flower wrangler

 FLOWER WRANGLING

The busiest days for a florist remind me of a rodeo sometimes. There isn’t competition per se, except to complete orders rapidly and beautifully.
But the interruption of phones, walk in customers,  temporary employees, add to the intensity of the event.

I have a stack of orders on my clipboard waiting to be done. Currently working on one or more arrangements. The phone rings, “ I need this by 12:30”. Hmmm, okaaaay,… sigh,….. we can do it. Then the man at the counter is on his lunch break, he has 5 minutes. “ I just need SOMEthing. I‘ll wait for it.”
The boss slinks back to my work station, sheepishly asking if I have time for this? Mostly I can say yes. Once the order is determined the time clock starts. Tick tick tick tick…. Get the container, add the water and or floral foam, get and insert greenery, being sure to snip off injured leaves. Next up, flowers. Get them de-leafed if needed, determine height, location, insert in arrangement-to-be. Next flower, same treatment. And so on, until the design is complete. Don’t forget the enclosure card and pic, flower food. Spray certain flowers w/an additional preservative. Lay down your tools and walk calmly and serenely back to your waiting customer…. or the boss.

Sometimes I just feel like that calf-roping cowboy in the ring. Yah know when he’s got that cow tied down and he tosses up his hands signaling completion? The timer sounds. The crowd cheers. He set a new record. Woo hoo! Look at that! He did it! Everyone is happy. (well maybe not the cow).

That’s me. I’m the flower wrangler in the three ring circus of a flower shop, competing against the clock…deadlines…interruptions…people…buckets of product….scraps of flowers on the floor….achy feet….woozy from the fumes of Leaf Shine….

But when I’ve met that deadline….. Wow…. I just feel the urge to toss my hands up like that cowboy.  Woo hoo! Look at that! She did it!