked well for the people who tended to work over their hours (unpaid) regularly anyway.

 

[YORKER]

Di you have a job , and now you want days ofF . you will be wanting a pension next .

i have 25 days holiday 15 for beating . 10 for holidays where its hot the OH INSISTS , all my overtime is taken as time in lieu for extra days beating but i dont get time & a Half . but who cares .

it is not easy hardest bit is those who have never had a job bragging they do 100 days a season beating :evil:

 

[rach_willibob]

I wish I got invited to things to have to take days off! :wink: :roll:

 

[_Trina_]

Get yourself a different hobby, like flower arranging... or jigsaws!!! :wink:

 

[Rivermeadow-KMH]

It's certainly tricky. I pick up for my biggest client at work, so although I take holiday to do it, my bosses are very good indeed and let me be flexible. Last year I went in to the office after picking up on most mid week days, which meant a very late finish, but at least I could go.

Doesn't leave a lot of holiday for anything else though

Katy

 

[REDRACER]

its a real problem for a lot of triallers,but sometimes you just have to go for it.
i have been self employed for many years and its been just a matter of rearanging work or not booking work on trialling days ,however this year i am working for someone for the next few months running a big construction contract and its hard to get time off ,i have used up holidays for picking up on the grouse moors and early patridge days .the sqaud will have 22 days under their belt before the month end .but after this it will be saturdays only picking up and the trialling has to be knocked on the head for this year
the reality is bills to pay after lean times in the building trade for me over the last 12 months or so.
back next year though with enzo looking for his first run if i cant manage a late one this year.
the problem of getting time off if you get the place in a trial and the sheer expense of it all ,just means i wil have to postpone things for this season.
the troops wont suffer though as between my partner and i they will do in excess of 100 days again this season,and bottom line the dogs enjoy picking up far more than the rigours of trialling

 

[Ettinsmoor]

Well I have waited until early retirement to be able to both compete in Field Trials and breed with my dogs. The only problem now is how long I can keep fit enough to be able to actually do it well!!!

Life's a pain sometimes but the way I see it at least I have had a chance to try both - you only live once and all that .

 

[Wellsummer]

Di when you find the answer please keep me in the loop!

Sarah

 

[TYKE80]

I would love to know the answer too lol.

I tend to work an extra 7 hours during the week to build up a 5-6 days lieu time. My holiday runs from Jan - Jan so January is always easy. Im pretty lucky that i cant give a dyas notice for one day off so it can work pretty well pending workload.

It would be a lovely world if we had the time to do whatever we wanted when we wanted and still have the security of a regular salary each month. But i suppose we cant have it all, it just makes the days you do get more special. (well thats what i keep telling myself )

Im off to buy some lottery tickets now :lol: :lol:

 

[Fred]

I wish I got invited to things to have to take days off! :wink: :roll:

Rach you could always come and stay again and take Jake out on Richards son's shoot for practise :lol:

Richard has "our" holiday in the picking up season, but he has worked for our boss for 30years and the boss knows Richard always makes sure any urgent jobs are done before he takes time off. So has many other days off to go shooting :roll: