january "down time"

well, it's january and the predicted "down time" has yet to manifest itself.
i haven't noticed any time to "recover" from the holidays. sure, sales have slowed--compared to the holidays--but they've not come to a stand still. we've been working to get inventory done--yuck! then there's new stuff arriving daily--so we're busy unpacking, pricing and displaying. then there's the incorporation of the mezzanine level (formerly known as the frame shop) into the rest of the boutique. that's definitely the biggest project.
we still need to pull-up the nasty carpet--not knowing what we will find--pull down the peg board, then paint--the walls and hopefully the floors. i thought we'd get some of this done this long weekend, but it's not to be. i guess i'll be hiring some help.
i look forward to setting up the garden shop and hope my choices at market will be as wonderful as i imagine them.
this new space is a challenge, but not as much of a challenge as taking over an existing business and incorporating it, its employees and faithful customers into the business known as hodgepodge. i really thought it would be transparent, but a lot of the folks whom have been patronizing neblett's for lo' these 20 or so years are confused. i have to assume, however, they were confused when ray moved his business to the rear of the building we purchased from him two years ago. we still have people walking into 125 franklin street looking for the framing shop--which moved to 124 legion street (the rear of the building) 2 years ago. obviously, one doesn't get something framed very frequently, but 2 years without noticing this move? time flies. well, those folks will be heartily geeted and directed to the rear of our building--easily accessed by our open staircase.
all I know is this taking more time than i anticipated. i've had little time to plan for or do many other things which i'd rather be doing. i don't think i've worked on the floor of my shop in about a month. thank goodness for patty and jennifer--they're doing a great job of keeping up and covering my short-comings.
i should be planning another "how do they do that" seminar. maybe we'll get something together for february. is there anything you've been wanting to learn? let me know, i'll see if i can put something together--find an instructor, etc.
alrighty, let me get to some of that dreaded paperwork and bookkeeping.
thanks for reading--thanks for your indulgence.
~paige