We have been patiently waiting for the Chinese people to formally sign the contract who put it under a verbal contract but it seems, after much deliberation they have cold feet.
So Grant and I discussed it, and we decided to take it off the market, to put solar on the roof, perhaps investigate a few smaller items to help increase the turn over. Like a coffee machine, a hotdog machine, popping a table and chairs in the window and some tables outside. (which we did have but are broken.) And then as always, refining the shop in general which is an on going process of assessing whats working, whats not.
We decided we would focus our efforts on buying a small acreage near the shop. That we would make the farm focus small scale farming like expanding and growing Grants bug business, heritage chooks for the local pet market and also veggies which we could perhaps grow for markets but also for our own shop. We planned to bring in a rotation system to tie them all togeather to make our land as healthy as possible. We figured we would do it part time and continue to grow the shop. It is a good, solid little business after all.
But as fate would have it we hit nothing but hurdles when trying to arrange implementing these changes. We had sourced some things that were a good price, found a place we could rent a re-furbished coffee machine from which saved a big outlay and we could see if it was worth it prior to investing into it. No one was answering, or responding though and poor Grant was getting mighty frustrated.
Then our agent rang and told us an indian businessman was very interested. He had sent him the figures a couple of weeks ago and not heard back. Then he happened to ring just as we had taken it off the market.
So our real estate agent gave him the hard line of explaining we had decided to keep it, that we were happy to keep it, that we had been messed about, that there was NO negotiation on the price. Then called us and apologized and assured us to send him away if that was what we wanted, but we don't mind. He rushed down that very day to walk through. It seems he and his business partner have bought a couple of stores like ours and turned them into IGA's. He seems a very knowledgeable fellow according to Grant, and certianly seems to know what he is on about.
So here we go again!
I must admit it is a little frustrating not knowing what we are going to do with our lives and being left to hang for such long periods of time. But I have much comfort in knowing God has a plan for our lives and he will put us where he needs us if we let him. So we are being called to be patient. Again.
But in this time I have come to realize I really dont think I want to move interstate. I want to watch my neices and nephews grow. For our families to know their families. I'm so invested in my church and its growing in such a wonderful way, I feel I really have something to offer there in helping encourage that growth. The healthy growth of a church, where generations combine and truly know each other. To help it to become a strong, healthy "village" if you will. I love our weather, Bible collage is an inspiring place to be if I go down that path. Friends, the community so much I love.
So perhaps this is the reason it is talking so long to sell. Because God is not calling us to move. Perhaps we are being called to stay and we needed the time to see that. Only time will tell, and we are exploring that.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
xx
