Sunday, December 25, 2005

Christmas Day!!!!

ITS CHRISTMAS!!!! What did we do? How did it go?? Well with all things considered it was a good day after all we’ve still got a job to do and the insurgents won’t take the day off so we can celebrate… Christmas eve was spent on IRT after our platoon commander dropped a Moral destroying bomb shell! We’d been on Allenby guard for the 24 hours straight after Ritz gate, every one was in high spirits as we were going onto IRT then taking over mobiles 1 on the evening of Christmas day so the odds were high we’d have the evening to have our 2 cans and celebrate Christmas as best we could. Also we’d been informed that officers form DIV HQ had volunteered to take over all our guard taskings for 4 hours on Christmas day allowing the whole company a bit of time to have dinner, gather together for a few words from the OC etc etc…. But to dampen the mood the platoon commander informed us our half of the platoon, multiple Bravo were being tasked to go out on a patrol at 11pm Christmas night! And the other half of the platoon would have the evening off.... Hey thats life, some one had to go out and the best thing to do is "get it down your neck!" and get on with it! Well you can imagine how the mood went from there…. So Christmas Eve night we sat in the IRT room watching Harry Potter and waiting to be crashed out to an incident but gladly that didn’t happen! We had some crackers, sweets and Santa hats to entertain our selves even though the mood in some was more “bar hum bug “than “HO HO HO!” once Casualty came on the TV and everyone’s parents on the show seemed to be dying at the same time we decided to hit the sack! In the morning the door to the IRT room crashed open and my instant thought was “Bol**ks we’re being crashed!” but it was the OC and company sergeant major coming to bring us our Christmas morning “gun fire” (its tradition for the officers to bring soldiers tea with rum in to there beds on Christmas morning) The good thing was we then changed over and were on 12 hours rest, for once the rotation landed nicely! Once I’d got back to my room, showered, shaved, sorted myself out and opened up my presents my moral was tip top but some were still very “bar hum bug!” my theory is it might be shit but you have to make the best of what ever the situation is and to be fair over here it could be allot worse! Even though we’d been dicked for this patrol why not stick a smile on and enjoy yourself! But after trying to explain that a few times I gave up a mid the refusals to wear Santa hats as Christmas was canceled! and other people trying to convince each other they’re the more hard done by one…. I went of to use the phones, it would be 7am in the UK 10am here but as the rush later would be ridiculous I thought it best to try now. The rush later was big as some people had to wait an hour and a half but they had to wait as they wanted to speak to there children on Christmas day but for people like me without children its not so desperate, I would love nothing more than to speak to Beth, my mum and my brother on Christmas day but I’m sure they’d understand if I couldn’t get to the phone but if I had children I’d queue for and hour and a half. Any way the rest of the day was good me and Warner put up our decorations made a cup of tea, sat down and watched a film “The 40 year old virgin” whilst scoffing chocolates! To be fair a typical thing to do on Christmas day. Then the company had a sing song and Christmas dinner, all in all very festive all things considered! Now however its back to the job we’re just about to start getting ready to go out on our patrol and it hasn’t stopped raining all day! And it’s hammering it down now so the roads are going to be bad! As sand and water make mud and lots of it!

13 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Glad you had a relatively good Christmas Day and managed to maintain some Christmas cheer, amongst the doom mongers!! Off to Shrewsbury tomorrow to spend a few days wth mum. I can send you out an unbrella if you want!!

12:41 pm  
Blogger Mike Hubbard said...

the umbrella might be a good idea as now the rains started i don't think its going to stop!

went out last night on a patrol and the tracks/roads were all mud baths the rovers were constantly sideways and getting stuck even with 4 wheels engaged! never experienced driving like it! it was worse than driving on snow!

7:14 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello Matey.

I'm glad that you had an alright christmas. I'll have to send you a umbrella that straps to your helmet so that you don't have to carry around. Infact you could have two beer holders on the side so that you can drink and stay dry at the same time. Hope your keeping well. Say hi to warner for us. Look after yourself.
Debs

12:24 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Hubby, don't really know what else to say apart from we miss you and love you, from Jade and Karl... did you get the Pringles (that did't actually have pringles in there)that my cousin sent you lot?

12:34 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Mike

Di here wishing you well from frosty Shrewsbury. think it was -7 last night. had tea at your mum's last night with Dave, karen and Lauren and of course new arrival the pup Pennie. She looks just like the andrex pups! hope you looking after yourself.
lots of love
Di
XXX

9:45 am  
Blogger Mike Hubbard said...

jade and karl,

hope your both OK we recived a batch of grow your own girlfreinds of ZA ZA your cousin :O)

DI,

nice to hear from you hope your doing ok too :O)

and happy new year to all!!

11:19 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

..A Happy New year to you and all the guys..

Be safe and know that whatever you and the guys are doing there will be others that will remember you too.

I will be plodding the beat in my local area at New Year, but will think of you all at the appropriate hour...

Be safe,hope its a quiet one for you...

10:45 am  
Blogger Mike Hubbard said...

many thanks for taking the time to read my blog mr anonymous i hope you had a quiet new year too :O)

1:04 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Did Telic 3/4 and had the CHristmas/ New Year away experience. Stay safe and stay careful all the best for 06

8:19 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Quite heatening to see so many replies. Jo public always looks afer the military even if they don't agree with why their there. (Currently not compling with the two casn rule!)

8:42 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Matey Di here,
Trying to do some work but its 10.30 on Friday 06th Jan and I just don't want to work today! Going to see your mum for tea again tonight - I don't always eat when i visit honest. Tomorrow eveing going for a balti and drink with family. Apart from that life is very quiet. Hope you ok and look forward to having a pint with you when you come home. Mum is fine all day taken up with new puppy Pennie. Weather cold and grey here so you ain't missing much, stay safe lots of love Di xxx

10:33 am  
Blogger Mike Hubbard said...

Yes it is nice to see so many comments being added thanks to every one for showing an interest:O)

To be honest Di its cold and wet here too!!!

5:37 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I might try the bomb routine, next time I go to HSBC at lunch time....fed up of queuing there. Then again, being in Wolverhampton, it would probably be believable!

;O)

4:07 pm  

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