Childs Play

The weekend's here already.

We've been back a week now and, jet lag aside, things are going well.

I've had an enjoyable first week back in work with a little jaunt down to Melbourne for a couple of days, breaking the week up nicely. The wife has had a hectic time, hampering any feelings of possible homesickness.

The girls have settled straight back into school. We were worried that our trip home would unsettle them, as they had such a good time meeting up with their old friends. They had a full day in Dewi Sant, their old school, and Lowri cried that night saying she wanted to stay in Wales, questioning, for the first time, why we had to move to Australia in the first place. Robyn looked a bit glum at the prospect of returning too.

During our stay, the girls both made rather poignant comments to me which I could really relate to. The sort of comments that only a child could make, but sum up the situation perfectly.

Lowri said to me, 'Dad, when I'm in Wales I don't think about people in Australia, but when I'm in Australia I always think about people in Wales.'

And after her day at her old school, Robyn said, 'Dad, in school some people called us the Australian girls. In Australia they call us the Welsh girls. I don't like it.'

What they said struck a chord with me and I had concerns about their feelings and emotions. Fortunately though, they got straight back into it and seem glad to be here.

They both came home today with outstanding mid-year school reports which made Pauline and I proud.

Australian or Welsh, they're good girls.