Diane and Evan left after a really nice visit and I promptly got the stomach bug that has been felling everyone around here right and left. It didn't leave me feeling particularly creative, I'll tell you that! At any rate, apart from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how as the play?
The year is actually starting off well, minor illnesses aside. It seems that I will actually have FIVE new adult English students starting with me. I learned that my twelve-year-olds had signed up for ski lessons instead of language lessons. That was a good thing, seriously. I don't know that I want to take kids anymore if they're not really motivated. The adults who come for lessons are doing it because they really want to learn. The kids were here because their parents wanted them to get better grades. I don't think that made for the happiest students. I love my little "posse," but they like me for me and don't visit me because they have to.
JM and I also went to the Chamber of Commerce today to learn more about the costs of establishing what we do as an actual, registered business. It's much less expensive and less complicated than we have been led to believe. We actually had a really interesting meeting and came away with lots of good information. A few more things to iron out, but I think it will make sense to go ahead and become "official." Not that we're making a lot of money, but you can never tell, and it will be better to have the proper paperwork in place. We always did that in California and it always worked out better that way.
I think a lot of people get put off doing it, because they aren't good at paperwork. It does seem expensive to be official, but we ran the numbers and compared them to the same costs that we paid in L.A., and it's not all that different. It seems different, but that's really because here, you pay into a big pot and there, we had to pay for a lot of things, like medical insurance, etc., privately. Once you tally apples and apples, the final outcome for people in our income bracket are not all that different. It would cost lots more here if you made a lot of money than it would in the States. But, sadly, we're not in that situation.
Our meeting was in Limoux, so in spite of my not completely recovered tummy, we walked around and had lunch. It was market day, which is always fun to see. I had one big disappointment though. We had planned to eat in a Chinese/Vietnamese restaurant that had been recommended to us, but when we got there, they had a sign on the door that they don't allow dogs. Since the Diva was with us, we didn't stay. We had parked in the big parking lot along the river, but I didn't want to leave her there alone. Unlike our experience in Mirepoix when we stopped at the Cantegril, I did not feel offended by the restaurant in Limoux. Their policy was clearly and honestly stated. Next time we want to try them out, we'll make sure we leave Maggie at home. Our choice, not theirs.
Instead, we ate at Le Tivoli, a brasserie on the rue de Tivoli. We'd eaten there in August, when they had tables outside on the terrace, but hadn't been back since. We need to go more often. It was simple, but good brasserie fare, inexpensive and quick. For some reason, we usually eat at one of the restaurants on the Place and we're almost always disappointed. Better to walk a few extra minutes and have a decent meal that we can count on. Of course, it being Limoux, there are some recommended, high-end restaurants as well. But, those are for another day.
It feels good to be getting back into the routine of things now that the holidays are over. I've lost too much time doing everything else but writing. Time to end that!
Ciao for now!
R
(see pictures on my personal site.)
The year is actually starting off well, minor illnesses aside. It seems that I will actually have FIVE new adult English students starting with me. I learned that my twelve-year-olds had signed up for ski lessons instead of language lessons. That was a good thing, seriously. I don't know that I want to take kids anymore if they're not really motivated. The adults who come for lessons are doing it because they really want to learn. The kids were here because their parents wanted them to get better grades. I don't think that made for the happiest students. I love my little "posse," but they like me for me and don't visit me because they have to.
JM and I also went to the Chamber of Commerce today to learn more about the costs of establishing what we do as an actual, registered business. It's much less expensive and less complicated than we have been led to believe. We actually had a really interesting meeting and came away with lots of good information. A few more things to iron out, but I think it will make sense to go ahead and become "official." Not that we're making a lot of money, but you can never tell, and it will be better to have the proper paperwork in place. We always did that in California and it always worked out better that way.
I think a lot of people get put off doing it, because they aren't good at paperwork. It does seem expensive to be official, but we ran the numbers and compared them to the same costs that we paid in L.A., and it's not all that different. It seems different, but that's really because here, you pay into a big pot and there, we had to pay for a lot of things, like medical insurance, etc., privately. Once you tally apples and apples, the final outcome for people in our income bracket are not all that different. It would cost lots more here if you made a lot of money than it would in the States. But, sadly, we're not in that situation.
Our meeting was in Limoux, so in spite of my not completely recovered tummy, we walked around and had lunch. It was market day, which is always fun to see. I had one big disappointment though. We had planned to eat in a Chinese/Vietnamese restaurant that had been recommended to us, but when we got there, they had a sign on the door that they don't allow dogs. Since the Diva was with us, we didn't stay. We had parked in the big parking lot along the river, but I didn't want to leave her there alone. Unlike our experience in Mirepoix when we stopped at the Cantegril, I did not feel offended by the restaurant in Limoux. Their policy was clearly and honestly stated. Next time we want to try them out, we'll make sure we leave Maggie at home. Our choice, not theirs.
Instead, we ate at Le Tivoli, a brasserie on the rue de Tivoli. We'd eaten there in August, when they had tables outside on the terrace, but hadn't been back since. We need to go more often. It was simple, but good brasserie fare, inexpensive and quick. For some reason, we usually eat at one of the restaurants on the Place and we're almost always disappointed. Better to walk a few extra minutes and have a decent meal that we can count on. Of course, it being Limoux, there are some recommended, high-end restaurants as well. But, those are for another day.
It feels good to be getting back into the routine of things now that the holidays are over. I've lost too much time doing everything else but writing. Time to end that!
Ciao for now!
R
(see pictures on my personal site.)
