I
The day after Christmas, Bd visits them, all happy to offer them a small gift. On this occasion, he also sends a document, which was prepared by the notary at the time, in addition to the lease that his parents had signed with the then owners.
This document specifies all parcel boundaries, and the rights and obligations of tenants. No other state limits plots have been established since he said them. It is true that the cadastre was recently remodelled.
It is now several weeks Bd comes regularly work with Peter. On these occasions, they have lunch together. Peter begins to better understand the context that preceded their first visit in late May. Given the difficult situation Bd and his family experienced, he better understands the condition in which they found the site.
With the new year, Peter and Monika must now decide whether they will "freeze" the land or not. It seems them always be a good solution, although five-year commitment them problem.
Quickly, the choice is due to sudden against time for Monika activity. Indeed, the current contracts are suspended or for budget problems, either expectations decisions. In fact, the revenue to the beginning of this year will be reduced. They will have to hold up until the start of other contracts, for the moment in pre-negotiation.
Here, against the heart, and because it seems to them to be the most reasonable in light of the new context, they take advantage of changing the order of priorities for implementation of the project. They will slow the restoration of the house to prepare for the start of the agricultural activity.
Therefore, during this winter, they will prepare lands for spring crops. Peter goes in search of the proper equipment trying to reduce investment to a minimum. Whenever possible, Peter prefers to use second-hand equipment. With the help of Bd, he refurbishes an old machine, remained in a bush, and transforms another.
Peter then makes contact with a company that is looking for operators wishing to develop a breeding rabbits. He had spotted the past few months the company, and was documented on its activity. This company would provide the first breeding later, it would buy his production.
They want to start this farm during the next spring when they begin to feed breeding with granules, then they will reap with hay in the meadows, supplemented later by the first harvest, they are now considering a first campaign this year.
For its part, Monika turns to make new contacts. She works for the preparation of new products in the form of seminars on topics in the air. She also formed a relationship with companies specializing in technical training, who offered to conduct some in late spring, after a period of preparation.
January ends with beautiful spring days. One Sunday, when they finish lunch with D., their neighbour on the north side, as far as they knew of view, comes knocking at their door, shouting aggressively they would have him cut wood belonging.
Peter remembers that in the week, she had already taken Bd, who continued his work cut. Bd had informed Peter, as he was unhappy with how this person had treated him, more so he knew exactly where was the limit of the plot at this point, and he was about to cut the right side and not at home.
Such incidents recur often thereafter. They have many problems with these invasive and aggressive neighbours. It also happens that their animals themselves invite in their fields and crops to eat there, or that others are walking, or their watchdogs, and not the friendliest, totally prefer their court to the one of their masters.
Since their arrival, Peter and Monika are regularly visited by police sector. The first time was in September, when they were investigating after a theft in C. few days earlier. But Peter and Monika had not noticed anything special, even more than from their home the house of C. is not visible, hidden behind a curtain of trees. The G. they were better placed, but they had seen nothing of this particular day.
Making their rounds, gendarmes regularly stop and take a moment to discuss everything and anything. It is true that one of them comes from the Paris region, and more specifically the same corner as Peter and Monika. They asked once to give them a list, with pictures, objects may be stolen them in order to identify appropriate.
Peter and Monika have also sympathized with the factor. Every time he brings them mail, he stops for a moment to chat. He also takes care of his small farm where he produces milk, fresh cheeses, rabbits and other birds he sells on his tour. This is a courteous man, a character.
End of the year, they were visited by the mayor, came to invite them to a party organized each year by the municipality for all residents. He is also a farmer, like most members of the council. In this regard, since the departure of Bd, which was part of the board, replacing missing, but Peter declined the offer because of lack of time already.
Well, it has been almost six months since Peter and Monika moved, and they start, it seems, to integrate. They regularly shop at the local grocery store and the butcher and bakery.
Yet, people are watching, they are different from them. Then they bought the small property that some coveted. Others were only interested in several parcels. Finally, everyone had his small projects, and they arrived ...!
Thus, G. inviting them often, as Peter and Monika invite also eventually ask them to sell a portion of a field that surrounds their land in order to expand their garden. In principle, Peter and Monika are not against, as they ask the G. specify the outline of what they want to buy.
Peter asks consider : the party in question would cut the plot of a road access and require making a big detour, every time they would need to get there. It is true that money coming in right now ... But, given the mortgage, they must, at least it seems to them that this is the case, contact the bank.
In addition, this sale would prevent them from subsequently enlarge the pond in the space provided, since it would then cut possible sources of food. This last point is important for Mrs. G. the prospect of a pond afraid. However, it would be far from home.
As the time passes, Peter and Monika have the impression of being observed. They realize that by buying this place they made many envious lots ! However, by taking the daily difficulties and financial problems to solve, they do not analyze further, thinking that it is suggested with the time.
By settling, they did not intend to take the "passive" exists, and even fewer return to small local stories. Especially since it is not in their habits to spy on others, and even less, to meddle in their affairs. They did not like more gossip.
To carry out the start of the agricultural activity in the next spring, they have to make many investments, they had certainly expected, but more spread out in time. It is even more difficult to solve their cash flow is lower than they expected.
The consulting business is running really slow, all projects are blocked, waiting for hypothetical decisions. Generally, the charged atmosphere of the last month is suddenly subsided, slowing the economy. In fact, markets are shrinking more and more, without being able to foresee any possibility of improvement.
However, they manage to cope with equipment purchases, and then make predictions for the establishment of breeding rabbits and acquisition of raw seeds for crops. They calculate the amount they can reasonably expect the first harvest, sales of rabbits to predict how they will set deadlines and ensure the next campaign.
Now, their priorities are to make farming profitable earlier. This contradicts their initial plans, forcing them to take the floor against their forecasts. In addition, it forces them to live in a house under construction, which is not always pleasant, even if they have all the comforts.
Spite of themselves, they are trained in a direction opposite to the one they wanted to take. They are caught up in a spiral of fear they cannot control !
Therefore, Monika is struggling to find new contracts in a market that is becoming harder because prospects shrink more. Large enterprises visibly reduce their investments and move towards budget savings of more drastic.
Peter and Monika are well aware that the only way out of this oppressive situation is found in earlier financial autonomy. However, for this, immediately and for some time, they have to rely on income from the council activity ....
The days successive, more spring despite the calendar. Soon the winter ends in an atmosphere a little disenchanted. However, Peter and Monika are still determined to complete the project well, even if they are in a period less auspicious.
In the past, both had fallen on hard times, but fighting, they always managed to escape. Peter and Monika are confident that by continuing to move forward, despite everything, doing their best, things will get better.
That is why, at the beginning of the year, they have reduced all their expenses to a minimum. They do not really feel affected by, because they are accustomed to live simply, and to manage to do things with little.
They never had luxurious tastes. Simply, when they had the chance to be silver, they were pleased with some purchases they dreamed long and short holiday in the sea.
On weekends, they often visit D. or S. and E. They then find the relaxed atmosphere of the first few days of fun and made jokes. D. and S. help Peter for some work he can do alone or on weekday with Bd.
E. and Monika are known while working in the same company. Subsequently Monika became freelance, while E. took new directions. They had common professional relationships and helped each other occasionally.