No news is good news I guess. No changes in our lives to report. After our simmer trip to Canada , we decided conclusively to put into motion the (re)patriation process. First thing to do is sell the house and the store and they were listed back in September.

Well, nothing has really progressed since then. We still work too hard every day at the busy , popular and stable Le Marais. We are grateful for the success there. We love the work and being creative, making stuff which sells and pleases our patrons. There is always work to do , countless projects on the go, and usually 3-4 weeks of orders to fill. We even have a helper putting in 2 or 3 days per week of sanding, moving and whatever. The 60-70 hrs on our feet leaves us quite pooped only to barely recover on Sundays. Once again, this is the same routine endured for some 24 months now.

No interest to buy or lease the store, there have been only 2-3 inquiries in 3 months. The house sees a few more visitors and many drive- bys, but the market is to blame. And winter is encroaching so there won't be much action home-wise as Koreans don't buy, sell or move over winter. Consumers believe the housing market is over-inflated ( which it is). Housing costs have soared over the last year so people are staying put, waiting for all to flatten out and stay in the same rental /ownership contracts they possess. Nobody is moving, furniture sales are slow , even moving trucks are rarely seen. So, we are here for the winter surely.

In terms of new customers for us, we are way down. Luckily, we are supported by patrons- like real artists should be. We have quite a few repeat clients and referrals.

The store is vexing..it's good to have a job but we can't make any changes in our lives when we are bound to the business. It's time for an action plan or lack of action back up plan. It would be a shame to just withdraw and close without cashing out.

WINTER is coming ,we think. Today was the first sign- it reached only about 7'C. Otherwise it has been fantastic and over 20' in the daytime last Thurs/Fri. We had a lovely hike with dogs in the valleys and hills around the village today. enjoying the fall colors contrast with the deep blue sky. I just picked all the tomatoes of my vines , about 5 pounds of green globes whose fate is uncertain with tonights freezing temperatures. They will ripen slowly, I'm sure. I'm always amazed when the tomatoes fruit for such a long time. There is still some lettuce and greens in the ground and the locals are just harvesting and preparing the winter cabbage kimchi.

The fire has been crackling all day to Sweety's content. She absolutely loves the warmth of the hearth and spreads herself all over the floor. Sweety is such a daily delight and absolutely the best cat I've ever known and will be impossible to seperate from. She loves boxes and bags and such as cats so and so I sewed her a blanket cushion box bed thingy today for luxuriating by the stove. Yeonmi has been cozy in the wing chair next to these, enjoying her new tablet pad computer. We decided on the Asus Transformer which has a real keypad to dock with , and a few more programs and functions than the Galaxy or Ipad tablets.

The last two weeks have been blue for me, with aggravating neck trouble again. I went through two rounds of intense pain and stiffness. It is going on 10 years since the onset of these reoccurring difficulties. I am determined to get to the bottom of it. Whether I work at the computer or in labor of sorts I will be plagued , so I have to deal with it. I'm looking for a diagnosis but still haven't got one. I visited the orthopedic specialist recently and the good news was he didn't seem concerned about disk or vertebrae damage due to the lack of telling symptoms from my history and his tests. Unfortunately, he just prescribed more hard drugs (yay!) and said if I want to get x-rays or mri done in a couple months after the prescribed medication period, he'll entertain it.

I've started more aggressive acupuncture treatment at a university hospital near the store. The doctor treating me is well- known and was recommended to me by a friend who averted surgery ( from the western medicine hospital) with his treatment and has not had any relapse in the years since. Thanks to the successful treatment of my tendinitis when I arrived in Korea by acupuncture and oriental medicine, I'm ready to embark on his treatment. He thinks it will be 2 months of 2 or 3 day per week visits.

His methods I say are aggressive because unlike the numerous local neighborhood private clinics who merely give gentle treatments , not cures so they don't lose their customers, this teaching hospital is after cures in the name of scientific research. I've gotten dozens of needles a the same time , going right for the tendons and ligaments motoring my shoulders and neck. When applid exactly at the center of the inflamed tissue, muscles grab the needle and spasm a bit and don't let go of then needle for 5-7 minutes until the tension is reduced. The difference in tension after a session is remarkable. As things loosen up, different levels of tension , strain and pain emerge or reveal themselves .

The hospital is big and quiet- the treatment is double the cost of other clinics. Which is still dirt cheap thanks to Korea's outstanding health care system, and I'm glad to pay for tranquility and quick treatment. I know we have a long way to go. Once I'm pain free , I'm going to pursue physio therapy and strength training to build up some muscle to to help alleviate the stress.