On The Move
UGH.
The big move has begun. This weekend we are moving GFs salon to a home operation.
Here's hoping you're all having a relaxing weekend. Me, not so much!
Today was GFs last day of operation at the business address, after which she and some girlfriends packed all the smalls - products, colour, towels, plants, holders, vases, mirrors, taborets, stands, hairdryer, room dividers, office items, paint, loaded 3 vehicles and drove them off to the house where I helped unload them, while she stayed with a second friend to bring larger items with a large van, after which I got a lift across town to rent a 20 foot van and bring it back to park in front of the business after the cars have all left, ready to load large items tomorrow.
On the morrow, we have 4 or more male friends coming to load up about a dozen large furniture items, reception desk, two salon work stations and hairdressing chairs, a couple of shampoo beds, 2 glass product showcase cabinets, and a small fridge. There is also about another dozen medium items, patio table and chairs, coffee table, two waiting chairs, coat rack, small display cabinets, tea cabinet, cosmetic desk, and computer, internet hookups and telephone, which are being reinstalled next week at home. I think we can do it all in one load, and as soon as we unload, we will get the crew pizza and beer and they can manage their ways home, and I can return the moving van to the rental.
Day 3 GF is getting a cleaner and couple of ladies to fill holes and do touchups. The space is 1000% nicer than we got it when we moved in ten years ago. We've added a washer/dryer, done recent repainting last year, and are leaving the shampoo sinks since the owners hope to rent it to another salon. But the reason we are moving is they raised our rent this summer from $1700/mo to $2500/mo for a crappy 800 ft2 space, with salon workspace, reception room and washroom. Someone would need 2 or more stylists to meet that obligation to cover overhead, and begin to profit. GF was mostly breaking even the past ten years, and we supplemented the space with art sales, which I no longer do, because of my low energy and pain disability. So she thinks she can maintain her business scale at home and capture more of the overhead with fewer burdens and come out ahead now that her son is a thing of the past.
We are rethinking the home space to where I will actually capture a permanent painting area, not only work in the living room when I have a commission. We will each have a sleeping area, and she get a music room and yoga meditation studio, which she missed so much. What was my office den will become a reading library and music listening area, that won't disturb or be disturbed by the rest of the house. I might even get a little workshop in the furnace room in the basement at least to store my tools, and possibly build things. There are creative beginnings on the horizon. Her for music and me for music, poetry and art. All we need do is survive the move.
Next week I will help her put her home salon area in functional order. Then we will begin shuffling living space. My guess is it may take us at least to Christmas to get functional and another 6 months towards summer to really begin to thrive. After all the worry and angst I've had over the changes with her son, fighting my pain, struggling with rent increases, I'm beginning to feel like maybe a different life may be possible. I feel like we are back to the way we were when I first met her twelve years ago. We just had a shit ton of her baggage to deal with. I am nothing if not patient. I am also persistent. Dog with a bone. I just don't know if this is still what I want to do. Maybe I just want to become a hermit and live in the wilderness like Simon somewhere. I have no home to go to. I would have to find a new home if we don't make one here. GF is still willing to try, so I figure I'll give it a chance. I'll post some pics in a few months once we're done.
Maybe I can find some lost freedom and learn to breathe again. Wouldn't that be rich!
First we have some preliminary to get through. I start feeling better once things begin to move.
I hate waiting and worrying about shit.
; )
The big move has begun. This weekend we are moving GFs salon to a home operation.
Here's hoping you're all having a relaxing weekend. Me, not so much!
Today was GFs last day of operation at the business address, after which she and some girlfriends packed all the smalls - products, colour, towels, plants, holders, vases, mirrors, taborets, stands, hairdryer, room dividers, office items, paint, loaded 3 vehicles and drove them off to the house where I helped unload them, while she stayed with a second friend to bring larger items with a large van, after which I got a lift across town to rent a 20 foot van and bring it back to park in front of the business after the cars have all left, ready to load large items tomorrow.
On the morrow, we have 4 or more male friends coming to load up about a dozen large furniture items, reception desk, two salon work stations and hairdressing chairs, a couple of shampoo beds, 2 glass product showcase cabinets, and a small fridge. There is also about another dozen medium items, patio table and chairs, coffee table, two waiting chairs, coat rack, small display cabinets, tea cabinet, cosmetic desk, and computer, internet hookups and telephone, which are being reinstalled next week at home. I think we can do it all in one load, and as soon as we unload, we will get the crew pizza and beer and they can manage their ways home, and I can return the moving van to the rental.
Day 3 GF is getting a cleaner and couple of ladies to fill holes and do touchups. The space is 1000% nicer than we got it when we moved in ten years ago. We've added a washer/dryer, done recent repainting last year, and are leaving the shampoo sinks since the owners hope to rent it to another salon. But the reason we are moving is they raised our rent this summer from $1700/mo to $2500/mo for a crappy 800 ft2 space, with salon workspace, reception room and washroom. Someone would need 2 or more stylists to meet that obligation to cover overhead, and begin to profit. GF was mostly breaking even the past ten years, and we supplemented the space with art sales, which I no longer do, because of my low energy and pain disability. So she thinks she can maintain her business scale at home and capture more of the overhead with fewer burdens and come out ahead now that her son is a thing of the past.
We are rethinking the home space to where I will actually capture a permanent painting area, not only work in the living room when I have a commission. We will each have a sleeping area, and she get a music room and yoga meditation studio, which she missed so much. What was my office den will become a reading library and music listening area, that won't disturb or be disturbed by the rest of the house. I might even get a little workshop in the furnace room in the basement at least to store my tools, and possibly build things. There are creative beginnings on the horizon. Her for music and me for music, poetry and art. All we need do is survive the move.
Next week I will help her put her home salon area in functional order. Then we will begin shuffling living space. My guess is it may take us at least to Christmas to get functional and another 6 months towards summer to really begin to thrive. After all the worry and angst I've had over the changes with her son, fighting my pain, struggling with rent increases, I'm beginning to feel like maybe a different life may be possible. I feel like we are back to the way we were when I first met her twelve years ago. We just had a shit ton of her baggage to deal with. I am nothing if not patient. I am also persistent. Dog with a bone. I just don't know if this is still what I want to do. Maybe I just want to become a hermit and live in the wilderness like Simon somewhere. I have no home to go to. I would have to find a new home if we don't make one here. GF is still willing to try, so I figure I'll give it a chance. I'll post some pics in a few months once we're done.
Maybe I can find some lost freedom and learn to breathe again. Wouldn't that be rich!
First we have some preliminary to get through. I start feeling better once things begin to move.
I hate waiting and worrying about shit.
; )