Day 92 Week 13

Gosh twelve weeks completed and commencing the thirteenth. It never gets any easier though.

Glorious golden sunshine and freezing cold air and am going for a walk to take in some vitamin D. That's the one you get from sunlight or is it from carrots? Back to work tomorrow and am looking forward to being in the land of the living and amongst my wonderful colleagues but am aware that I feel a weird detachment from everything. Back to the parallel universe thing - normal life versus Afghanistan-tainted life.

Dinner with H was fabulous. Lots of catching up on conversation and inevitable analysis of C's situation. H puts on a brave face but I know he's just as scared as the rest of us, they're not just brothers but the cliched best friends and he admitted he never has C out of his mind for a moment. Then all H and C's friends turned up at the pub and lots of kissing and hugging followed. Sat talking to P, who's also in the army, and he's due to 'go out' in a couple of months. This will be his second tour and he said it's not so bad as it seems over here but I didn't really believe him. They're all so buoyant and optimistic, is that because of youth or are they slightly bonkers, in the nicest possible way. Probably a bit of both. Was escorted home and then R arrived and went out with them as it was H's last night home. God bless them all.

Arrived back home this afternoon after taking a lovely walk to visit C's honorary God Mother and washed my hair which I then dried it with my hairdryer. Well that was the theory anyway because no sooner had I switched the said electric appliance on than there was this huge blue flash, followed by a large bang and then the gentle purring was replaced by a screaming banshee. Froze for a second and then brain kicked in and I threw the possessed creature across the floor and quickly switched off the power. The air was filled with the acrid smell of burning electricity and I sat shaking on the bottom of the stairs. Oh my God it just goes to show that you never really do know when your number's going to come up and hope the guardian angel protects C with the same dedication and efficiency.

H has been taken to the station by his father as he's gone back to Dartmouth and R gone to her boyfriend's. No news from C, usual prayers offered. Keep up the good work please Lord.

Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x