Emigration

Well I'm living in Canada now as a married woman, even if it felt at one time as if we'd never get here!
I had a sale going through on my house November 1999 and nothing came of it, but I knew there was someone else interested too. However the interested party went elsewhere as they thought a sale was going through on my house. It must have been fate because their house purchase fell through and they came right back to me and said they wanted my house! They wanted to move quickly as they had to get out of a flat, and of course I wanted to get to Canada!!

House sale

On Monday the 3rd April 2000 I got a phone call from my solicitor to say that they wanted me out for the 12th April....and that was only 9 days away! I phoned the travel agents for a flight, which I half expected to be a problem as it was near to Easter. Trust me to choose the day that Air Canada computers crashed and there were problems finding alternative flights! Whilst I did have the offer of somewhere to stay if needed, we wanted to be on our way to our new life. Finally after 3 hours of phoning around they found me the only available flight they could find for 3 of us. The fact that it was with Lufthansa and was via Frankfurt didn't matter at this stage! The flight was on the 11th April, which gave us 8 days to sell furniture etc and go! What an 8 days that was, believe me! A friend helped clear the rest of my stuff out the day I left.

The Journey

The journey itself was a good one, apart from the length of the travelling, which of course was longer because of the stopover in Frankfurt. We set off early morning and arrived after 17 hours of travelling , delayed also by the ritual of Immigration.
We arrived to a freak snowfall, the first snow that we had experienced that winter. The boys built a snowman the following day which lasted all week, until Saturday when it was 26C !
It was a familiar place and with familiar people but a strange feeling at first that this time we were here to stay. Everyone welcomed us and said it was good to have us back. Andrew and Paul got a month off school as we decided to leave it a couple of weeks to settle in before we tried to get them in school. We waited until after Easter and then soon got them in school in Aurora. They thoroughly enjoyed the trip to school on the yellow school bus (like "The Simpson's" Andrew told me!) I can tell you that I liked the idea of a free school bus instead of turning out in all weather, and also knowing they arrive safe and get home safe.

I had a lot to do finding out where the local stores were and where to go for what, as well as trying out the local bus routes. The first month or so seemed to go slowly but I suppose that was because we were still learning about the place. Easter was a family get together which we all enjoyed, and it made up for the fact we were apart for the previous Christmas.

A Wedding Story

We started making enquiries about getting married and discovered things we weren't told when we enquired before.  I ended up having to go to a lawyer here with my divorce papers and chat to him, and he provided me with a letter to say in his opinion I was divorced under Ontario law. Of course, all this costs extra money, like anything else! We had to wait about another month for the papers to arrive from the Registrar General to approve the marriage and provide us with a letter that we were legally able to marry under Ontario law. This meant we could go to City Hall and book the date! I had already bought my outfit and shoes, and made my bouquet of silk flowers, ready prepared for a short notice wedding! We booked the wedding for the 8th July which at this time was only 2 1/2 weeks away. We just had to get the boys kitted out in smart clothes and shoes and we were ready.
The day came round really quickly and whilst we only had a few family members there, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day. We were married at North York City Hall at 4.30pm on the 8th July 2000. We originally planned to marry on my birthday which was the 4th July, but there were problems with some family members getting time off work, so we moved it to the following Saturday. The weather was hot but less humid (thankfully) than it had been and the sun shone on this special day. The Minister we had added his own special touches to the ceremony and made it really nicer than we expected. Mike's eldest son, Matthew,19, was best man, and his younger son Luke, 17, videoed the day for us. My sons, Andrew,11, and Paul,9, were the ring bearers. Mike's mum was my witness and she thoroughly enjoyed the day!
So now we were Mr. and Mrs. Carbe (pronounced Carbay). And instead of confetti we were surrounded with wedding bubbles, the latest craze for weddings. I don't think the guests had had so much fun in ages! Apart from Mike's youngest brother who had forgotten what to do!
We took our wedding guests to an Italian eatery called Vinnie Zuchinni's where you can eat as much as you like for one price. The boys ate pizza, garlic bread, ice-cream, more pizza, more ice-cream etc! How they weren't ill I don't know. We could not (despite trying) even sample a little of everything there because there was so much! How we all got up from the table I'll never know, we were all so full!

House Move

As if all this wasn't enough upheaval, we moved house from Aurora to Newmarket on the 29th July! House buying here is certainly better than in England. Signed sealed and date arranged for moving right at the start! And it is a legally binding contract, no gazumping or backing out! I can't tell you how good that is after being messed about in England with my house sale.
Our house is only 9 years old, only a town house but with one very big advantage than in the UK............. it has a basement! That wonderful place where mothers allow children to "hang-out" to get out of their way! And also where children love to go, especially when it is equipped with a TV and Video and Playstation along with toys! It still reminds me of the horror movies because it is also where the fuse box is as well as the washer and drier!! OK, so haven't you watched spooky movies?

Newmarket is a good family town, about a third the size of Blackpool but with good shops and plenty going on, especially in the summer.
They reckon they had more rain in April than they usually have all year, and they dared to blame it on me! They reckon the summer has been cool as it never got above 30C........ 29C with a high humidity making it feel like 36C was fine for me!!

Settling in

The boys are not talking with a Canadian accent yet (although I suspect Andrew may do at school, because I overheard him with one of his friends on the phone, and it was distinctly Canadian!) but they are using Canadian words. Mike says he is becoming bi-lingual fast! Chips to me are chips ...... as in fish and chips........... here chips are fries and crisps are chips. Biscuits here are like scones........ biscuits to me are called cookies here. Of course there is the pronunciation like tomato........ and they say banana and leisure strange too! You probably know the pavement is the sidewalk and petrol is gas........ but they don't queue here, they stand in line .........with their shopping cart......... not trolley! By and large everyone is very receptive to a British accent, and they all love it. The TV here runs a lot of British comedies, even if they are 10 years old! They seem to have the same sense of humour as we do.

The boys have settled into a new school in Newmarket, and have discovered they have to learn French every day.  Much to their disgust, they have to walk as the school is really near.
People ask me if I miss the UK, but my family is the boys, and of course, Mike. His family is now our family, and Andrew and Paul enjoy that immensely. I have to say that I do miss friends and what family I have back in Blackpool. A friend I have here came to Canada at the age of 12 and missed "home" very much. But like she says............ the internet has changed all that now we can keep in touch so easily.
I have a lot to thank the internet for........... had it not been for the internet I wouldn't have met Mike and wouldn't now be living in Canada and loving it every minute of it.

A True Romance !