Saturday, June 6, 2009

I'm home.

I am home at last. I am currently taking some leave and reacquainting myself with Sharpe Jr, Mrs Sharpe, and the dishlickers. I am revelling in just the simple things, like constant power and running water. I have only asked Mrs Sharpe whether the water is running once when going to have a shower. I am also slowly adjusting to the idea that I’m home for good (well, for the foreseeable future anyway), and not going back when my leave finishes. I am also getting over that dislocated sensation of waking up in my own bed and not being sure where I am.

I won’t blog in any detail about the deployment. Not that any particular aspect was so harrowing that I don’t want to discuss it, but because I want to leave it alone for a while and just focus on being back at home. Suffice to say that if I have any sway in the matter, the next time I deploy will not be as part of a large international organisation mired in its own bureaucracy and ineptitude that allows civilians to run operations from in-theatre for purely political aims that ignore the military situation. Enough said.

Many thanks to all who send messages of support and especially to those who sent care packages, the constituents of which were put to very good use. In particular, the pre-dawn traditions on ANZAC Day would have been sorely lacking without them.

11 comments:

kae said...

Hurrah!

Welcome home.

Let us know when you're available (could be a while, huh?), for a few, I owe you a couple I think...

Pedro the Ignorant said...

Welcome home, Sharpie.

Have a coldie or two, you deserve it.

Mehaul said...

Welcome home. Did you bring the rain with you?

Richard Sharpe said...

No Mehaul, I was quite astounded to see water falling from the sky. It makes a nice change from sandstorms.

Nilk said...

Good to see you back, sir. :)

Huzzah!

Skeeter said...

Welcome home, Mr Sharpe, and enjoy your leave.

Paco said...

Welcome back, Sharp! Glad to hear you're doing ok.

Boy on a bike said...

Welcome back!

You eat Twisties at the dawn service?

Richard Sharpe said...

Twisties were served after lunch between games of two-up. It was...ahem...other products that were mixed with coffee before the dawn service.

bingbing said...

How's home treating you?

Richard Sharpe said...

Hi Bingbing. I'm back at work now trying to conjure up the motivation to treat the minutae of normal life seriously. It will pass and I'll assimilate back in.