Yesterday was a lovely day. Hot and sunny but not too humid, so we took the oportunity to leave off the decorating and get outside to tend to some of the yard work (picking up canadianisms already).

We are trying to decide on what ride on mower to buy for our copious amounts of grass. Meanwhile we got to work with the Walmart petrol push mower that we already have.

After a couple of hours with that it confirmed to us that we really do need a ride on mower and fast!

Given our location - we are on the main road from Moncton down to the Hopewell rocks and Fundy National Park - we have decided that it might be a good place to have an ice cream stand.

So today we have started making plans.

We visited Home Hardware and told them what we need - 8' x 12' baby barn with a few alterations and they will get back to us by Wednesday with a price.

Then we went to see the town planning office  - with some trepidation.

They were most helpful. we pointed out our property on the zoning map and that confirmed our zoning - the first 75 feet is R2 (not sure what that means) and the rest is agricultural.

He looked it up in the book and said that under that zoning we could have a convenience store so he didn't see why we couldn't have and ice cream stand.

Then they said we have to phone the highways agency because they have the say of how far from the road you must site the business.

After we have done that we must go back to planning who will issue the required permit.

Simple.

It actually seemed like they were trying to find reasons why it would be ok rather than the English planning system which seems to issue permission only after they have run out of reasons to stop you.

Much better.

So tomorow we will get on to the highways people, and start tracking down a freezer and ice cream supplier.

It feels good to be doing something positive about work.

We also had carpet laid in the two main floor bedrooms, so we can move out of the lounge and start sleeping in a newly decorated room at last.

It is a small thing but progress towards normality.

Our container should dock in Halifax tomorow - a week later than scheduled - so we may get our furniture by the end of the week or early next week. I can't wait.

We still have a long way to go but we are getting there.