Still no news of when C should arrive home God willing.
Had a call from C's gorgeous girlfriend's Mum this afternoon and she was very emotional. She had been watching GMTV in the morning and at the end of the seven o'clock news after a round-up of travel horror-stories relating to volcanic fallout, she'd heard the newsreader say 'but the good news is C, who has been serving in Afghanistan, is due to return home to his family and mother E this weekend'.
Trying to find a copy of the broadcast but am blown away by the kindness of people wanting, loving and wishing C Godspeed back to us all. As indeed all of us do for all of them out there.
Dear friend called in this evening to say hello and lift spirits and it sort of worked.
No news from or of H. R out with girlfriends in the golden, warm evening sunshine. Fellow soldier's Mum heard that her boy, M, is to be delayed by two days because of the delays.
We just want our lives and families back to where they were, nothing more.
Thank you Lord for the day given.
Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x
Friday, 23 April 2010
Thursday, 22 April 2010
Day 201 Week 28
Had a call from C and the good news is he's OK but the downside is he's still in Afghanistan.
Would appear the chaos from the volcano has precipitated more travel backlog for the military as well as civilians, and he has no idea when the will return to his homeland but thinks it could be in the next few days. Let's hope so. He assured me that as far as he was concerned, the tour was well and truly over, and all he and the men were doing was waiting around for an aircraft home. Definitely no active service. Well that was what he said anyway.
And he still has to go to Edinburgh before coming home.
Saw the doctor and have been referred urgently for physio and heat treatment on recently damaged ankle and he felt certain the pain and new swelling in formerly damaged symmetrical joint is as a result of ungainly gait.
Saw a dear friend for coffee earlier on and that lifted the spirits, and am waiting for another dear friend to pop around now.
Feel awful. Feel scared I'm never going to be normal again. Just want to get out of bed without searing pain reminding me that I can't walk.
Nice new friend been in Bath for the day and am looking forward to speaking to him later.
No news from H and C wondered if he was stranded too. R being brill and wandering around looking fab in a face mask, don't know why as she has such a beautiful peaches and cream complexion but I guess I was just the same at her age.
Fellow soldier's Mum in limbo too.
Please bring them home Lord.
Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x
Would appear the chaos from the volcano has precipitated more travel backlog for the military as well as civilians, and he has no idea when the will return to his homeland but thinks it could be in the next few days. Let's hope so. He assured me that as far as he was concerned, the tour was well and truly over, and all he and the men were doing was waiting around for an aircraft home. Definitely no active service. Well that was what he said anyway.
And he still has to go to Edinburgh before coming home.
Saw the doctor and have been referred urgently for physio and heat treatment on recently damaged ankle and he felt certain the pain and new swelling in formerly damaged symmetrical joint is as a result of ungainly gait.
Saw a dear friend for coffee earlier on and that lifted the spirits, and am waiting for another dear friend to pop around now.
Feel awful. Feel scared I'm never going to be normal again. Just want to get out of bed without searing pain reminding me that I can't walk.
Nice new friend been in Bath for the day and am looking forward to speaking to him later.
No news from H and C wondered if he was stranded too. R being brill and wandering around looking fab in a face mask, don't know why as she has such a beautiful peaches and cream complexion but I guess I was just the same at her age.
Fellow soldier's Mum in limbo too.
Please bring them home Lord.
Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Day 200 Week 28
Two hundred days. A whole two hundred days. And to celebrate had the most incredible, fantastic, momentous news ever wished for.
C is no longer in Afghanistan.
Yes, can hardly believe it, but C is no longer in that desperately ravaged, alien land playing a hideous game of kill or be killed.
Finding it very difficult to write tonight as for all the world never once did I imagine all those dark, scary, lonely, terrifying weeks ago that I would find out by virtue of a virtual chat room that my younger son was actually, in his words, 'a third of the way home'. Now, of course, the task is trying to calculate with limited information and unknown geography, just where in the world he is.
Sent the round robin text message and as ever was blown away by the love and best wishes of everyone.
Never dare I wish this day would arrive. Never did I stop praying it would.
Saw on the MoD website that today is also the day 3 Rifles officially hand over control of the menacing terrain around Sangin to the Marines and in superb British phlegm was informed that the first task to be undertaken was a renaming ceremony. So it is that the loos are now 'heads', the cookhouse is a 'galley', brews are 'wets' and scoffs (food) are 'scrans'. Good to know priorities are recognised.
Heard from H and he said simply 'Ma the best news'. R being sweet and took me out in the car. No more news about my wandering soldier boy.
Nice new friend looking after me and fellow soldier's mum also daring to see a light at the end of the tunnel which may, possibly, not be an express train coming from the opposite direction after all.
Downside is ankles are vile.
Thank you Lord and please still keep your arms around him.
Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x
C is no longer in Afghanistan.
