Time To Confess
The past two months have been a rollercoaster of emotions; a whirlwind that’s swept me off my feet and dragged me into an unknown world. It feels as if I have been spat out by a great big tidal wave onto a desert island and I don’t know how to survive, so every day is a huge learning curve! I’m touching my way through this project and can’t help but feel slightly lonesome, as Mr. P is still committed to his high-flying day job and I am left to make all the decisions….
This vast decision-making process is definitely taking me out of my comfort zone – I have a reputation for being indecisive! This project has pushed me right to the limits, although it’s a positive thing because it is supplying me with a few more tools in my hefty toolbox of life, laying down the foundations of strength that both of us will require in dealing with the day to day running of the British Larder, Suffolk.
The decisions we needed to make were hugely challenging – choosing a venue, selecting a name, and deciding whether to sell the home we both loved.
Well, the blessing came when the cavalry arrived – and they arrived alright!!
We are fortunate enough to have some great people backing us on our journey. Malcolm Schooling from the award winning People in Spaces Architects and Interior design agency, Peter from Peter and Paul the award winning brand design agents; Ibis Advantage, national PR and Suffolk specialist; Nicky Mendoza Wilson & Amy Kilpin our top marketing and writing team, and Graham Birch from Especial Design with his measuring stick and truck filled with kitchen goodies. I hope I did not leave anyone out, it would be wrong!
The journey so far…journey of decision making, learning, and understanding…
15th May 2010: The call – DECISION time – it’s yours if you’re still interested…. Well no need to expand on that, the end-result is all self-explanatory. However, the emotions were foreign and erratic, and the darkness of fear settled for a moment, but once we said yes it all disappeared and our dream is well on its way to becoming a reality…
8th June 2010: Meeting at the Cherry Tree with Malcolm & Peter…. A few days before Mr. P and I were sitting up until the small hours of the morning cutting and pasting our mood board of dreams. This was handed over in a ceremonial way to Malcolm who went off and designed the new world concept of Maddy & Mr. P and the amazing British Larder, Suffolk.
10th June 2010: Personal licence test time… And yes, I passed and am now the holder of said certificate! However, it’s still being processed, and while I have no idea how long it’s going to take, at least it’s a box that can be ticked! Great!
14th June 2010: Marketing & PR meeting – an exciting moment as we all love the fluffy things. It’s still a virtual world and is difficult to see what it’s actually going to look like, but the dream is slowly becoming a reality! Exciting times… I realised I need to write Christmas and New Year’s Menus – the TO DO List is expanding rapidly, I think my brain is ready to explode…
15th June 2010: Meeting with suppliers of kitchen and table ware – love the different styles, plates and all the pretty paraphernalia. Deep down the reality lies await… writing menus and working out the costing….. very important tasks though!
I spent three days writing menus and doing intensive costings on Excel, only to find out that I had miscalculated. I didn’t work out the formulas correctly, so heaven forbid I had to spend another whole day correcting them! Unfortunately, this is the price you pay for not being great with Excel and on the money side of things. Ask me to de-bone a rabbit and I can do that with my eyes shut, but finances?! It’s new territory and it has to be done and mastered, so it’s a skill which is now high on my priority list…
29th June 2010: The most important day but equally the hardest, I had to make decisions regarding paint colours and where things go, and yet Mr. P is not by my side. I feel sorry for him. Malcolm, though, is fantastic! He came up with the goods – I love the colours, even though the chair sample is bright green…only a sample!! It was fab, we started to talk about time schedules, realised our electricity supply isn’t sufficient, discussed what to do with the toilets and the carpets, and even the need to weed the sandpit! Malcolm laughed, as he had never had such a task on his TO DO list! The first – we are unique! Well I cannot wait to get out there with my yellow marigolds and weed the sandpit… escape to triviality!
1st July 2010: It’s official – the big announcement to the world that we are taking bricks to mortar. British Larder is growing up and taking roots in Suffolk. The responses are phenomenal and we can feel the support and love already seeping in….
Tata for now, got to get back to my hefty TO DO LIST!
Together with Janna, newly moved to your area, and Ann we had a most delightfully delicious meal at the British Larder. Very impressed and will be returning pretty soon with more friends to tittilate our taste buds. All the very best.
Maddy, I have been a keen follower of the British Larder since spring last year; I’m no chef, albeit a keen cook, however I have tried out a few recipes and found them to be a delight. Your fresh approach to seasonal, high quality produce is wonderful.
In my day job, I have had the pleasure with working with Mr.P on a recruitment project or two and was delighted to hear of your new project in Suffolk. I wish you both the very best of luck and hope that you are hugely successful in the future.
how exciting! wishing you the best of luck with your new endeavor!
Great news Maddy and Mr P! We will be down to see you and sample your delicious recipes. Keep us posted. You will do wonderfully well, Im sure of that.
Maddy, recently found your site and am a fan. Will come to see you when you are up and running. We did the life change thing 4.5 years ago. Some say we were mad, some say very brave. I think its a bit of both! I’ve never worked so hard in all my life but do not regret it at all. The customers are 99.9% great and enthuiastic for you. I’m sure you will find the same. As long as you ensure you keep it as you want and make sure you enjoy what it is you are doing, it will work out for you. The customers will see how much you enjoy it by the way you are with them. Get them to relax and enjoy and so will you and Mr P. Good Luck MH
Hmmm…. Are you a Libra by any chance?
The agonizing before you jump off the ledge is always the worst part but after that, you will be flying! There is no right or wrong decision, just different paths – listen to me, the Dalai Lama.
It’s a great thing that you are doing and I look forward to seeing the finished Mccoy!
Can’t wait for the restaurant to open looking at the website. So excited, any thoughts on a book?????