We Are Going for it! Long Term Lets Now Available in the Gite - Pedal to the Metal Once Again For U
Hello Everyone!
Just a little update from me as even though we have a rather miserable and very un-French August day today, it does clear a little window for admin and house chores (oh joy!), the weather is due to perk up again tomorrow and we only have a week left to spend with Summer before she goes back to school ( La Rentrée).
We have been having a great summer with wonderful memories of times with family and friends and the gite has been fully booked throughout the summer season, so that is great!
It is now that we have had to make a decision on our short term future plans and our next steps on how to keep afloat and be comfortable during the winter months, as even though we have had a good season with the gite, it is also bill and tax return time here in France and, as most probably find, the money can go out as quickly as it comes in and you can be taxed as much as you earn!
With Summer's birthday and (dare I say it!) Christmas now on the up and coming with plans to visit family in England for the festive period, both our cars due for MOT's etc, we are having to think on our feet of the best way to move forward.
Although we initially left the idea, we decided last night after long dicussion and thinking up novel ways of how to retain the heat in a huge, un-insulated barn with not much in the way of funds available, that we will not loose the battle and WILL be staying in the barn from here on in. We already have the roof insulation at the ready and have thought of a temporary way to use it which will keep the heat from rising all the way up to the roof level, by fixing it at ceiling level (although there is not yet a ceiling!). "Where there is a will, there is a way!!" I think we can agree that as a temporary solution, we will be "bodging!". This obviously would not be an option for any permanent fixtures!
We have two more sets of external doors ready and waiting to be installed, which will help 10 fold in stopping the drafts and keeping the heat in.
We do however need to install 2 wood burners to make our plan work and will therefore need to raise the funds for that. We have ideas for this - one of which being to coincide our visit to Angleterre with a "furniture run" as we like to call it. This is where we gamble some of our dwindling funds on some lovely French furniture and ship it over to the UK with us to sell on over there in the hope that the items will strike a chord with others the way they do with us and we can make a little profit.
Well, we have a van, so it would be a waste not to use it and we have to pay the costs of the trip to UK somehow!
Although it is a little scary gambling our money in the hope that we will make a profit and it will all be worth it in the end, I must admit I have a huge soft spot for French furniture and actually have to keep myself away from our local haunts where we know there will no doubt be beautiful, unique French pieces available unless it is for a "furniture run!"
We are aware that from now until February time, things will generaly slow down business wise and there will be less demand for Scott to do plans for people etc as the weather starts to change and people start to think towards the Christmas period.
This is one huge change I have had to get used to with our lifestyle over here - there is no guaranteed income. With me being the type of person who likes to plan, organise and know where the next pennies are coming from, it is still a difficult thing for me to stay calm in situations like this and not panic, but I am getting better I think!
We have found that we are constantly having to "think outside the box". It certainly keeps the mind active!
Soooo! With us living in the barn, this will free up the gite for long term out of season lets - all going well, meaning that we can survive the winter!!! Hooray!!!
We are starting to advertise as of today!
If you are interested in knowing more, or know of anyone else who may be looking for a long term let in France - be it because they have earnt themselves the break, or are actually looking to make the move themselves and are looking for a stop-gap whilst searching for a house to buy or completing a sale, please take a look at our website. Full details of the cottage and rates etc for long term lets are all listed on our "Rates" page:
Maybe hear from you soon!
Until next time lovely followers!!!
:o)
Below: The Gite and orchard garden in June with the cherries out. One of our favourite times of the year!
