free at last

in 1997, we opened a small wholesale bakery.  it was a lot of work but it was a great little business.  we  were the only wholesale biscotti bakery in the area.  we quickly picked up about 40 clients around town and a few out of the area that we shipped product to.  in 1999, we expanded to include a second location, a retail bakery cafe.  in 2002, we dumped the first location and just concentrated on retail, no more deliveries or wholesale accounts  we were doing great for the time being, then the economy began to tank.  it was dying a slow death and it was taking businesses like ours with it.  in 2004, we sold the contents of the business to the owner of the location and walked away.  we both had jobs with other companies and with reluctance, we set about paying back the loan on the business we no longer had.  it wasn't easy and the bank made it worse.  when we told them that the $1600 monthly payment was unmanageable, they advised us to "just make the payments..."  we were finally able to negotiate a second loan with them and that brought the payments to $460 a month.  not an easy sum to part with, but better than the previous payment.  today, i paid off the loan!!!  

free at last, what a wonderful feeling.  and no, i will never do business with that bank again.  their customer service sucks and they were not the least bit supportive when we honestly told them we were going under and needed to renegotiate the loan.  so now, it's on to new challenges and paying new bills.  one kid in college and another waiting in the wings.  one new car and one that will eventually need to be repaired or replaced.  one old house needing lots of work.   the list goes on and we go to work...