Cracked Cauldron Spillings

We haven't heard back from any of the people to whom we've sent stock purchase proposals, so we're preparing a second batch of letters.

As the holiday season begins, with Oktoberfest, Halloween, the Elections, and Thanksgiving jam-packed into two months, we have been asked if we can provide treats for this event or that one. Most of the Oktoberfest and Halloween parties will happen before we open, and we'd hoped to have our "soft opening" by this Friday to accommodate these requests.

Since we don't have a signed lease, or the big ovens, we're having to be very selective about which requests we can fill right now.

Remember, no matter how clean and sterile my home kitchen is, it will not pass the local health inspections because I have inadequate plumbing, drainage, sinks - and indoor pets. The Health Department would have conniption fits over the fact that we have cats roaming freely.

True, only 2 cats. Still, they have access to the kitchen - not sanitary at all.

Anyone for whom we cater at this time will have to be friends first. If we don't know you and haven't known you for quite a while, and you haven't visited our home, we won't cater for you. It's nothing personal, just that we know the conditions under which we are currently operating, and we wouldn't want you to be misled, nor would we want to get in trouble before we open our doors. As soon as we can get those lovely doors open, we will gladly fulfill your requests for meeting rooms and party yummies.

Unfortunately, this involves finding more money than is currently in my bank account.

Even with the mega-savings that new store will provide us, we need what Donald Trump would call "chump change" and we'd call "the Cracked Cauldron".

Yes, there are many people who would spend what we need to open the Cracked Cauldron on a weekend in a nice hotel, that's how little we need. Yet, for some reason, the banks all act as if we're asking for a fortune, a huge amount. They see the asking amount, they aren't looking at the growth that amount will bring.

I guess it's the nature of banks to be Scrooges with money, and I can't say as I blame them. They are banks precisely because they invest wisely and take few risks.

Sometimes, though, a risk is well worth the investment.

The Cracked Cauldron has a lot of positive things going for it: a young, ambitious, and healthy CEO; a wise and experienced baker; a group of callow but willing high school and college kids to be the "coffee monkeys" (hey - they picked the name); a Board of Directors that can offer a combined 50 years of education and experience; a group of unique recipes that people really want to buy prepared for them; a supportive group of suppliers; and a steadily growing group of customers (350 at last count, with virtually no advertising, imagine what it will be like once we start advertising?).

This year, though, it looks like people will have to party without the Cracked Cauldron.

I'm really sorry for depriving all y'all, anad we're working hard to change that.