Legal stuff

This morning was a blur of legal documents flying backwards and forwards and playing the waiting game yet again.

Sophie took today off but she came in with Keith around lunchtime because I thought I needed her to sign her contract of employment. As there wasn't much happening with the completion we decided to go over to the bank and treat her to a McFlurry on the way back. However, as is always the way with these things, Mum called as we were coming out of the bank to say we could go over to the buyer's solicitors in Corby to take the signed contracts and other papers that had to be exchanged.

We rushed back to work feeling very nervous about the whole process and we signed everything that had to be signed. This was it!

I drove to Corby, guided by Gladys who took us on a bit of a wild goose chase towards the end but thankfully we found the offices which were on a small industrial estate. A woman came out to greet us and showed us into a conference room that was immaculate but very impersonal. I never thought that our 21 years of running a business would end here.

The buyer's solicitor came in with an assistant, checked all the documents and then asked us some questions about our sub-tenants, which we weren't expecting. However, within twenty minutes that was it and he assured us that by the time we went to bed tonight we would have completed on the sale.

We drove back to work in a sort of daze but we didn't finalise things today. We were all a bit emotional about it and my Mum hugged Maureen and shed a few tears, which was only to be expected.

Sophie and I left work and in the evening we decided to go to The Lamplighter in town for a drink and something to eat. I felt very strange - a mixture of feeling liberated and terrified! Mike was out at a friend's (I'm going to forget what he looks like soon!) so there was just the three of us going out to relax for a few hours.

Unfortunately The Lamplighter were only serving food until 7.30pm so we had a couple of drinks and then moved to The Britannia for a meal. The pub was pleasantly busy and we had no problem getting a table for the three of us. We all chose starters - garlic bread for Soph, pate for me and Keith opted for whitebait. Need I say what he chose for a main? Fish and chips of course! I enjoyed a burger while Sophie went for a chicken version and we all enjoyed our meals.

The nights are definitely drawing on now and it was getting dark as we drove home at 9pm. Autumn is on its way!