Yes, can hardly believe it, but C is no longer in that desperately ravaged, alien land playing a hideous game of kill or be killed.
Finding it very difficult to write tonight as for all the world never once did I imagine all those dark, scary, lonely, terrifying weeks ago that I would find out by virtue of a virtual chat room that my younger son was actually, in his words, 'a third of the way home'. Now, of course, the task is trying to calculate with limited information and unknown geography, just where in the world he is.
Sent the round robin text message and as ever was blown away by the love and best wishes of everyone.
Never dare I wish this day would arrive. Never did I stop praying it would.
Saw on the MoD website that today is also the day 3 Rifles officially hand over control of the menacing terrain around Sangin to the Marines and in superb British phlegm was informed that the first task to be undertaken was a renaming ceremony. So it is that the loos are now 'heads', the cookhouse is a 'galley', brews are 'wets' and scoffs (food) are 'scrans'. Good to know priorities are recognised.
Heard from H and he said simply 'Ma the best news'. R being sweet and took me out in the car. No more news about my wandering soldier boy.
Nice new friend looking after me and fellow soldier's mum also daring to see a light at the end of the tunnel which may, possibly, not be an express train coming from the opposite direction after all.
Downside is ankles are vile.
Thank you Lord and please still keep your arms around him.
Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
Day 199 Week 28
Ankles poo and really painful and hate being back to being an invalid. Want to be back in the world of the animated living and not stuck in a shrunken existence yet again.
Still cannot complain if the reality is that C finishes the tour intact and I'm the one less than perfect. That's precisely the way it should be.
Delicious supper of macaroni cheese with garlic and onions, all with a warm broccoli and runner bean salad with my dear friend, colleague and buddy. She came round to see me this evening after college and it was great to see her and catch up with the news about everyone at work, and just want to be back doing my job again. Work is definitely good for the mind and to be gainfully employed in a worthwhile role is certainly salvation.
Britain still cut-off from the skies and the spillage appears to be growing as the demonic volcano has seemingly been spewing again.
Heard from H and the US Navy has redeployed the ship so he will not sail back to Blighty on board and so suppose he is technically one of the stranded across the pond. R home and revising hard for her first year university exams. And no news from C.
Fellow soldier's Mum says M told her that they will fly them back to Cyprus and then coach back to the UK, and so hope that applies to C too.
Please Lord let this cliff hanger end happily.
Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x
Still cannot complain if the reality is that C finishes the tour intact and I'm the one less than perfect. That's precisely the way it should be.
Delicious supper of macaroni cheese with garlic and onions, all with a warm broccoli and runner bean salad with my dear friend, colleague and buddy. She came round to see me this evening after college and it was great to see her and catch up with the news about everyone at work, and just want to be back doing my job again. Work is definitely good for the mind and to be gainfully employed in a worthwhile role is certainly salvation.
Britain still cut-off from the skies and the spillage appears to be growing as the demonic volcano has seemingly been spewing again.
Heard from H and the US Navy has redeployed the ship so he will not sail back to Blighty on board and so suppose he is technically one of the stranded across the pond. R home and revising hard for her first year university exams. And no news from C.
Fellow soldier's Mum says M told her that they will fly them back to Cyprus and then coach back to the UK, and so hope that applies to C too.
Please Lord let this cliff hanger end happily.
Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x
Monday, 19 April 2010
Day 198 Week 28
Well the situation just becomes more and more absurd.
The Royal Navy being dispatched to foreign ports, in the form of Ark Royal and Ocean, to collect an estimated hundred thousand stranded Brits still abroad. And HMS Albion off to Spain as the Prime Minister has promised to bring 3 Rifles home, and planes can land there.
What a finale.
Don't know if C is one of those stuck in Europe or Afghanistan. Just hope and pray if it is the latter that he's not still on active service, but fear that wish may just be that.
Dear friend came and visited this evening. Good leg bad and bad leg not much better. Want to be able to walk properly. Everything's gone topsy-turvy again.
Not heard from H. R just gone out for dinner with friends. No news from C.
Fellow soldier's Mum's computer is playing up so hope that's why haven't heard from her, and that things are good for her too.
Please Lord let this bizarre climax reach a safe conclusion.
Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x
The Royal Navy being dispatched to foreign ports, in the form of Ark Royal and Ocean, to collect an estimated hundred thousand stranded Brits still abroad. And HMS Albion off to Spain as the Prime Minister has promised to bring 3 Rifles home, and planes can land there.
What a finale.
Don't know if C is one of those stuck in Europe or Afghanistan. Just hope and pray if it is the latter that he's not still on active service, but fear that wish may just be that.
Dear friend came and visited this evening. Good leg bad and bad leg not much better. Want to be able to walk properly. Everything's gone topsy-turvy again.
Not heard from H. R just gone out for dinner with friends. No news from C.
