Hi Everyone,
Well I took a bakery job almost a year ago at our small bakery in town.
I entered without any experience just my 3 wilton classes. Well I've had my ups and downs this past year! most customers are very happy and a few have been very upset!! Maybe I'm just really tired today and taking things to hard. This week was a busy week. I had 12 cakes plus a wedding cake due for Saturday. Well I got all the cakes done after working all day on them. I woke up this morning at 5:30 and while walking to the bathroom I walked past my 36 gallon fish tank and the carpet under my feet was sopping wet!!! I looked at my tank and water was missing from the tank! I quickly had to remove my fish into a smaller tank and preceeded to empty the fish tank. Now remember this was at 5:30 in the morning!!! I had to still pick up the wedding cake at the bakery and deliver it to the hall by 10:00. So after waking up my son and husband at 6:30 to remove the tank so I could start soaking up water with my carpet cleaner I showered and ran to the bakery. I delivered my wedding cake which I took me an hour to set up since I had to cut long stemmed roses and place them on the cake. This cake had no decorating on it what so ever and I really tried to get the icing as smooth as possible. (We do not do fondant at the bakery)
I got back home to my mess when the bakery called that they had an mad customer about another cake!!! It was a communion cake and I had grabbed a girl statue instead of a boy statue and placed it on the cake.
The cake was for a boy. I told the counter girl that I would be right there to fix it. I only live 5 minutes away and ran out the door. When I got to the bakery the girl had already found a boy statue and had fixed the cake. She said the lady was very very upset since the last 2 cakes she had received there was something wrong on. I was supposed to go on a fun time with my hubby and foreign exchange student today but came home crying and stayed home with my mess! I'm not sure if the stress is worth the money I make. I'll post a picture of the wedding cake in my photos for you to see even though I'm not happy with that either and will probably have an irrate bride on Tuesday when she returns the stand.
thanks for listening

I don't work in a bakery (wish I did) but I think your day just started out crappy. And when a day starts out that way of course it stays that way. You will remember ALL the bad things that you THINK you did or the bad cakes YOU THINK you did. Go get a good nights sleep and wake up to a brand new beautiful day!!! (((((((Big hugs)))))) to you!!!

Pampered,
Your cakes look really good. Give it a couple more days. Let the stress of the weekend pass. We have all had customers freak out over stupid things. There are some days I think every customer is trying to get a discount. Don't be hard on your self. I have had people complain that there red velvet wasn't the right shade of red!! Just come here and vent it will all be okay.

so sorry this happened ...

but hey....things go wrong and it's how we handle them that is the true measure of our character.

Sounds like you've coped w/ this all very well -- no dead fish, husband, son, or customers (well on customers -- yet!)

and yes ---- it sure does seem like everything hits all at once.

it'll be better. just go get those fish a new house and yourself a little indulgence.

(oh -- and speaking of those fish, are you sure it wasn't an "inside" job? --- them angling for a better tank?)

Yikes! It sounds like you had a tough day. I don't envy you having to clean up the fish mess. After Doug's comment, I can't help but think about the fish tank in the movie Nemo.... LOL!

Take some time for yourself if you can get it and treat yourself to your favorite indulgence. It sounds like you've earned a break! Next week is a new week.

There are bad days, and then there are REALLY bad days. Sometimes all we need is some mental health time; time away from our crazy schedules and stress.

It will get better. Don't give up. Doug brings up a valid point about the tank...

Angie

on days like this.....you should have gone out with your hubby and HAD A FUN TIME ANYWAY! I know these things effect us in all sorts of ways.....but sometimes you just need to give yourself a mental break!

Poor thing,
1. You saved the fish!!!!!
2. If this lady had problems with the last 2 cakes, why did she come back for more?
3. When it rains, it pours, take a long bath with bubbles and bubbly.
4. Take a couple of days off and do something for you! Relax and don't give up, every occupation has it's good and bad days.
Amy

your cakes are beautiful, if I were you, I too would be more worried about my carpet being ruined or having to buy a new fish tank rather than questioning my ability to decorate.

you do GREAT work!

So sorry you had a bad, day. When it rains it pours and you just have to sit back and wait for the storm to be over. Tomorrow is another day.

No need to quit yet!

Your cakes looked great.

A few good points everyone brough up.

If that lady had problems with 2 other cakes, why did she come back. Your cakes must be good. She was probably just in a hurry and anoyed by something else.

About the fish, you got to them in time, the water will dry out eventually and no one was injured! The fish will get a new home and be happy again!

Take some time for yourself, do something nice with you family tomorrow and forget about today!

Good Luck.

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the kind words. Well my carpet is dry today so I guess I'll start putting the fish tank back together!!
It's a new setup only 6 months old and I had the filter checked yesterday and there was no problem with it.
Mystery yet what actually happened. My granddaughter (5yr 0ld) told me that maybe the fish were having a spitting contest!!! As far as my cake problem I guess I'll go to work on Tuesday and hopefully it will be a better week. Life is to short to spend it stressed out over customers. I'm giving it a few weeks to ponder my decision about quitting my job. I don't want to quit on the bakery now right during the busiest time of the year. (graduation)

Sorry about your rough week! Just a thought, but...if this lady had a problem with 3 cakes in a row...I'm guessing she has a problem with EVERY cake, no matter where it comes from! Sounds like she's just one of those impossible to please people. I understand that you made a mistake. It's called human error. We all do it, it's just that some of us admit it, and some are too busy pointing fingers to ever admit our mistakes. Hang in there!

Pampered, Hang in there! I think you just had a bad day~ You do a great job on your cakes!

Ok, that was a rough one. I've never seen your cakes but I know it hurts when people are unhappy and you've done your best. You had a lot on your plate so I hope after reading everyone's supportive emails you are cutting yourself some slack. If you weren't able to get out with your husband tell him you could really us a good hug. I'll be thinking good thoughts for your rebound day tomorrow

I have never had an unhappy customer about a cake but then again I have never had a customer for a cake. However, I have had my share of bridal (wedding gown) customer. I have learned that in general most people are decent but I have also found that so many brides and their entourage can sometimes be impossible. Before I read your post I saw and commented on your cake. Believe me, it is beautiful. Sometimes nothing satisfies customers. Sometimes, people can always find something to gripe about and sometimes you deserve it and sometimes you don't. I would really love to know what it was about the cake that was so unsatisfactory to your customer. Please remember, you can't please everybody all the time and you must not let it steal your joy of the work you do. In time it's all a memory anyway and it's up to her if it will be a fond one. Please don't be so hard on yourself because no matter what, there will always be some rotten eggs out there. Again and for the record, I really think your cake looks great.

Hi Sunny,
Thanks for the compliment on my cake. The cake that caused my customer to get so mad at me for is not in my photo album. It was a communion cake for a young man and I grabbed a girl statue instead of a boy statue for the cake. I admit I made a mistake and quickly went down to the bakery to try and fix it.

Sounds like you're having a really stressful time! 12 cakes in one week is A LOT and I can only imagine the stress....give yourself a couple of days to relax, things will get better! Not sure where you're located, but if possible, could you do your own thing from your home and make more money?

hang in there. we all have rough days/weeks/months/years. it will all blow over and turn around. i wouldnt quit if i were you.