Gutted!

I hadn't known until last week that Connor was intending coming home this weekend, but as soon as I found out, I was really excited.  I'd planned to take him to see my new nephew - his new cousin, but as I'm not too well at the moment I thought it best not to go.  I realise that he's a 16 year old boy and doesn't really want to spend every free weekend with his old mum but I was still looking forward to seeing him, if only for an hour or so while I drove him back to barracks.  Gutted I was when he said his Dad was taking him back to the AFC without me having seen him.  Ah well, I had to be pleased for him really because he doesn't often spend much time with his Dad and there's only three more weeks to go until he finishes for Christmas and I'll definitely be seeing him then. 

Connor's latest update

From the telephone conversation I've just had it sounds as though Connor's starting to enjoy himself again.  He's made no further complaints about the bothersome injury that seemed to be distressing him so much just a few weeks ago, and his flu symptoms have now dissipated.  The three nights on exercise seem to have re-invigorated him, despite it being cold (-4 degrees!), muddy and physically draining.  He seemed particularly impressed with himself for staying awake on stag duty (night watch) lying face down in a cold and muddy pit for six whole hours!  Having said that, I think the prospect of losing a week's wages as punishment for falling asleep on duty was probably deterrent enough!  For someone who used to earn only ₤12 a week from a newspaper round prior to joining the army he seems to have become quite adept at clearing his wages every month!  He has a skiing trip booked for January and is touring Spain with his hockey team in February.  He used to play for a local hockey team while he was still at school and I'm pleased that he's taken it up again.

I'm really looking forward to seeing him this weekend as all being well, he's intending coming home.  He hasn't been home for five weeks and I think he's looking forward to a break and a little bit of TLC before the final stretch before Christmas.

Civilian to Soldier link

Just in case you were wondering, I've removed the link to the BBC i-player for the Civilian to Soldier film footage as it's now been removed from the i-player and is no longer available for viewing. 

Home safe and sound!

Connor's been on exercise in the Yorkshire countryside this week so I'm pleased that the weather has been better this week than of late.  He'd promised to ring me on Saturday when he'd arrived back and warmed up a bit, so I sat there all day like a lonely old fool, waiting for his call, grabbing my phone every time it sounded, but he didn't ring.  He still hadn't telephoned by 9.30pm so I texted him.  I knew he was back though because a soldier from another platoon had let it slip on the AFC's Facebook site that they'd been back since early in the afternoon and had been spotted in their lines polishing their rifles!  Anyway, it was only a brief text conversation but enough for me to know that he's ok and that he's been busy since returning, sorting out his kit and so on.  Hopefully, if I'm lucky, he might get a few minutes to chat tonight.

Sick soldier - again!

So much for being a super-tough junior soldier!  The poor little chap, after having his flu jab last week, has now got a throat infection, a chest infection and a small dose of the flu and is feeling very sorry for himself.  Especially since he had breathing difficulties whilst doing PT this morning and ended up being whisked down to the medical centre! 

On Friday and Saturday nights the junior soldiers are allowed to order in food, so in an attempt to cheer himself up he's put his order in for pizzas tonight and is looking forward to going shopping in town tomorrow, followed by Rememberance Parade and go-karting on Sunday.  Knowing what a hypochondriac he's become, it's to be hope he comes back from go-karting in one piece!

BBC Film of Connor's College - preview

Tune in to BBC2 at 15:05 on Saturday 13th November to see the BBC footage of the junior recruits!  Here's a bit of a preview!

News at last!

I've been lucky enough to grab a quick half hour on the telephone with Connor this evening.  He had lots of news to share.  I was interested to know in particular, how they'd conducted Remebrance day today.  At 11am this morning, as I was observing the 2-minute silence with hundreds of others, my thoughts were actually with Connor. I imagined that there would be lots of marching, followed by the silence and a lone bugle playing the last post.  It turns out that it wasn't actually quite like that and that due to the weather, the junior soldiers conducted their remembrance parade in the drill shed!  They're parading in a town somewhere on Sunday, although Connor wasn't sure where. 

Tomorrow, Connor's section have Battle PT, which by all accounts is physical training involving belly-crawling through lots of mud!  Given the amount of rain we've had recently, I imagine that it will be suitably muddy for them.

He's full of a cold and was sneezing and coughing down the phone.  Some of the lads have been really poorly resulting from being on exercise out on the Yorkshire Moors in this dreadful weather.  Connor's a tough cookie though and I'm sure he'll survive although I think he's secretly hoping that this weather will last into next week so that his platoon will stay at base instead of going out on manouvres! I can't say that I blame him either :-)

No news must be good news!

I have no news in particular from Connor but I know people have been checking back here regularly and must be wondering what's happening.  Well, I did hear from him briefly by way of text at the weekend, just to say that his platoon had done really well and come second in the leadership activities that took place last week.  I'm not sure what that entailed as I haven't had a chance to speak to him at length.  He rang briefly a couple of nights ago and promsied to phone back when he had more time, but I've heard nothing since then.  I can only assume that no news is good news, that he's busy and that he must be enjoying himself, given that I've received no message to the contrary.  A little while ago, I mentioned that he seemed down in the dumps due to an injury, which he has not mentioned since, so I suspect that that has resolved itself too. 

As soon as I hear from him, you'll be the first to know!