We've entered the Weekdays There, Weekends Home phase of the transition phase of moving.
G is in Dublin Monday - Friday, and home weekends. While it's not ideal, it's the best Phase 2 we've experienced!
He did two really long trips to Dublin before we actually moved which made sense when you consider the distance between Australia and Ireland. In fact, he was there when the house was being packed up for shipment/storage and we were moving into the serviced apartment while our stuff was being shipped. I will never forget the stress and anxiety of those few days without him. We discussed so much over the phone which meant one of us had to stay up late cos of the time difference.
There were three short trips from Dublin to Japan before we eventually moved. He was around for the packing/shipping day, but only just. I recall one day in particular when I had 3 moving companies come quote and phoning G in Japan after the companies preferred moving companies representative was so rude to me, I didn't want them to touch our belongings. It was very late at night for G, but I didn't really care.
The reason for the travel is that when he moves the role has already started - he needs to start the new job before he's finished the old one. He's usually 'released' by the incumbent office on the provision he gives time back before finally leaving.
He did one trip to the UK before we all moved, but was available via email and phone to help the newbie.
He'll do nearly 3 months of back'n'forth Monday to Friday before we all move. He's finished with the UK office and project which makes a huge difference to his workload. Tho he is carrying two mobile phones now - an Irish one and a UK one, just in case.
Naturally at this time of year, we'll wait til school finishes on July 11, and then we have to wait til G's parents go back to Sydney on August 2 before we pack'n'move. So there's a fair few more weeks (if I say months I'll cry) before we're together full time again. To say that if his parents weren't here and we'd move as soon as school finished puts an unfair negative burden on their trip. However, if they weren't here ........
G puts MissM to be on Sunday nights and they talk about the upcoming week, and he slips out of the house around 5.15am to drive to the airport for the first flight out. He's home around 10.30pm Friday.
For now, he's in a hotel near work, but as of June 22, he's in a serviced apartment which means he will be able to settle there more. He's even organized to have his laundry done so that we aren't doing it here with the precious two days we have together.
He'll be able to cook dinner rather than having to go out each night, and live more comfortably than a hotel room that he has to check in/out of each week.
The only thing that's helped this time round is G's parents are here from Sydney. Well, for most of June they are on a cruise on the Danube, so it's just MissM and I, but from June - August it'll be the four of us and I'm expecting things to be very different with the IL's being with me at night while their son is in Dublin. They were talking of a few mid week trips to Oxford, Bath etc, as G was working long hours anyways - now that he's not even home it makes even more sense.
Our weekends are hectic as we all want time together, there's things to talk about, the week to catch up on, MissM wants his company and not mine, and when his parents are here, there's sight seeing to be done.
Our weekdays haven't changed that much - MissM's at school, she has her after school activities, and my days are the same, and as G's been working mad long hours these past months, MissM's used to, but doesn't like not seeing him before bed or first thing in the morning. Sadly, we don't often have dinner together as a family mid week (does anyone anymore?)
He phones first thing in the morning to say hello, and just before her bedtime. It's not great, but better than nothing.
The good things are MissM and I cook and eat dinner together each night. I don't feel guilty I'm not waiting for G, and I feel so much better eating earlier. MissM likes the cooking and company at dinner time, rather than being 'watched' while she eats.
Once MissM's in bed, I get the TV control and am enjoying catching up on Grays Anatomy, Glee and other TV shows that G kindly downloaded for me.
I'm in bed at a more reasonable hour.
But for all that, I can't wait til we're doing 7 nights a week together again, even if he's home late!
With friendship
x
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