Fellow soldier's Mum's computer is playing up so hope that's why haven't heard from her, and that things are good for her too.
Please Lord let this bizarre climax reach a safe conclusion.
Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Day 197 Week 28
Heard from C via a chat room and he told everyone, 'of all the things I thought could delay our return to the UK, I never considered a f***ing volcano'. Says it all really.
Seemingly the dust cloud was spawned by a baby volcanic eruption in Iceland, and historically whenever that has occurred then Mummy (living next door) has always followed suit and blown her top in response. And no one can remember the name of this troublesome child as it's very long and Nordic. Jury out as to whether it is male or female.
If you want to make God laugh then make plans.
C's return has been delayed.
Had a lovely day hobbling, with dear friends, around a small section of the grounds of a stunning former home turned posh hotel situated in the Thames Valley. This establishment so beloved of premiership footballers for their weddings is both divine and infamous, as it has a salacious link to a political scandal of the nineteen sixties which subsequently brought down the then government. Joyful journey there and back, as was passenger in a fabulous convertible and it was fun playing 'Thelma, Louise and friend sans Brad' with dear ones.
Dear friend on the stumble, told me that she has received the second letter from C in three days, and he is not doing 'the post' as was lead to believe, but is away from his Battalion and 'handing over'. This dear friend has religiously e-blueyed C every Sunday during the tour, and am now terrified he's not safely confined to barracks, but is still exposed to clear and present danger.
Please Lord continue to keep him and his fellow soldiers safe.
Not heard from H post demi-marathon. R arrived home with the lark and C's best friend as a chaparone at sunrise and has been very sweet today. And no more news from C.
Fellow soldier's Mum in exactly the same boat.
Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x
Seemingly the dust cloud was spawned by a baby volcanic eruption in Iceland, and historically whenever that has occurred then Mummy (living next door) has always followed suit and blown her top in response. And no one can remember the name of this troublesome child as it's very long and Nordic. Jury out as to whether it is male or female.
If you want to make God laugh then make plans.
C's return has been delayed.
Had a lovely day hobbling, with dear friends, around a small section of the grounds of a stunning former home turned posh hotel situated in the Thames Valley. This establishment so beloved of premiership footballers for their weddings is both divine and infamous, as it has a salacious link to a political scandal of the nineteen sixties which subsequently brought down the then government. Joyful journey there and back, as was passenger in a fabulous convertible and it was fun playing 'Thelma, Louise and friend sans Brad' with dear ones.
Dear friend on the stumble, told me that she has received the second letter from C in three days, and he is not doing 'the post' as was lead to believe, but is away from his Battalion and 'handing over'. This dear friend has religiously e-blueyed C every Sunday during the tour, and am now terrified he's not safely confined to barracks, but is still exposed to clear and present danger.
Please Lord continue to keep him and his fellow soldiers safe.
Not heard from H post demi-marathon. R arrived home with the lark and C's best friend as a chaparone at sunrise and has been very sweet today. And no more news from C.
Fellow soldier's Mum in exactly the same boat.
Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x
Saturday, 17 April 2010
Day 196 Week 27
The day absolutely perfect weather wise and it's really quiet spooky not to have jumbos straining overhead once a minute as the UK still subject to a flight ban.
Hope that doesn't affect flights returning from Afghanistan.
Had a really lazy day as leg very painful and feel like I'm going down with the cold nice new friend caught from his son. Leisurely lunch of fish and bread and cheese all washed down with some delicious white wine and am now ready for bed.
Can this really be the beginning of the last week? Have we really reached this juncture? Can all the horrors be in their final seven days of existence?
Please God it is so.
Just looked H's facebook page and he's about to run the half marathon at eight thousand feet in the New Mexico desert and the proceeds from sponsorship will be divided between Help for Heroes, Combat Stress and the Rifles' Benevolent Fund. Well done H. R in a strop because I was worried about her. And again no news from C.
Fellow soldier's Mum feels just the same. as I'm sure all the other Mums, Dads, brothers, sisters, and loved ones do.
Please Lord keep them spared.
Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x
Hope that doesn't affect flights returning from Afghanistan.
Had a really lazy day as leg very painful and feel like I'm going down with the cold nice new friend caught from his son. Leisurely lunch of fish and bread and cheese all washed down with some delicious white wine and am now ready for bed.
Can this really be the beginning of the last week? Have we really reached this juncture? Can all the horrors be in their final seven days of existence?
Please God it is so.
Just looked H's facebook page and he's about to run the half marathon at eight thousand feet in the New Mexico desert and the proceeds from sponsorship will be divided between Help for Heroes, Combat Stress and the Rifles' Benevolent Fund. Well done H. R in a strop because I was worried about her. And again no news from C.
Fellow soldier's Mum feels just the same. as I'm sure all the other Mums, Dads, brothers, sisters, and loved ones do.
Please Lord keep them spared.
Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x
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