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pandjlocke

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pandjlocke replied to topic 'Prayes for me good Buddy Joe...please.' 45 days

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The Adventure Begins

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

I posted this in a thread about a month ago:

One of my biggest passions in life is barbecuing. My wife, Joyce, and I have been kicking around the idea of setting up a mobile barbecue kitchen catering business for a couple of years now. The more we thought about it, the more the idea migrated to not only a for-profit business, but somehow divert the profits from the business to a ministry to provide a full-blown barbecue meal to homeless camps around the area, or maybe provide services for local area fund raisers where all the food would be provided and the charity would keep the proceeds. you know, Girl Scout functions, Boy Scout functions youth sports activities to keep fields in operation, etc., etc. I get excited thinking of all the things we could do! Our church has happily agreed to subsidize the effort. So, we came up with a list of what we needed. The biggest purchase is a trailer. Turns out that landscaping trailers have been drastically reduced at dealers due to the hard times. Last Monday off we went to a trailer dealer to see what he had. We measured our equipment (smoker, eight burner grill, hand washing/prep station) and decided that a 6' X 12' trailer would be ideal. We got to the dealer and on sale was a 6' X 10' unit for $989. He also had a 7' X 13' rig. Too much money and a little too large. We laid out a floor plan that would work and decided that the 10 footer would do. We were walking back to the car to go home and figure finances when, at the same moment, Joyce and I saw a 12 footer off to the side with a sale tag on it for $1089. Our extra 2 feet for 100 bucks. I told the owner of the trailer place that we would prefer that one. He said that trailer had been on the lot longer than any other unit and if we wanted it he would take $1050. Add $217 tax and license and we could be on our way. We went home, thought and prayed. Thursday a little voice told me to get the trailer. Problem; no money. I called the dealer and asked what it would take to hold the trailer until 10/26. He said $50. I looked in my checking account; $54. I gave him $50 of it. Joyce asked where were we going to get the money. I said that I didn't know, I just knew that we would. The next day, one of my more well to do customers brought her dog for grooming. She asked what was new in our lives and I told her about the trailer. Next thing I know, she writes me a check for $800 and tells me to put that toward the purchase. That same day, the guy that owns the hitch and weld shop (also a customer of mine) brought his dog for grooming. I told him about the trailer and asked how much to put a hitch on my truck. He said about eight baths for his dog. The hitch is on. Yesterday I found a guy parting out a wrecked RV and picked up a water heater, fresh water pump, furnace and 35 gal fresh water holding tank for $130. So, it looks like we will be spending the winter months building a kitchen for what we hope to be a spring launch. Wish us luck.

Well, the project is now starting. We brought the trailer home this afternoon, after a long delay brought about by a bout with h1n1 followed by pneumonia. The trailer dealer was kind enough to hold the unit until I got well. So we're about a month behind; wait a minute, we really didn't have a schedule, so we're right on time. As suggested in the original discussion thread, the portable BBQ is to be heretofore known as The Paddy Wagon. I will post pictures of the build-up as it occurs in my photo album. Joyce and I are really excited about this.