merci madame la maire!

I found out last night that I am the talk of the village ....

see, after four years of hearing about it, this winter work commenced on the road outside my house. Big improvements are underway; it is all very exciting! The electricity and phone lines have been placed underground.  The street is being redone, it is being made narrower with a reduced speed limit more fitting of a road that passes by commerce and a school.  And best of all, sidewalks are being installed, yay for me and my shop!

yes, the work is a righteous pain in the ass.  I have never seen the level of rework in various stages, but I guess it is necessary because the road is a main artery in and out of the village.  So trenches are dug, work performed below, everything covered up and then a week later a new team arrives and trenches are dug, work performed below, etc. etc.  The street has been torn up since November, to varying degrees.

This is a major investment for the village and it is being accomplished in partnership with the Conseil General for our departement (county).  Just the modernization of the electricity is over 200,000€.  The project is a huge win for us, it improves the look and functionality of the road and ultimately the value of our property.  So, to me, it warrants the inconvenience.

The mayor's office has been quite accommodating. On more than one occasion, when I have had a question, I have been welcomed to the office to discuss or invited to meet with the project architect (a woman I might add!) to address my questions.  I greet the workers with a smile vs. a complaint, they are doing their jobs and in the end, I will benefit!

Many other folks along the road complain. and scowl. and grab the workers or mayor's representatives to provide a piece of their mind or whine about the inconvenience.

So when they arrived in front of my property (kind of in the middle of the entire project) on Valentine's Day to install the first tranche of sidewalks, I smiled.  Already I have heard grumblings because there are no parking spots alloted in front of my house or store.  Now I have a great expanse of beautiful walkways, and they are not just in plain cement but are pebbled which are really attractive.  The sidewalks are two meters wide!  It is like having a terrace in front of the house!  and on either side of me nothing has been installed.  The lead guy for the sidewalks told me 'vous avez la chance' I am lucky, because they are starting with me ... and a wink!

So I had to laugh last night at our soirée des filles (girls night) when one of the the women told me everyone is talking .... Yesterday was market day in the village and many people pass by my property to and fro.  This gal is a real Perigordine, and hears all the talk and chatter.  People are trying to figure out why I am the first to have the work done.  She told me someone said it must be because of my blue eyes ... ?? lol

I told them it is because I am the only one on the road who is not continuously kvetching but I always have 'une banane' (big smile) for everyone and guard my patience.

Probably it is just business as usual and the plan was to start at this point.  But it makes me chuckle to think of me as the center of the buzz!  tant mieux!

qu'est-ce que c'est? cette chose, la boulot?!

wow what a crazy week (and it is only Thursday ...).

somehow it didn't dawn on me until Monday as I was sat in our new little boutique, The Bohemians , that culmination of this project ... that is, opening the doors, also meant a return to work. well you know, working hours! all of a sudden, I am back to needing to be somewhere certain days, certain hours.

not that I haven't been working my tail off for the past year or more. but it has been unfettered effort. no 'hours' involved.

I'm chafing a bit. so far, I am the one in the shop as Monsieur has this smallish renovation project he is doing, being in need of income and all. so I've resisted posting 'les horaires' anywhere. I'm using the 'it is the first week and I'm still figuring it out' excuse. As of now, I know for certain I will be closed Wednesdays. And I am opening at 10:30 and closing at 7:00 p.m. Except Friday, I'll probably open earlier since it is Brantôme's market day. but beyond that I am uncertain. Do I go full bore 6 days a week to capitalize on the season? do I close Mondays, too, since all the little shops close that day? beats me at the moment...we'll have to wait and see. play it by ear. and such.

but ... our first 3 days have been good! I've been tracking how many people visit, are they French or English? and sales of course.

So we've had 20-30 visitors each day. about 50/50 on the nationality. and sales each day too. So can't complain on that front. And Wednesday I closed and did a buying trip for furniture projects which fared well too.

mais, qu'est-ce que c'est? cette chose, la boulot?! donc, c'est un bon chose il est pour nous et pas pour une corporation!

new photos are up!

before and after of .... 'the project' ... !!!


click here to get a bird's eye-view

and if you want to check out (or even Follow!) our new blog for The Bohemians, click here ,

Bon lundi!

tomorrow ...

culminates 4 months of nearly continuous effort to shape an old stone grange housing a forge into an attractive space for a business.

We're opening the doors on The Bohemians tomorrow. Yes, there are last minute details yet to be finished. But I'm doubting a line will form simply because we're setting out a sign and unlocking the door.

But much of the legwork is done. Nearly all of the renovations are complete. Jean-Yves will finish up the electricity tomorrow. Luckily, our big windows let the sun pour in, so lighting won't be an issue. Even though the lights (most of them) were installed Saturday.

