While running for clover is a great goal, a few obstacles have come up. Hurdle them? Hell yes. I got laid off from my job. It wasn't totally unexpected. The handwriting was on the wall for months but seeing as how I could listen to books on CD while I did my work and got off at 2:30 in the afternoon, I would have done just about anything to keep that sweet deal.
Thank God my daughter's graduating from college in May and it's all paid for. So I can sport around for awhile. My hobby for the last four years has been baking, now I'm going to go at it full time. To be a legit baker in Contra Costa County you need a site evaluation of your facility (bakery) at a cost of $193.00 and a one year permit that costs $766.00. That means I have to bake in a kitchen that I rent, get it approved by the county and pay the permit. Sounds easy? Right?
Try finding who you can talk to at County. After an hour on line pouring over the environmental health page, I could not ascertain who to talk to and where I go. I drove to Martinez to the County Recorder (where I got my business license) and asked the lady behind the window where I go for a baking permit. After watching her shuffle through the county handbook for about ten minutes I said, "I'm glad it's taking you this long, I couldn't figure it out either."
A few minutes later she handed me an address and a phone number. "Wait a sec, I don't think that's the right phone number." Eventually she gave me another number, I called it and got a voicemail. A government agency and a voicemail? noooo, really? ha ha. I drove to the Agency located across from a Marie Callendar's. A hunk of cornbread with honey butter would go down real well right about now, I thought.(This blog will be the opposite of the BIG LOSER.) Avoiding my craving, I trudged on.
Waiting in line to talk to the planner, I overheard some poor bastard trying to get a permit to build a pool.
"I need the permit by Friday. My client wants us to start construction Monday." The PB said.
"Oh," the planner cringed, "We won't even look at these plans for two weeks."
"But, my client wants the pool finished by April 1st. I didn't even know I had to go through you."
The planner went on. "We have 30 days to review a permit. Sorry."
The construction worker put his head down, rolled up his plans and handed them over. "Call me." He said.
Naturally my first question was how long it took for a site inspection of a commercially owned bakery.
"About a week or less."
"Whew."
He smiled."I don't get much call for catering permits in this area." His eyes widened.
"I bet." I grinned again. "Look, I have to go legit because eventually I want to open a place and I need to grow my business."
"Now you can advertise." He volunteered.
I nodded.
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