Chug Chug Chugging along!

Now that the flights, the car rental and the accommodations are booked and confirmed, the focus comes back to the present time. In the business zone, everything must be carefully planned and organised for a smooth operation while we are away.

Things seem to be moving much faster now. The kitchen reno is going so well that it seems that it will be finished by the first week of July. School is almost over for the boys. Effective today The Little Workshop is closed for the summer, and Le Petit Atelier's last classes for this school year will take place at the end of June. Many Little Workshop students and Petit Atelier clients are already confirmed for September, and the work will soon begin to fill available spots on both schedules.

With July comes the time to organize the fall, confirming teachers availability and looking at tentative training and work schedules, and preparing training material. It's also a good time for contacting prospect clients and advertise private music lessons for August registrations, and update the web sites.
With August comes the time to confirm all of that, clean and prepare the studio for Little Workshop students, buy piano and guitar methods, and begin training for the two new and fabulous Petit Atelier teachers, prepare payroll schedules, and start a new set of financial books for a new year of operations.

This is all the juggling required to run our two little businesses - and I absolutely love it!

How?

How is this possible? Well, it did not happen overnight. Tim and I have always wanted to live abroad with the boys for awhile, we were dreaming of a one year venture somewhere in another country. Along the past few years my life has turned around for the better, and self-employment allowed me to make healthy changes. I took charge, for better or for worse, and it brought me a great sense of empowerment. The Little Workshop, our home based little music school, is exactly where we want it to be in terms of volume of operation. We have no plans to grow it bigger. As for Le Petit Atelier, my mobile music education service, it is growing steadily and it is proving to be a solid little business with a lot of potential for further growth.

So between the two businesses which will keep operating with our team of great teachers and coordinators, we will be able to manage a steady income while keeping a fluid communication all along the three months. The other important financial part of the puzzle is that we are subletting our house while we are away. A very good friend came forward with an offer that we could not refuse, and it will be great peace of mind to know that our house is in good hands.

As for the cost, we are paying very low rental fees because in each case (3 different houses) we are getting long term rate for properties that are usually rented for much more money on a weekly basis. The first house is in an amazing location on the Caribbean, and we are taking advantage of the end of the low season pricing-with long term rate. The very best pricing we got is for the ranch, which is costing us $500US for the month, and which allows us to afford some weekend trips while we're there. The last destination is the beach property we rented with friends in 2008, and the owner is giving us a great deal.

So with all these factors combined, our 3 month stay will cost us the same as what a family of 4 would spend in one week in an all inclusive resort. The timing is just right for all of us, so we're doing it. It feels both very crazy and very sound... and more importantly - it feels right.

Five months to departure

Five months and six days. So far so good, everything is going well and our kitchen reno will begin on Monday. A little bit ahead of schedule, and it's all good. Tim and I spent two hours at Ikea this morning, and we walked out of there in an excellent mood. Life is full of surprises!
On the booking front, the deposit has been sent for the ranch. It was a bit complicated, and I had to use Western Union for the first time. I discovered that they have an amazing network of service points, and it is possible to wire money in a matter of seconds to be collected in the tiniest remote towns. Pretty amazing. So it is confirmed - we will be in the heart of Yucatan farm land for Christmas and to break in the new year. I'm sure that there will be some nostalgia in the air. A memorable Holiday season, half way through our big adventure.
On the practical front, I have been wondering how we can carry so much luggage in the rental car. We will have many instruments, and our regular luggage. We can travel light, and we have been to Mexico before with one single suitcase for the four of us - and one carry on each. But even with reduced luggage, the problem will be the first grocery shopping which will have to be done on the way to our first destination - with a full car. It will be the biggest shopping as it will include all the basics, and it will also be for the most remote place in our journey, for one entire month. After some research, I have found the solution in... a rooftop bag. It doesn't require a rack, and it is made with thick waterproof fabric. If you find yourself with a space problem when traveling by car with your family, you may want to check it out: https://roofbag.com/OrderProducts.asp - or borrow it from us when we come back!

Why???

mmm... I am generally on the side of 'why not', but there has to be a more rational aspect to such a long stay in Mexico. So on the work front, Tim and I intend to work hard on our respective music.
I will be working on my repertoire (book) of early childhood French songs, rhymes and games, writing new material, and develop a Spanish program. I will be teaching occasionally in local schools, providing music workshops to children, and/or teacher training. I intend to improve my skills on the mandolin, and Dylan will be recording some of the bed tracks for the CD that will accompany the book. These goals are very difficult to achieve when caught in the day to day routine of our city life, so I expect to make important progress in these areas. I will also make key contacts for another project that I have for the coming years, but that will have to be another blog! As for Tim, he will be working on his fiddle playing and write music as well. He is exploring the possibility of getting some gigs, and possibly study with local master musicians. We will be carrying quite a load of instruments; guitar, mandolin, banjo and violin, with a few recorders and some percussion, and the multitrack recording guizmo.
The children will keep up with school too. I will handle the most I can, and we will 'skype' in a tutor on a regular basis. It will be challenging, but very manageable.
So we're not really slacking off here... Let's call it a 'temporary slow motion withdrawal from urban life'. Yeah, that's it!

The Reno Plan

Ready to make our big kitchen reno move, and for us the work begins this weekend with a MAJOR purge. We have to empty the kitchen, remove the suspended ceiling, and paint... all before July 1st. It may sound like a reasonable goal to most people, but for us it represents a fair challenge.
This is the first renovation project since we moved in the house and did the basement studio 12 years ago. We're not doing anything major, no big structural or design changes. A bigger park view window to let the sunshine in, and a lot of cabinetry to finally have much needed storage space. New ceiling with light fixtures from this century, and new floor. It will be fabulous!

And best of all, once this is done, our house will be adequate for the downtown sublet market - our ticket to future traveling!