Day 78 Week 11

Another poor lamb taken. Twenty nine years old - his adult life should just be beginning. May he RIP. Oh the poor family. Any life lost is sad but a young one's passing is a tragedy.

It may seem strange to grieve for a complete stranger but the sense of mourning that accompanies the news of another death of always makes me cry. I suppose it's a sense of all for one and one for all, these little individual components that make up the homogenous whole that is the army. The Unknown Soldier best explains the concept - no one knows who he really is but he somehow symbolises the loss of a whole generation and indeed subsequent generations, his anonymity serves to heighten the impact.

There was the most beautiful sunset tonight, the sky faded from blue into gold, resting above orange and then deep red, and the delicate new moon shone pink and looked as if it was winking. Made a wish and hope it comes true.

This is so strange, I'm sitting in my dining room with my excuse of a tree and outside still looks like Lapland and it's dark and cold and was totally silent but now the Police helicopter is sitting right over the roof of my house at an extremely low level. It's clattering rotor blades are echoing around and the walls are banging. Then realise that's what it must sound like in Afghanistan, well hopefully it should if the machines weren't so few. Suddenly a choir is singing Silent Night and am consumed with thoughts of soldier's in bleak hostile trenches making contact with an enemy in precisely the same condition as themselves. Briefly they came together and stopped the killing, only to be admonished for fear of subversion and an unofficial truce.

Usually have a huge fir-pine glistening with silver and gold dominating the room by now but this year couldn't face having one at all, and then felt that we had to bring the greenery into the house and so the compromise is a little live shrub in a pot with a small string of lights, and somehow it's perfect. Modestly respecting the time of year but not over burdened with indulgence and consumerism.

Iran teetering on the brink of internal unrest as well as confrontation with neighbouring states. A leading reformist cleric and critic of the government has died and it is feared the funeral tomorrow could erupt into violent demonstrations against the president. Yet more instability.

R out and about with friends, hopefully safe as the paths and roads are lethal. H rang home yesterday and may encounter severe difficulties trying to return home from France and not heard from C so thank goodness no developments.

Thank you everyone for all your kind wishes and parcels sent out to C and his guys.

Prayers, prayers and more prayers just for peace and calm and protection from harm. The Chinese statement 'may you have an interesting life' really can be a curse.

Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x