Bits & Bobs

Busy month so far and we're only two weeks in! MOT & service for my car, house insurance sorted out, I have started tweeting and the in-laws have been up to stay. Plus hubby has been away more than he has been here, including disappearing half way though his parents visit lol, as much as I love them that was a rather long and stressful 24 hours!

Tonight (I started writing this last Monday!) I am watching The Choir: Military Wives on BBC2. It is fabulous and seems like a really good idea, despite the fact that it is making me cry! Gareth Malone wants to give the wives a voice, a very good and noble intention. Sadly, as far as I can tell we don't have a room with a piano! Plus I think that the small sense of community we do have on our patch would evaporate in a millisecond if I subjected the other wives to my singing voice!

Since taking over the newsletter and helping to organise events, I have realised that there really is not any sense of community here, the Regt is very spread out, not everyone is on the patch as there aren't a huge amount of quarters, but still, transport if available - although not well advertised! - and previously there have not been many events on that the wives have wanted to attend .. I am hoping that will change and we'll build up to being a true community, but we'll see!

However,  the army seems to want a community whilst being in charge of what comes out of a non-regulated part of the Regt .. opinions vary as to whether or not the wives are part of the army, as a 'wife of' I think we are a part in a support 'Rear Party' role, but we do not come under the army's authority, however much they wish we did!

All in all I am finding army life really good although slightly isolating. I don't feel a part of 'normal' life anymore, but as someone who lives on an army patch but who is not serving in the army I don't really feel part of army life .. somewhat stuck in the middle! The other wives I have met have all been lovely but - why is there always a but?! - being true British wives, we all tend to put a brave face on it as we don't want it going around the Regt that so-and-so's wife isn't coping and isn't she a bit pathetic! We know that people would be supportive, but just in case we keep our game face on and get on with it, just as our boys do.

I was thinking ...

I was thinking this evening whilst walking Jack - a fact I am rather surprised about seeing as my last but one day in work was insanely busy and I have been dreaming about a glass of cold vino since about 15:00!!  In any case, as we ambled around our local park/woods, stopping now and again to have a quick natter with the other walkers, I thought how lovely it is when you own a dog, we all know each other - although to be fair most of us only know each other by our dog's names! - and say hello, ask how each other are, say hello to each other's dogs and have a quick natter about our day.  It's just so lovely to be a part of this community, we don't know anything about each other really, but we know we love our dog's and that is enough to be nice to each other and pass the time of day.

Tina and I walk Jack and Ralph (her gorgeous staffy boy, will try and take a picture of him on Monday) together most mornings and have become very good friends as a result, she came to my hen do and I've bandaged Ralph's paw, friends for life!  When you know you've met someone as nuts about their dog as you are about yours you know you've found a decent person!

It is the same in the dog rescue community, as I've said previously, I have known Sarah & Paul who run Wiccaweys (http://www.wiccaweys.com/) for about 7/8 years now, and as a result I have met various people (through transport runs, at their home from which they run Wiccaweys, at dog shows, meeting up for rescue dog walks and on-line organising homechecks etc) who I have so much in common with, and there is nothing more inspiring than a bunch of relative strangers coming together to help to organise saving a dog's life.  It really does put 'normal' life into perspective when people are willing to drop everything to help an urgent transport run to get a dog from a pound to a rescue place and change their lives to fit a foster dog in.

All in all, anyone who truly loves their dog (by that I mean someone who has put the training and socialisation work in and who walks them come rain, shine, ice, snow etc etc) is okay by me .. and by Jack!