Catch-up
My flight home from Vancouver on 6 January was cancelled. I found this out whilst having a blissful visit with both the new babies, Joanna and Chris's little mini-Jo, Jack, and Jessica and Justin's tiny three-week old bundle, Zayden, at Jess and Justin's house, so I couldn't even find the wherewithal to be terribly annoyed. I managed to get a flight home on the 9th, arriving on Sunday to start on the following day with my new pupil supervisor, Margaret, who is lovely, tells me firmly to go home and not work into the evenings and told me off when she rang at the weekend and found I'd been working. She says I'll be run off my feet in my second six, so I have to store up some energy now.
She also does immigration, and I think I am confirmed in my view that immigration is for me, and family, much less so. I can rationalise it -- immigration is much more fight-y, family much more negotiation-y; immigration is (to me) much more black-and-white: here is my goal, here is what is achieved for the client if I get there; immigration is more familiar: although there's a lot to learn in both disciplines, I was starting from complete scratch in family, and it was intimidating. But ultimately, it's a gut feeling. I've got a fire in my belly for immigration which just isn't there for family.
My home situation is precarious. Richard still wants to move out on 1 April. I'm to the point where I think John and I should just move out at the same time, by agreement with the landlord to break our lease, but John is dithering. The landlord, who is not as villainous as we thought, he merely thought we had a break clause when we don't and now understands the position, says he won't let us off Richard's share of the rent if Richard moves out early, Richard has to find someone to replace himself. Richard has announced himself game to this task and says he will find someone, and if he doesn't, he will continue to pay his share after he moves out, which is very kind of him. However, the entire ground floor of the flat is furnished with Richard's belongings. How he will find someone who wants to move into an unfurnished flat with an uncertain future, I don't know. If he doesn't, or if he finds someone who just doesn't care, how will John and I live with no furniture in our living room or kitchen, and no kitchen things whatsoever? We're going to have a meeting with the landlord on Saturday, but I'm pretty convinced I'm going to try and get everyone to agree we just bring the lease to an end on 1 April, and ask the landlord if he'll be flexible by a couple of weeks if John or I find somewhere perfect with a mid-March move-in date.
In any case, I'm house-hunting.
I'm also persevering with OKCupid, and my choral group, Illumination, has a concert at the end of the month.
And that is my life. Oh, and watching old episodes of Grey's Anatomy in French, subtitled in French, pour pratiquer. The glamorous existence I lead.
She also does immigration, and I think I am confirmed in my view that immigration is for me, and family, much less so. I can rationalise it -- immigration is much more fight-y, family much more negotiation-y; immigration is (to me) much more black-and-white: here is my goal, here is what is achieved for the client if I get there; immigration is more familiar: although there's a lot to learn in both disciplines, I was starting from complete scratch in family, and it was intimidating. But ultimately, it's a gut feeling. I've got a fire in my belly for immigration which just isn't there for family.
My home situation is precarious. Richard still wants to move out on 1 April. I'm to the point where I think John and I should just move out at the same time, by agreement with the landlord to break our lease, but John is dithering. The landlord, who is not as villainous as we thought, he merely thought we had a break clause when we don't and now understands the position, says he won't let us off Richard's share of the rent if Richard moves out early, Richard has to find someone to replace himself. Richard has announced himself game to this task and says he will find someone, and if he doesn't, he will continue to pay his share after he moves out, which is very kind of him. However, the entire ground floor of the flat is furnished with Richard's belongings. How he will find someone who wants to move into an unfurnished flat with an uncertain future, I don't know. If he doesn't, or if he finds someone who just doesn't care, how will John and I live with no furniture in our living room or kitchen, and no kitchen things whatsoever? We're going to have a meeting with the landlord on Saturday, but I'm pretty convinced I'm going to try and get everyone to agree we just bring the lease to an end on 1 April, and ask the landlord if he'll be flexible by a couple of weeks if John or I find somewhere perfect with a mid-March move-in date.
In any case, I'm house-hunting.
I'm also persevering with OKCupid, and my choral group, Illumination, has a concert at the end of the month.
And that is my life. Oh, and watching old episodes of Grey's Anatomy in French, subtitled in French, pour pratiquer. The glamorous existence I lead.