Pointing Towards Home

We are finally pointing towards home now we have past the halfway stage of the deployment. Must say I am looking forward to getting back to the UK in December and seeing the family. I think it certainly gets harder to go away especially as I miss so much of the kiddies growing up. I really can't believe my little Girl is six, my monster will be five in November and little Matthew will be one on Friday (Halloween).

At least with this shore posting, if you can call it that when I am stuck on Bulwank, should give a bit more stability and I should get to see the little ones more regularly so I can see them grow up. Well, for the next two years or so and then it will be back to being away in four month stints again. Admittedly it is easier with Skype and phone calls but I still miss everyone at home. I don't miss the kiddies fighting or not doing what they are told though. 

It is a strange life at sea though, we shut ourselves off from the world in a floating metal box and escape society and yet crave normality. We are surrounded by some wonderous sights, we see wonderful sunrises and perfect night skies. We are guided through our travels by dolphins and flying fish and yet I long for the hills of home. I know that when I hand up my sea boots for the final time I will always yearn for that open horizon. I will no doubt feel different by the time they finally let me retire though in 2040. Let's just hope I win the lottery before that, which reminds me I must buy a ticket.

It's been a while

It's been a while since I last wrote my blog (20 months), it has either been a long time with writers block or I have just been bone idle (probably the latter). A fair few things have happened it that time, as can be expected and I must make more of an effort to keep this up to date. 

The most notable change is that the little ones are growing up quickly and they now have a baby brother (he will be 1 at the end of the month). The first few months were a little stressful as he was not well but now to see the three of them smiling together makes it all worth while.

I have also taken up a shore post for three years. We'll a semi shore post as part of the time I am at sea and part of the time ashore. On the plus side I only tend to be away for 4 months and the rest of the year I am ashore so I get to go home most weekends. 

Other than that everything is a bit of a blur, I just don't know where the time goes anymore. Life is certainly flashing by, that's no bad thing when I am on board but it is a real bugger when I am home as there are always so many things I want to do or achieve. Perhaps I just need to learn to slow down, or more likely I need to learn to manage my time better.

Any I will endeavour to kick my own behind and update my blog more often but as a picture paints a thousand words here are a few from the last few months.