Last time home

One last time. One last time on the A12, M11, A14, A1, A46 route. One last time seeing my family. One last time in Grimsby. It was always going to be a difficult weekend, an emotional weekend, a weekend where I'm not quite sure what I'm feeling. And so it turned out. It all felt kind of unreal. The time with the family, the eating, the hugs, the goodbyes. Nothing different to any other trip up north. Only this time when I drove away, I didn't know when I'd see them all again.

It was only when I got a text from my little sis yesterday saying that she'd miss me and that there had been some tears when I left my mum's on Sunday that it really hit home. I really don't know when I am going to see them again. I don't know when I'm going to be in Grimsby next, when I'm going to walk along the sea front at Cleethorpes next, when I'm going to cheer on the Mighty Mariners at Blundell Park next, when I'm going to be with my family next. That's quite hard. Especially the last one. I guess it hadn't really sunk in before. It's highly likely that only some sad news will bring me home in the next couple of years at least. Hopefully they'll all come out to see Joanne and I, Dad's practically booked his tickets for February already, but there's still the uncertainty. There always was the uncertainty before I guess, but I'd know there'd be Christmas, Ellie's birthday in August and a few other trips during the year. But not any more. Still, there's email, Skype, webcams. And when I do see them it will be for more time that a snatched weekend here and there. Quality time. I guess it's a sacrifice I have chosen to make.

Saturday was spent at my dad's. Sarah and Ellie came over, as well as Pamela, Rob and the kids. Dad did a barbecue, and true to form, in what has been be the wettest June on record, it rained. It is a lasting memory of my youth, Dad barbecuing in the rain, under an umbrella, so it was only right that my last memory of his house before we leave was the same. The circle of life. Elton John had it wrong. It's not about lions, it's about burgers.

On Saturday morning I drove past the two houses I grew up in in Grimsby and took a couple of photos. Dunno why, but I just had an urge to grab a snap of each. Be nice to show the kids one day maybe?

On Sunday we were at my mum's. Again Sarah and Ellie, Pam and Rob, Jon, Caitlin and Charles joined us. More over-eating yummy food and lush desserts followed. Lasagne with apple and peanut salad, followed by black forest trifle. It really was an awesome weekend of food. And so great to see my family before we leave. A special weekend.

What is less special is that we are still waiting for the flat sale to go through. Why does it matter that the ground on which the flat stands might be contaminated from a previous industrial use? It's a fifth floor flat! Any possible contaminates have got four other floors to get through first. Someone would notice something way before it ever got up here. But rules are rules, I guess, and until the correct bloke at the borough council sends the correct fax to our buyer's solicitor we keep on hanging on. Time is running on the short side now, and I'm getting anxious.

On the job front there have been some developments. Regarding Joanne, the good news we had late last week has been overtaken by some less good news. Some HR bod has got involved and basically poured cold water all over the idea of Joanne working remotely in NZ out of the Singapore office. Too many employment law borders to cross it seems. Red tape, eh? There's still the option of her effectively working as a contractor for them, but it's not as ideal as she'll lose all the employee benefits she's built up over the past eight years. Also there's only eight working days to get it all finalised now. Once again, time is running short.

On the job front for me, something came up on the Seek website that I've applied for. It's with a company called Sungard and it's a commodities analyst role. I know! I was shocked too. It's actually not too similar to my current role, as it's more using a knowledge of commodity markets and exchanges to aid software developers working on a "commodities risk management solution" but my experience and knowledge-base could prove beneficial. The role said experience in energy or metals markets preferred, but hopefully my softs experience will help my application. We'll see. I also have contacted Telecom directly regarding the Customer Information Analyst role I applied for back in April. It seems they're still looking for someone to fill the role. And I'm still waiting to hear back from Statistics New Zealand. So, there's a few irons in the fire now.

If it's what you do, please pray that our job situations would be sorted out sooner, rather than later. I do find it difficult living with uncertainty.