If you read my blog regularly, you know that when my daughter, English Rose, and I moved to Canada from England in July 2015, we left a very important person behind. For the past fourteen months, my husband, Tech Guy, has remained in England, working to support our family and waiting to be able to join us here in the Great White North.
I can finally share that Tech Guy is set to start a new, very techy job in Toronto on 31 October. It’s not a Halloween trick, but the best treat of all! Since it’s too far from our home in the Rideau Valley for him to commute during the week, he’ll be with us on weekends and when working remotely.
These past months have tested our family in ways we couldn’t have imagined. However, through that testing, we’ve learned much about ourselves and our relationship.
We’ve learned about love and keeping faith even when times are dark.
We’ve learned about commitment, not only to each other, but to a shared goal, even when others doubted.
And we’ve learned about family. What it means to us, and how to nurture that family bond to stay close in heart.
Although I’ve always had great respect for single parents, now that I’ve been one, if only temporarily, that respect has increased exponentially. The past months have shown me just how tough is it to have sole responsibility for any child, let alone one diagnosed with a chronic illness.
Without having Tech Guy to share the domestic load, I’ve also developed new skills. While I’ll never be an expert in unblocking drains, there’s nothing like a basement flood to acquire plumbing acumen. And I’ve learned more about cars, Grade 7 math and duct cleaning than I ever wanted.
This experience has shaped my fiction too. The heroine of the second book in my Firefly Lake series, SUMMER ON FIREFLY LAKE, is a single mom. Although Mia’s story isn’t mine, walking a bit of the single mom path has helped me give her journey more depth and poignancy than it would otherwise have had.
Like the stories I write, Tech Guy’s move to Canada is both a happy ending and exciting new beginning.
However, as I anticipate his arrival early next month, there’s one, important bonus. For at least two nights a week, I won’t have to use the electric blanket to warm our bed. My self-described “all-natural, renewable heat source” is coming home to me just in time for a Canadian winter that’s forecast to be particularly cold.
Sometimes, real life works out almost as neatly as fiction!
That’s wonderful news! I’m really happy for you all. Good Luck to Tech Guy I his new job too!
Thank you, Jean. I’ll pass your good wishes to Tech Guy, too. It’s a happy time for our family.
Such good news, after such a long wait! I guess the old adage of “Good things come to those who wait!” is very apt to this situation. Congratulations!
Thank you, Heidi. It has been a long wait but to use another favourite expression, “all is well that ends well.” Thanks for being such a support to English Rose and I during these past months.
So happy for you! And congratulations to Tech Guy on his new job! Make sure he brings you lots of English biscuits. 😉
Thanks very much, Jennifer. Will pass your congratulations to Tech Guy, too. English biscuits, yes! And perhaps some English tea as well.
So happy you’ll all be reunited soon, Jen!
xo
Thanks for sharing my happiness, Arlene. Appreciate your kindness and friendship. xo
That is great news. So pleased that your family will be back on one continent again. No more “FaceTime” on the computer but the real thing now. Will share the news.
Thanks so much, Sylvia. Lovely to see your name pop up in a comment on my blog. I appreciate you sharing this news, too.
RT @JenGilroy1: Tech Guy is moving to #Canada & my #family will be reunited. What have we learned by time apart? https://t.co/SqNuoIe4ve #M…
We’ll miss you all, but are please for you that at last you will be back together.
Love the Carrolls
Thanks so much, Linda. What a lovely surprise to see a comment from you on my blog. The spare room is waiting if “the Carrolls” fancy a trip to Canada. xxx
RT @JenGilroy1: Tech Guy is moving to #Canada & my #family will be reunited. What have we learned by time apart? https://t.co/SqNuoIe4ve #M…
What a happy blog, Jen. I am so pleased that things have finally worked out so well for you and your family. It must have been very hard being apart, especially at a time when your daughter needed so much support, and I wish you all well for your future together.
Thank you for your good wishes, Sue. It was indeed hard being apart, and I thank you for being such a staunch support to English Rose and I at a distance.
Wonderful news, so pleased for you all! Best of luck with the new job TechGuy … Think it’s going to be a very special Christmas this year! ??
Thanks very much, Lally. I really appreciate you reading my blog and commenting. Christmas 2016 will be very special indeed!