Only In Australia ...

*facepalm*

"Soldier" - a poem for Remembrance Day

Today is Remembrance Day. That will mean something different to all of you, I know. Having grown up in an army family, I've always been very aware of how wars and death affect people - and I know it may one day affect mine too. So here's a poem I wrote today for all the soldiers - not just those in the World Wars - but for all soldiers who've fought and died for their countries.

Soldier
I stood at your graveside,
So many years before.
And as I stood I wondered,
What were you fighting for?

A flag, a friend, a country?
Or a higher, heavn'ly call?
Or were you simply fighting
For no reason, weren't you all?

You were only seventeen,
Or so your gravestone read.
Your name was simple, like the cross,
Stark white above your head.

Did you have a lover,
Waiting for you back at home?
Or did you leave a brother
To face the war alone?

I'll never know your answer,
But, I promise, this November
I'll wear my poppy proudly,
To show you I remember.

I Liiiiiiiiiiiive!

Hey everyone! I'm alive!
Just thought I'd let you know that ....

I probably should have posted this yesterday, but due to a combination of lack of food/ sleep deprivation/ pain I was a little too dishevelled to do so. Still, nothing a shower and a good sleep won't sort out eh?

Anyway, regarding my trip, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. For a start, we got tents (yes! real tents, not just smelly ponchos!) and we didn't have to hunt out our dinner either. Although, I might have preferred squirrel sandwiches to that dire plastic cheese....
Dartmoor was, well, Dartmoor, so we got very wet. It was freezing too, I'll tell you that. You don't believe me? Well, I was wearing six layers, a waterproof, two pairs of gloves and a massive beanie hat and I was STILL cold.

I won't bore you with everything I did (mostly just navigation practice, trekking, getting lost and a bit more trekking) but I will tell you about our little rock-climbing escapade. The climbing wall we had was alright - most of us got to the top okay. It was the abseil that scared the piddle out of me.

Twenty foot drop. Sheer cliffs. Wet ground. Self-Belaying system.
Was I scared? Hell yeah!

However, being the brave soul that I am, I volunteered to show the boys how brave I was by volunteering myself. Everything was fine as I was strapped in (namely because I had my eyes screwed shut to keep from lookin down) and came to the edge of the ledge. "Just take it slowly" said the officer in charge. I nodded and put my foot off the edge, looking for some purchase...
And dropped almost half a metre off the edge off the cliff.

Don't worry, don't worry, I was fine. In fact, after that little episode, I rather enjoyed the experience. However, the hilarity of the situation truly became apparent when I watched the video the officer had taken of my descent. He calls it "Robson's Magic Act."
Why, you ask?
Because one moment you see me (looking very pudgy in all my layers, standing on the edge, rope held very professionally, leaning back, feeling for handholds) and then .... you don't!
You hear me though. I swear I didn't know I could squeak at such a high pitch .... hee hee!

So yeah, I had a pretty good time, wet tents and gale-force winds aside. Now all I have to do is chew my nails over the results of the scholarship papers I took today, and about the ones I have in the morning too!

Isn't my life exciting? ;)

-Spook

Mud, Blood and Carnage Impending!

Hey all!
Phew! The week is finally over! At last, two days to slow down and catch up with everything without the fear of more work being heaped on on top of you! Sleep in on Sunday morning! Actually being able to have a social life! Wearing your own clothes!

Not for me though.

Today, at 4:00pm, I am going to be down at the Boys' School, shoving necessary pieces of kit into a bag, eating until my stomach bursts, flinging my bag into a bus and staring out the window as we drive off towards Dartmoor for our first Field Day as Veterans. Our officers will be sleeping in a barn - complete with hot water, toilets and a kitchen, while my company and I will be sleeping outside, protected from the elements by nothing but a sleeping bag and a poncho. These ponchos are also more than likely to fall down on top of us at some stage in the night. We won't be having ration packs (hallelujah!) but apparently we'll be eating "fresh rations" .... I believe this may constituite the hunting of some variety of fluffy woodland animal. I will return on Monday evening exhausted, smelly, coated in god-knows-what and most likely in some sort of pain.

I think I'm going to have the time of my life. I'm so excited! :D
I'll be sure to post up and tell you all about it as soon as I can once I get back!

Now, some last minute novelling is in order before I start getting ready.... let's do this thing!
-Spook