Franchise Purchase - almost! also Bits & Pieces

DEER ALERT:  As I write this I just glanced out the window of the Den and am now watching two very wet deer nibbling the grass on the front lawn.  Can't see any spots on them, but they are definitely very young.  Both my phone and my camera are upstairs, otherwise I'd take a picture of them!

I think the hardest part of this whole franchise purchase has been finding a lawyer to work with us!  After spending what seems like forever on Wednesday trying to get a lawyer to take this (seemingly simple) on, Grant suggested I call Robson O'Connor in Ladysmith, as we have dealt with them in the past - a few years back with the 'Agreement' between Mom and us.  I hit gold when I spoke to Paul Nettleton, who has been extremely helpful in expediting this, when everyone else said it 'could not be done'!  Gratitude is also due to Beverley and Buffy's lawyer in Vancouver, who at our request drafted the agreement - staying late and putting this ahead of other work - and forwarded it by email to Paul.  With a few hiccups which we overcame this shows that sellers and buyers can successfully negotiate a sale - whether it be of a physical property or a small business - without using a broker.  I do agree that if what is being sold is a more complicated property - private or commercial - then often an experienced broker is needed.  But those are not nearly as common as 'normal' residential properties and small businesses.

I also just phoned HO using the 1-888 phone number, and luckily Nadia answered the phone.  She is the one who coordinates the training.  She said I was on her list to contact today.  I gave her my tentative flight arrangements, and she will make the hotel booking for me today.  She will forward me a full email with all needed info on Monday.  I think it is safe for me to start getting more excited!

Grant and I have an appt at the Lawyers at 2pm, and I have just set up a time with at the bank to get a Money Order.  Next week will be busy now that this is a 'done deal' - Some things we can wait til the week I'm back from training to do, but others I want to get prepared next week.

Heather is off to Pre-SOAR Camp at Creina this afternoon, and will be back Sunday morning.  Her car is full, and will be fuller when she comes back from Morrell where she is doing an Interpretive session, and puts her personal gear/packs in the car.  At least on Sunday she will only have her gear!

Ian called yesterday- actually on Amanda's phone, but as we were out, she handed it to me.  He wanted me to check his email last night in case there was anything urgent work-wise.  He then called again around 8:30pm while he was driving to Kimberley - using hands free??? - to pick up his rain jacket which he left there last week.  Because he is working this afternoon, he was planning on staying overnight in the van then possibly calling me in the morning.  He said 9:30 - tho I'm not sure if he meant our time or his time!

Even tho the day is supposed to be as wet and dreary as today, I'm planning for Grant and I do go down to Victoria for the day tomorow.  I have the Museum membership which I bought while I was still working, and I'm sure we can find a few other interesting things to look at.  Once I am back from training Grant and I should try to take at least one day each weekend to go down to 'our area' and do pr.  Eventually when we 'wrap' the car just doing normal activities will also work!

Earlier this week I set aside my travel pack etc - but did not start acually packing anything for fear of 'jinxing' the deal.  Once we've signed etc this afternoon I will feel free to start packing for real...!

BUSINESS plans/ideas

WOW - LOTS TO DO, excitement, trepidation!  Last night I booked my flights to/from Moncton, leaving Victoria 1130am on Saturday June 4th, and leaving Moncton at 7am on Sunday June 12th.  I'm making up TO DO lists, and am slowly ticking items off. 

• Yesterday I checked with both the City of Nanaimo and Duncan about Business Licenses and found that the municipalities in the Cowichan Reg. Dist. have an 'Inter Municipal Business License' for businesses working in all or several areas.  $100/yr available from any of the 'halls'.
• Next week I will work on getting our Business Insurance
• Banking:  I will get the Merchant Accounts set up for VISA/MC; open up a separate Business Account...
• We need to decide if we will just work under 'pg cowichan valley' or CedarHill Consulting or a variation of that.  I think the CedarHill is best, as we can vary what we are doing and stay with one name

• I will do some research and decide whether we need Simply Accounting or Quick Books.  I think I will see if I can get Grant to look at the companies' two websites and make some decisions before I buy software.

And lots more ideas!  I'm 'waiting' for the lawyer to call me this morning so I can set up an appointment - if his schedule is too full I will need to make lots of phone calls to find another one...we must proceed and CLOSE on June 1st or all is for nought..which would be a big shame!

new FRONT ENTRY!

Our new FRONT ENTRY is now really moving along - yesterday Gary got the siding almost completed on the side with the door, and today plans to work on/finish the side with the window.  Tomorrow afternoon the electrician and plumber will both be here, so before that Gary has to remove the existing hall closet and open up the doorway/remove the door to the Den.  In prep for that today I will be emptying the Hall closet..yesterday I took a few photos of the progress...we all agree this is the way the house should have been built in the first place!

We are surrounded by boxes, and in the next week or so it wil get worse, until it is finished.  It is going to make SO MUCH DIFFERENCE in so many rooms:

• the front hallway, obviously, as all the mess will be either gone or at lease in the front entry
• the Den - as there will be more room, more storage, and only one doorway.
• the Living Room - as it will soon be not only bigger, with the closet going, but also more spacious because of that
• the Laundry Room because of the closed-off doorway to the Den, which will make for more storage room
• the under-stair storage area, which will lose lots of its stuff

Business Owners...really close now....!!

Well, we received the final bits of information this morning that we needed for our decision to go ahead with our purchase of the Cowichan Valley PropertyGuys.com franchise!  I hope to meet with the lawyer tomorrow.

Much ado about many things..

This is the long-anticipated Victoria Day May long weekend - with the weather being back to what it was last week. Yesterday the weather was very, very nice - so much so that Heather was complaining about it being too hot.  It rained much of last night, and now is cool and cloudy, with definite threats of rain in the sky to the west.

Grant and I are still working out the kinks on our attempt to purchase the PropertyGuys.com Cowichan Valley franchise - not as easy a feat as it would seem but we are still very hopeful.

Friday Gary was here and framed in the new front closet, along with removing the old front door/frame/glass block.  The door removal made a huge difference!  I'm now trying to get myself to access the Den via the new front entry, but I still find I start in the living room and go 'all around' which is about twice the distance!  Eventually the doorway between the Den and the laundry room will be closed in so that will not be possible.

Grant, H. and Ji-won - our Homestay student from Korea - AND Kasia just headed out with the boat.  They plan to go to Sproat Lake.  Right now the sky towards the west is dark and threatening, so I hope they don't get 'dumped on' with rain! H. grabbed a bit of lunch to take, and I'm sure Grant will stop someplace on the way for drinks/snacks.

My plan for today while they are out is to do some housework, then head out to Costco/Superstore for the food/supplies we need for our 'Mystery Dinner' for Guides on Tuesday.  That reminds me - I need to send out a 'last minute' email to parents giving them a few hours to respond if their daughter is bringing a friend and has not told us yet.