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Jo had decided she wanted to "live her dream" of
opening a coffee shop and delicatessen in a market town in East
Anglia.
An army colleague in Nepal, who comes from Saham
Toney, suggested Watton as "a perfect example of a rural market
town", so the Myers came to have a look.
Jo and her husband, David, bought a former needlework
shop on Watton High Street in October and moved in with their four-year-old
daughter, Nicola, in February.
Just over two weeks later, David was sent to the
Gulf with the army to take part in the war against Iraq.
This is Jo's personal diary as she tries to open
Babaco on time and within budget, while coping with her husband
being away and looking after their daughter.
Sat 1 Feb
Landed from Katmandu, we went straight
to Watton and still like the house which is good news!
Shop looks very big and empty. Can’t believe that I have finished
in the Army: new town, new life, new job – almost a new identity!
The empty shop which will soon be a cafe. |
Mon 3 Feb
David starts his new job in Waterbeach – he couldn’t wait to get
back into his combats after 2 years out.
Deployment to the Gulf is inevitable – advance
party of Regiment has already gone – just a question of when he
goes, not if.
Nicola started at Westfield Infant School
in Watton today – seems very happy with all this change – so far.
She comes from good military, nomadic stock, so I am sure she will
be fine.
Wed 5 Feb
Met my contractor, Chris Broome, on site to discuss start of project.
He’ll start a week on Monday.
Thurs 6 Feb
49 large packages arrive from Katmandu (our household
possessions and the result of two years shopping in Kathmandu –
lots of junk!)
Looks like loads but they barely fill half the
shop – starting to realise just how big this shop is!
Have fun unpacking – individual items double wrapped
in brown paper, then wrapped in corrugated cardboard and tied up
with string, placed in a cardboard box, the box then wrapped in
polythene sheets, then wrapped in hessian, then stitched together.
It's a bit excessive, but labour in Nepal is cheap
and it worked because absolutely nothing has been damaged.
Fri 7 Feb
Very large container lorry arrives with our furniture
and household stuff that has been in storage for two years – a voyage
of discovery and many cries of "What the hell did I keep that for?"
Stressed now because the shop floor is almost full
and I have to get it cleared again by Monday week. Only hope the
house is big enough for it all!
Sun 16 Feb
We’ve done it! Nine full days of unpacking, sorting, humping boxes
and dumping. Shipped in family help at the weekends and have eventually
cleared the shop.
A good percentage of boxes still not unpacked and
now filling the spare room, loft and garage – it may be some time
before they get done.
Mon 17 Feb
Big day today. Took David into work this
morning – he’s not coming back for a while as he flies to Kuwait
at 0200hrs tomorrow morning. Lots of tears – not sure if Nicola
really understands, but we talk about it lots on the way home. Nicola
started half-term.
David with Nicola |
Builders turned up on time at 0800 – started stripping
out immediately and the place looks even bigger, if that’s possible!
Met man from coffee company who is supplying my
new baby – or perhaps I ought to call it a coffee machine!
Tues 18 Feb
Went to a catering equipment auction
near Cambridge – my first auction - bought loads – most of it at
really good prices. Got stung on some small things but only bought
three things that I didn’t really want or need.
Nicola also got auction fever, but fortunately
the auctioneer decided he wasn’t taking bids from the under-fives!
Wed 19 Feb
Went to the AGM of the Wayland Chamber of Commerce and got elected
onto the Committee. I didn’t see that one coming!
Thurs 20 Feb
The new wall is up already! Today was Day 1 of the Intermediate
Food Hygiene Course– really good – great text books.
Realised that running a catering establishment
attracts as much paperwork as running a personnel office! Listened
to tales of food hygiene nightmares shown on the TV programme Food
Police – must watch that next week!
Mon 24 Feb
Meeting with the Barclays Bank local
business manager. Put my best sweatshirt on and spent many hours
last night refining my cash flow forecast, profit and loss account,
and business plan. Went well – just LOADS of forms to fill in now.
Wed 26 Feb
Meeting with British Legion local representative today – to discuss
application for small business start-up loan from the Legion. Heard
from my friends in Katmandu who have a house in Saham Toney. They
are coming back here to live in July – good news.
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Auntie Dianne has come to stay to look after Nicola. Nicola
is very happy about that because "Dianne shouts less than
Mummy" (or, more accurately, Dianne is less stressed than
Mummy!)
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