We came home

After 15 weeks away in Europe, we returned home to Canberra, Australia on Sunday 6 October.  Two days later, we returned to work.

It was great to have a welcoming committee when we came home.  Our two daughters, Sophie and Jessica, and grandson, Harvey, came to greet us.  Sophie and Harvey came from Melbourne.  It was also lovely to be greeted by beautiful spring weather.  It was the middle of a cold winter when we left in June.  It was so much better returning in spring.  Last year, we returned from Europe in winter.  Not nice.  This time, it was not nice to be welcomed home by a garden full of weeds, and a lawn mower that refuses to work.

Speaking of work, I returned to my job on Tuesday 8 October.  It is now the following weekend.  My first day back was by far the worst.  I felt lost.  I felt totally disconnected from my work.  I think this disconnect is worse the longer one is away from one's job.  You even forget how to do things.  After so long in Europe, I began to feel I had a new life and no longer worked in Canberra.  Travelling thousands of kilometres and having so many varied experiences does nothing to help prepare you for the day when you finally put away your passport and resume your 'former' life.

Each day back at work is better than the previous day.  Soon, I'll be back 'in the swing of things'.  Post-holiday blues is something that happens to many people, and I'd been expecting it.  The blues were much worse last year.

Shortly, I'll do one final blog post with some statistics.

We arrived home to beautiful spring weather.

Weeds galore have invaded our garden during our absence.

Spring is in the air.  This is some of our lavender.

A nearby blue pacific in its glory at this time of year.

Our neighbour's may bush, which blooms in May in Europe, but September-October here.

I returned to work for the first time since June.

My grandson, Harvey, at Canberra's annual Floriade event.

Harvey and I took a ride on the Ferris wheel.