FEATURES TALES from the C Excepts:


A Modern Military Mother May 16, 2010: When I first met Hagar and we were in the throws of young love I had a perception of what a military officer’s wife was like and it wasn’t me.


I looked down my arrogant, young nose at those betrothed and thought I will never become one – ‘no way Jose’. To me, the military officer’s spouse wore a Laura Ashley frock, twin-set and pearls, her husband’s rank on her sleeve, and she arranged the flowers for the Mess in her spare time. ..


I was smoking pot, wearing skate clothes; hoody, baggy trousers, and unfeasibly large trainers, writing angry, satirical, feminist verse, surfing, adventuring, pushing boundaries.


The military men fascinated me with their fast chat, powerful roles and unquestioning self-assurance. We clashed delightfully and passionately; spending long evenings of red wine fueled, heated debates. Our battlefield for intellectual supremacy played out in late night games of Trivial Pursuit, Risk, Backgammon, The Name Game and Escape from Colditz.


Time passed and Hagar proposed. I sold out to feminism and accepted. The subjugation began and, nestled in the security and comfort of newlywed love, I tiptoed into the community I had readily dismissed …


A family affair August 11, 2010: A truly splendid day! RAF Odiham families day was spectacular. My feet hurt but I have that warm, buzzy feeling that you get after a thoroughly splendiferous time…


….The highlight was, of course, The Grenade’s and my 20-minute jaunt over Basingstoke, in the magnificent


Domestic


lare says: “Te book was turned down by a major publisher because I wasn’t very likeable. I didn’t want to dilute the copy to make me more likeable. I wanted


to write honest reflections of my experiences regardless of whether they are popular or not. Te blog hasn’t been well received by the military community but it has been warmly received by the blogging community. Tis is my truth.


MkIII CH47, aka the Chinook helicopter. I was so excited as we arrived at the station.


Unpacking the car, I could hear the ambient thud of the rotors in the distance. As we walked up to the airfield, we were greeted by the marvellous sight of four parked aircraft with their blades turning.


The Grenade and I left Hagar with The Menace, and Mrs Vino, The Little Moo and Game Boy (our guests for the day) while we queued for our helicopter adventure. We were ushered into the main briefing room and took our seats.


When it had finished the Flt Lt, who was giving the brief said; “Simple enough. Any questions?”! The Grenade’s hand shot up.‘S**t.’ I thought, ‘what’s he going to say?’ He can be very unpredictable. I was checking the exits to see how I could surreptitiously leave without drawing any further attention to ourselves! “Yes, young man,” said the young officer! ‘Damn!’ I thought!


“I am SO going to get airborne!” he gleefully declared.! “Yes, you are. Good question,” came the reply.


A huge sense of relief swept over me….


….Inside the holding tent, before embarkation, we were given our helmets. The beauty of the helmet was that it muffled out all the noise of the rumbling rotors, and also, the witterings of The Grenade, who was asking me a barrage of questions that I couldn’t answer.


“When we go up in the aircraft mummy will we not be able to breathe because the air is thinner?”


“No, we won’t be going up that high.” ! “How high will we be going?” ! “Probably beneath the clouds.”! “But will we go above the clouds, and then the air will get thinner!”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64