But it is clean as a whistle. The inventory is arranged and sorted and priced (thanks Christie for your help!). Friday I managed to locate things one needs in a boutique (like tissue paper and bags and a receipt book and ink pad and little price tags and a cash box and a big mirror and a screen to create a dressing area and ...) I've painted and varnished the screen and arranged it appropriately.

I built a clothing rack for our cool, funky spring wear by La Fiancée du Mekong. I bought some beige twine and created a hanging pole with a piece of bamboo I had. I suspended it from the big beams and voila! I'm only putting out samples of each style and color and then, clients cooperating, I'll assist them in finding their size from our stock. Less cluttered that way.

I have a couple of pieces of furniture awaiting refinishing.

We will be closed Sundays and Wednesdays...in addition to trying to organize life around those days, those are 2 days when buying (vintage furniture, etc.) is best ... Wednesday is market day in Perigueux as well as auction day AND new arrival day for a secret spot I've discovered ... heh heh. Sundays are when vide-greniers are best.

So I'll be getting back to a routine of working (non-building or gardening or other project related) hours through December. I'm also investigating a lead I got for independent work with a realtor. Seems they need an English speaker or 2 for showing properties. Going to check that out.

You see, contrary to what my adoring audience may assume (ha), I don't have an endless supply of income for this adventure. In fact, it is drying up quickly. I need to find ways rectify this ... so while there is no immediate income potential looming, I'm working on creating future streams.

this close!

Well I think we are moving in to our final week before opening! This week the floors were (nearly) finished. All installation is complete, today the sealant was applied to the cement floor and the wood floor received its first coat of paint. Tomorrow I will apply the other colors ... Next week will be devoted to finishing touches and arranging our items for sale. We would be delighted if we opened on Friday.

What a transformation has occurred in four months with just the two of us as workers. Sandblasted walls, repaired windows, new floors, new electricity, new plumbing, insulation, new ceiling, paint, artwork, custom artisanal touches abound ... the property has provided us with countless materials we have salvaged, repurposed and reused.

If the boutique is fun and successful, we will just move it to the stone garage and move forward with the café as well. Two businesses!

I'm very proud of us, our strong partnership ... our great complicity ... how sympatico we are.

Oh, yeah ... these are our signs thus far. My fantastic cousin Nate provided the artwork and I translated it into a handpainted sign ... whatcha think?

(check out the flickr link for more photos of the transformed ateliér) ...

obla di, obla dah

weeks slide into each other lately ... we just keep on chipping away at our project, doing the frenchified sidestep around obstacles encountered and then sashay on forward a bit.

still futzing with changes to my carte de sejour. After getting a letter in the mail from friendly prefecture man telling me I needed to obtain an attestation from my bank and bring it on down, I went on over to the bank and submitted my request. The not-so-friendly madame told me it would take a week or so and I would get it in the mail. After 10 days, I went back to the bank and lo/behold, the manager typed something up on the spot. I proceeded to the prefecture, which was closed.

Next day, got up and drove back to the prefecture (each trip is about 30 minutes one way. gasp, that's long in frenchy-time!). Got my number, waited my turn, presented my papers and was told no, the letter was insufficient because there was not a balance (soldes) on there.

sigh.

Back to the bank for an appointment I already had regarding an internet fraud on my account (another story!! gasp). Whilst there, I informed mr. manager that I had given his colleague a copy of the Prefecture letter and thus when I returned ... I hadn't provided him with a copy and thus the letter was incomplete.

Well, he retyped the letter with today's balance. Which was over 1,000 euros off the mark due to the internet fraud. And he said he couldn't change it. Because those amounts had yet to be reimbursed.

sigh.

When I discussed my fear that the quoted balance would appear too low, JY was in agreeance. So now, I must return to the bank next week and request a new letter (3rd) and return to the prefecture (5th) with my new letter.

Hopefully (but highly unlikely) that will complete all the documents for my dossier to change my status. we'll see.

In the meantime, we've placed our first order for merchandise for our new little business, "The Bohemians".

I've posted new pics of our work progress on the flickr account (sidebar link) ... it is coming right along. Tonight we are driving to Paris for a day of shopping (Friday) for the shop and a day of visiting (Saturday). Home Sunday.

Next week we commence with working on the floor of the shop. It is cement and I have a painting idea. JY is dubious. But hey, nothing different about that exchange of ideas! lol.

I also FINALLY have not one but TWO new lawnmowers. Guess who found them for me! ha.

One is super heavy duty and one is just heavy duty. One has a Honda Motor and the other a Briggs & Stratton (?). Both are considered "trés bien" by monsieur and the two were 160 euros.

I spent today being pulled around the huge garden by the super heavy duty lawnmower, much to the amused entertainment of Jean Yves.

I've been sick with a cold and therefore cranky. Today's garden performance didn't help. I passed on lunch and retreated to my room for a good sulk and a nap.

la la la la, life goes on.