The last visit to the Rock.

I say 'last visit' because I don't plan on visiting anymore. Next time I'm back will permanently.

I left late last Friday for a 22-hour stopover in Montreal. I had contacted some friends there before hand, to visit. Living in Banff all those years introduced me to people from all over Canada. My friend Karine, although away the previous week, let me crash at her place. I have to say seeing her when she got back on Saturday was so nice. I've known Karine for about seven years now. Unfortunately I didn't get to meet up with another friend, Annie, but there is always the future.

My life is very blessed with great people. I have a hard time saying that I have friends. I always say that I only count two people as friends. People I trust. People that would do anything for me as I would do for them. But in that I am wrong. I really do have many, many friends. All across Canada. To be able to go anywhere in this country and know that I would be welcomed into someones home, that I would have someone to visit for coffee. I was really proud to know that while visiting Montreal. And the shitty thing is that if and when my friends come to visit me at The Rock Hostel that I will have to charge them because I will be trying to run a business. I hate that thought. I'll work something out.

So after the unforgettable day with Karine and Guillame, they took me to Trudeau to get the flight to Deer Lake. Sunday was spent walking around the prospective town, checking out real estate, looking for various service providers; insurance, banking, etc. I didn't feel very productive though. I was becoming afraid that I had makde a mistake in coming. Monday faired a bit better but I still hadn't had the chance to see anyone or look inside properties. On the up side I did set a lot of appointments for the next day or two.

Tuesday morning was the meeting with the accountant, followed by the credit union manager, then the insurance broker, then the real estate. 4 o'clock I was taken by the agent to the bus depot and treated to lunch. Then the bus at 5:15 to the city. There I had to print off the business plan, purchase writing supplies. All told it took 3 hours to get that all sorted out. I made my way to a B&B so that in the morning I could meet with the Provincial Building Standards guy. In my venture around town I happened by the BDC so I went in to meet someone whom I'd only met through email. This was to be my first business plan presentation. I think it went well. I felt good about how everything had gone so far. I even managed to make my 2:00pm meeting. I was back in town so I could deliver my plan to the accountant, meet with the general contractor and do one more walk through the one building that needs the most work. A determination needs to be made on what building to buy based on what is the better deal. And where to get the money.

My last three days were spent in Grand Falls-Windsor visiting family. After ten days there, my fourth time in a four year period, I really felt comfortable there. The mainland held nothing for me in my heart. No attachment. If fact, I didn't want to have to leave and I want to go back now. I may. This is the decision that I need to make. Why not load up my van with all my stuff and drive off? There are jobs there. I could start my business. My heart will tell me, when the time comes. In the mean time I must continue to work everything out. Develop the business plan to reflect my new idea, my new timeline and implementation plan.