Posted by Peter Ceresole on July 22, 2009 at 19:07:25 user PeterC.
In Reply to: Re: Thoughts on posted by John on July 22, 2009 at 17:42:12:
I could never understand why the Swallows looked forward so joyously to the time when Daddy could take charge.
Oh, I could... They loved their Dad.
My father was a fairly thorough-going sort of chap, but when I was small it was war time, in London. He worked in Lower Regent Street (at number 11b- I looked it up the other day and I remember well the wonderful ships' models in the windows of the travel and shipping firms) and seeing him in the evening was a terrific thrill. What I hadn't realized (luckily) was how, during the raids, my mum never knew if he'd turn up in the evening, and he never knew if there was anything to turn up to. Much later he told me that he would telephone home, and if it rang then he knew the house was probably still standing.
The Walker children didn't have a war to contend with, but their father was away often and for long stretches of time. It must have been wonderful when he came home to be with them.