In January 2009 the transfer finally came with a three-month probationary period that ended up being eight. The company decided that they would pay for Harry to live in a chambre d’hotes for eight months and bring the family out in August, in time for the new school year! And so began an exhausting eight months of long distant weekly commuting, and for me, full-time single parent-hood and a frenzied rush to complete the house for letting.