like many of you, i work by myself, so if i can't do it, it doesn't get done. That being said, I have a massive sinus infection and strep. I have a cake for tom.
Its just for a little boys get together of 15 friends. what do i do? do i make the cake with all my germs in the air? do i call her and tell her I am sorry, i can't do it? do i give her the option? she is a very good customer and has gotten me a number of other orders. What should I do? I just want to get into bed....did i mention my husband is scheduled for surgery in the morning?
and I am teaching a wilton class tom night.
I think you should call her and explain the situation. Since she's a good customer, she'll know that you wouldn't bail on her if you weren't really sick. If you let her know now, that's enough time to find a cake for tomorrow.
And then you should crawl into bed and try to get better!
Find someone else to do the cake.
It sucks that you're sick but you need to meet the commitment.
If it was just a cold or the sinus infection I would say, glove up, get one of those masks to cover your mouth and let lysol be your best friend. But strep is very contegious and I personally wouldn't want to risk passing it on to anyone, including kids.
Call her and tell her that you are very sorry but that you have strep and even though you hate to do it, you will have to pass on making this cake. Just let her know how sorry you are about it but you do not want to risk passing it on.
As a WMI, I would personally call the class and cancel as well. It is annoying to have to make up classes, but when you are in a small room and handling other people's items you, again risk passing it on. I have taught with tonsilitist (not contegious) but it sucks to be there teaching when you feel like crap.
ok, so i still feel like........She called me to ask a question before i could call her. She asked what was wrong and I told her. She told me not to worry about it and she was thankful that i was honest about how i was feeling. She asked if i can do it as a raincheck for another time. I said sure, and i fell ok about it.
well, DH surgery is tom. and i am still nervous....
at least i don't have to worry about the cake now.
thanks for the advice.
Just be aware that she might get angry. I had to cancel a cake once because I had the stomach flu, and the woman was livid.
It IS the right thing to do though-you can't risk them getting sick, or you getting worse from working when you should be resting.
I'd cancel, but offer her a discount on a future order for the inconvenience.
I have not had cancel a cake... but I have worked sick... Working 40 hrs a week at my reg job and doing cake at night being sick as a dog is no fun... I know how you feel... and it sucks but getting people sick is not the right thing todo either. If a Client cannot understand why its not safe then they may not be the right kind of client. Your understood and that is why she came back over and over and brought people to you. Those who do cake understand why people planning an event make such a big deal out of cake... thats why we hate to let someone down; however, health issues and risk of passing it on surpasses that fear of upsetting somone. I do agree that finding someone in the area to do the cake might be a good idea if you have that kind of a network. I do not in my area so that would not be an option for me... but if thats an option its a good one 
I agree with Texas Rose about cancelling your class. Trying to teach when you are sick and contagious is not a good idea. You rarely get what you want to teach done right. Plus -and this is the worst part- you may wind up alienating your class. Thirty years of classroom teaching taught me not to even try doing it.
I'm really glad that everything worked out okay between you and your customer. Strep is so contagious.
I hope things go well for your husband tomorrow. As soon as you both arrive at the hospital, please let your surgeon know that you are sick with strep. He needs that information to protect your husband. You really should ask them for a mask. You can wear it in the surgical waiting room, still be there for your husband and yet protect the other families waiting for news on their loved ones. The last thing they need is to infect someone who has just had surgery. Be sure to wear the mask anytime you are around your husband. If you see the containers that holds antiseptic hand rub that are usually attached to the walls, use it several times on your hands like lotion.
I hope you get to feeling better soon.
-Debbie B.
Are you on antibiotics? DS just had strep throat and the doctor told me that after 24 hours on antibiotics you were no longer contagious.
I'll ask again.
I understand why you wouldn't want to bake while you're contagious with something serious (or gross, like a stomach thing). But why is it appropriate to make that your customer's problem and not your own?
If you're well enough to post to CC asking for advice you're well enough to call another cake person and set everything up for your customer. ISTM that part of being a professional is having backup plans for life issues that happen to all of us on occasion.
maisiebake,
I think your post was a little rude "if you're well enough
to post..."
I can be on the computer and not be able to talk, is first of all. Second of all, i don;t know anyone else i can call to fill in for me. I was just asking what other people do. If i ordered a cake for my sons birthday party, I would rather have to buy from a local bakery and not have the best cake, then have a great cake that could be contaminated.
debBTX,
I am feeling yucky still. I asked my fellow WMI to fill in for me, i feel bad because its the first night of class 1 but i am not in the business of getting people sick. My hubby is doing surprisingly well. The dr was great and he is home resting watching espn. thanks for asking.
maisiebake,
I think your post was a little rude "if you're well enough
to post..."
I can be on the computer and not be able to talk, is first of all. Second of all, i don;t know anyone else i can call to fill in for me. I was just asking what other people do. If i ordered a cake for my sons birthday party, I would rather have to buy from a local bakery and not have the best cake, then have a great cake that could be contaminated.
I totally agree, it WAS rude.
And if a baker canceled my cake, it might just be me, but I'd want to find a replacement myself. She may not WANT someone else to do the cake, or she may have a mother that'd be more than happy to try her hand at it....it's rude to assume that just because you would do it one way that someone else should also, to where you are hateful about it. 
Get well soon, chefpearl. Your husband too!
Sorry that you think I was rude.
Clearly you want to be told that your decision was the correct one. If you didn't want other opinions, you might have worded things differently.
(MeMe-- So what you're saying is that the customer came to Perl because she wanted to use someone else for the cake? I think you may be stretching here.)
No, my point was that since she is such a loyal customer (From the sounds of it) to Pearl, she may not WANT to go anywhere else.
I know if I want a pimento cheese sandwich from a local bakery here, and they are closed, I don't get one. I'm not interested in trying anyone else's. 
She said it was just for a little boys get together- it doesn't even sound like a birthday party. I mean, I would understand if it was a wedding cake, but I hardly think a slumber party cake is reason enough for a sick decorator to go searching for someone else to do this cake.
And I'm not sure if you've ever had strep, but it can be very painful to speak. Typing? Not so much.
i went to target to pick up some perscriptions and i saw my customer. She said it worked out fine. In the end she came over and i gave her my mini sponge bob cake pan (it makes 4 little sponge bobs) and sponge bob colors. I told her where to get icing. All the kids made their own cupcakes and she said it was great. She was worried that i was out of bed, and offered to go to the grocery store for me. So in the end, i don;t think she cared. thank you for all your opinions and help.
i went to target to pick up some perscriptions and i saw my customer. She said it worked out fine. In the end she came over and i gave her my mini sponge bob cake pan (it makes 4 little sponge bobs) and sponge bob colors. I told her where to get icing. All the kids made their own cupcakes and she said it was great. She was worried that i was out of bed, and offered to go to the grocery store for me. So in the end, i don;t think she cared. thank you for all your opinions and help.
. . . well, I'd say she did care . . . she cared about YOU . . . how sweet, I'm sure she is a loyal customer and will remain so . . . 
Those of you who think the customer should have to look for another cake person for a cake-- why do you have the customer doing the telephoning and not the vendor who can't do the job? It's not as if strep is contagious over the phone.
It's really hard to negotiate third party like that. I mean she doesn't know the customer's schedule and it's awkward enough y'know. I think that would compound it.
edited to say--Ok wait, I was just responding to a question. I see there's some stuff flying upthread there as I go back & read the rest. So I'm just free & clear responding to what I perceived to be a question.
I now return you to your regularly scheduled cake board.
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