Still cold but sales are picking up!

Last weekend was good, very good even, too much for just one man but those people are so nice and patient. I still talk too much which I shouldn't and probably wont be able to pretty soon.

These people deserve an explanation though, about how I got here or even about the main actor, the waffle. It's my excitement and joy after the build up of this adventure.  This will become a two mans band very soon. With the rise of the thermometer more people will come and more waffles will go.

"Be a tourist in your own town!" Last Sunday.

The last day of the "Be a tourist in your own town" was our start. It didn't go smooth, no not yet.

I arrived there at 11 am, not to many people yet but enough to start selling. But! Do you remember the trailer boys, the once who made my trailer with useless front-support wheel that always snapped off. Well I didn't trust it to take it all the way around the Wax museum building. I did check it out, hesitant but tempting to go out there and start my baking history.

I decided not to do it. Wait. I called Paul a good friend with some healthy technical knowledge.

He showed up after 45 minutes but did not see a solution right away. The trailer connected to the car and I left, not home but cruising around to find what I thought at that time to be impossible to find. A "trailer dolly", last night I saw one on line in Vancouver but didn't order it. So I drove to Sidney( 30 mins) where they have boat shops end trailers but no dollies. Tried a couple other places, all closed on Sunday. Almost back in town I noticed a parking lot full with different kind of trailers, "U-Haul", they must have dollies. I was in there for about 15 minutes without finding what I was looking for and back outside the owner saw the light!!! "I do have one, in a box", yes.

I bolted it together, paid and left to the Inner Harbour, the sun was still out and so were the people. What was I happy with my new trailer dolly, so easy, you only need some horsepower to pull it, one man power it was. It was 3 pm in the mean time, people walked up to my trailer to check it out. I still had to set it all up, heat it up and there were people asking to have one.

Paul and Tracy were my first official customers. People kept coming and there I was, a tourist baking waffles in my own town.

A little over 80 waffles in 3 hours time!!! Moments of stress by seeing more then 3 people in line, dropping things and smiling. Yes I was excited, they love the product there is no doubt about it. That was very good as a start.

Monday: rain and snow, I stayed at home.

Tuesday and wednesday cold but some sales and Friday was an other good day.

This weekend is cold and wet. We stayed at home.

Changing plans, for the better!!! Inner Harbour

Ok, I had a week off but wasn't counting my chickens! More and more we are getting closer to where we want to be. I took a day out this week to visit Victoria, to hunt for a great spot for about two months until the markets start. Eyeing for parking lots or other spots along busy shopping streets didn't get me anywhere. A beautiful walk at Ogden Point, a pier that brings you to a lighthouse looking over the ocean, was the only positive experience on a sunny day till than. Soaking up some vitamin D, I told my self to go back to the Inner Harbour for a second look around. There I noticed a restaurant located in a shipping container, by the water and from which I had heard was a very successful business. At that time it was not as busy as shown in the picture so I took the plunge and went to go talk to the manager. He gave me all the help I could only dream of at that time. I owe him loads of waffles now, with all my hart!

In the second picture you can see the result from this conversation. That's where I will be, day in and out for the next while, selling those delicious waffles to all the visitors and tourists who pick this beautiful Inner Harbour as there destination for entertainment and joy.

This is super for us, now we don't have to go to markets or events we can be here all summer long, only if we do a good job of course. If I only had a second trailer...I know, don't run yet!

We will be right beside the handicap-ramp in the corner, people can see and smell us from far away. I am not religious  at all but I do belief in puzzle pieces falling in the right place to depict this amazing story. Next week we will have a colour full canopy(roof) in warm orange, we are also looking in to 'breeding' with the Belgian and the Canadian flag, a strong cross. I am proud to be Belgian but also happy to be here to introduce our delicacies to the Canadian people who do like fine food and dining. I will start tomorrow, it's still early in the season but on sunny days everybody wants to be out there. It's hailing Pearl sugar now!!!! Really! Sun tomorrow:)

It's better to start slow and grow in to it over time.

I am satisfied with this! Thanks  

Our first event, Canadian Curling for Women!

No, the weather couldn't stop me, or maybe it did, once. On Wednesday I prepared for a new day of baking after taking two days off. The trailer covered in ice, not pearl sugar, I took off towards Victoria. Wet snow and wind were keeping me company on the road, when I got there I didn't even stop and turned around back home. Cold and miserable weather, no way.

Thursday looked better, still poor sales because there is nobody to sell them to. Friday a little better and Saturday was very good. Krista was helping today. Could that have been the reason?

We sold out that day and had to go home. On Sunday, the day of the final game, I prepared and brought more dough hoping it would be as good as yesterday. My first client asked if she could have a Hot Dog. "I am selling waffles!" I offered her a sample and she bought a waffle. Education is the key here, this waffle is not a breakfast waffle and can be eaten any time of day even at night. Some people told us that this was the best waffle they ever had. Oh my gods all over. "They sure smell good!" A 1000 times, they are good.

And that's what we needed to know if Canadians would buy them or not. They did and were very positive and encouraging. In the photo you see the Saskatchewan(Canadian province) women's team posing in front of our waffle wagon.

Today I visited a welder to make the 'roof'(canopy) over my trailer out of aluminum pipe and orange fabric. Last night I was borrowing a tent which almost went flying. I was about to tie it down when it took off, my ex-goalie reflexes could just catch a leg before it almost crashed in to a couple of parked cars. I almost needed my liability insurance!

This week I will do some research for a spot down town until the markets start in May.