So That Was October

October was a strange month and quite frustrating.  The first two weeks were spent undergoing a maintenance package so operationally we had little to do.  As always I had lot of planning to do for next years programme and liaising with the squadrons for Novembers programme kept me busy.  For the first two weeks I put a lot of effort into planning for our involvement in staff college sea days.  I know it was going to be a horrid week but we would have been busy which is always good.  Anyway surprise, surprise we broke down and ended up swing around an anchor for 12 days waiting for a dry dock.

 

As we broke down our plans for having little William christened in Portsmouth were scuppered but we managed to have it re-organised for Falmouth. Only problem was we got stuck at anchor so we had to postpone it a further week.  Thankfully we finally got into Falmouth and the christening went ahead.  I had been quite worried how it was going to go as the little monster was screaming his head off an hour before the service and we couldn’t get him to settle. Thankfully he calmed down before the service and then managed to sleep all the way through, even when the Chaplin poured water over his head.  It really was a great day and it was lovely having the little ones and Debbie onboard for a few days. Both Elizabeth and William have such great little characters it does make it hard to go away but I have to earn a living I suppose.

 

Well came sailing day the wind got up so the ship got stuck in dry dock, however I did manage to get some sea time as one of our other ship’s was in the Bay and was loosing it’s XO for a few days so I was asked to transfer. Although I knew I would have to return to a pile of work I jumped at the chance as it meant a promotion, if only for a few days.  I had quite a hairy joining as I had a lift from some RM chaps in a fast black boat; it was quite exhilarating at first but once we got out into the bay the ride was quite jarring.  I thought I would get to the ship suffering from whiplash and incapable of doing the job. Thankfully that wasn’t the case and it was a fun boat ride.  At least I had been on the ship before so things were familiar and having to Dock up and down on the LSDA’s is reasonably straight forward. Well only another two days of being Executive Officer and then it is back to my other ship for my final month before leave. At least the transfer back should be a bit smoother and I will be getting a lift door to door as our embarked flight are coming to pick me up so I get a ride in a helicopter, it’s all good fun.

 

Well only a month left and then I will be home and on leave for a couple of months. It will be good to get home and see Debbie and the little ones.  After almost five months I am sure Debbie will need a rest as it can’t be easy looking after the little ones day in day out.

 

As always I have started drawing up a jobs list for when I am on leave as there is always so much maintenance to do around the house. I just never seem to get on top of it. This leave though I am determined to get it cracked and get the jobs ticked off.

 

Well so that was October, I wonder what November will bring.