#marriedunaccompanied

[melkennett]

Only 5 more days until hubby is home and then we can start celebrating Christmas like everyone else! Married unaccompanied can be shite sometimes and especially round the holidays x x #marriedunaccompanied #militarywifelife #christmas https://www.instagram.com/p/CXmXjPhrQgY/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mille-at-home]

Wood chippings!

This might be a slightly different angle of my blogs but it’s important in my world, I got to say as important as our scrummy hot tub has turned out to be! Cory and Erin sit in that little thing together at the weekends and for the most part there is little arguing, even it that confined space. On Friday Cory was telling Erin how brave he was after vaccinations and what drama queens the girls were, “so when it’s your turn Erin just be brave and cut the drama eh?” Erin just replies ‘it’s ok I’m a military kid AND I’ve got ginger hair, I’m strong. Mum thinks it’s because I can beat her in sparring but I know I’m different!“ Bless their hearts! She can’t wait for secondary school and is counting down the days, Cory is telling her to come and see him immediately if anyone is nasty to her and he will sort them out! Finally…have I done this right? Yippee #thisisreal (By the way she has another year to go yet!).

Talking of brave, we both went to our next is brown training last week, anticipating perhaps being put forward after a couple more attendances but at the end of a pretty gruelling hour and a half we were told to get to Plymouth this weekend for grading! We were absolutely made up until I looked at the slip of paper to see it was Saturday. Damn and blast it - I have fought a few demon tears over it but persuaded Erin to go without me as Dad could take her and my training partner in crime. I can’t begin to tell you how disappointed I have been but job comes first, besides its my only contracted job and military wife employment can be hard to find! It’s a busy time of year for theatre school with reversals in full swing for the summer show.

We started the karate journey when Richie was in Afghanistan and even that seems a distant memory now, so it was important that Erin actually just did this. I told her I will catch up but I know I am fighting my own confidence and it is just not going to happen. I know I can’t do it on my own - the realisation that you will do anything for your children but they also do an awful lot for you. I think we may all forget this bit sometimes. So I am stuck. The next grading is a Saturday and the following is a Saturday and the one after that so its just not going to happen anytime soon regardless whether I could or couldn’t?! You see I’m at my own selfs stale mate. I have no idea what to do and have probably cried so much into my poor Richie’s shoulder this weekend that he must think I’m doubly hormonal or something! I’m not - just a little upset which in turn brings on the tremor! Damn that fooking tremor, it seriously hurts my neck trying to control it. Although alcohol is - fact. A medicinal remedy for essential tremors so I have taken that route instead! (I don’t like the feeling of the beta blockers).

The reason for this, I worked for a complete ass! That’s all. An controlling little ass who just happened to treat me and so many others so appallingly that it has left me with little confidence, a tremor and panic attacks?! It’s quite ridiculous but also quite real and if I’m honest I have no idea what to do about it as I can’t see why he should still have such a control over me - I need to get on with my life. I once stood in front of many health care professionals teaching dementia care, safeguarding, risk assessment, whistleblowing and above all bullying in the workplace! I can tell you every sign of bullying and abuse along with policies and procedures designed to protect employee against this type of treatment but when it came to me - I crumbled. I really thought I was much stronger than that but there you have it. I have a few demons yet to fight it seems. Considering what my husband does for us, this paragraph is a ridiculous to me as it probably is to you but that’s how it is.

Strength comes in many different forms and I have to make this a little upbeat now because I don’t want anyone thinking I’m too weak you know - we had two trees cut down last week and I asked the tree surgeon for the chippings so that we could use them at the front of the garden, he kindly said he’d bag them up for me but I was busy having my keyboard lesson whilst two men were strapped to tress with chainsaws, I didn’t supervise. Anyway I go out a few hours later and all the wood chipping had just been blown into one corner, there was a bloody mess and they had happily strewn logs over into next doors bit of land mistaking it for the woods, it’s overgrown but not that bad! So, today I have been out the back of the house with a rake and a plastic jug filling bags and taking them to the front to lay on the freshly laid weed reducing stuff Richie worked on yesterday. When he phones I proudly tell him I have filled and moved 27 bags of this stuff and there is still piles of it left to which he replies "It will disintegrate quickly anyway because it’s not treated, it will need replacing in 12mths or so” Really? WTF? I have been to work, done all that; hoovered the house and put the washing away before collecting Erin! For it to last 12 months?! Now I feel fooking hormonal!!!

Moral of the story is, this tree surgeon was several hundred pounds cheaper than others and sometimes you get what you pay for!

Have a good week all. Mille xx

[melkennett]

So that’s hubby gone again until Christmas, but what an amazing weekend celebrating our grandsons 1st birthday ❤️ it’s the smallest of things that matter in life. #militarywifelife #marriedunaccompanied #grandson #christmas https://www.instagram.com/p/CXZTYmwrX5h/?utm_medium=tumblr

[melkennett]

Another weekend gone too soon. That’s hubby gone again until December ❤️ Sometimes being a military wife sucks, but at least I have a chance to miss someone who means so much to me x x #militarywife #marriedunaccompanied #missingmysoulmate #smugmarried https://www.instagram.com/p/CWRHcPrri3H/?utm_medium=tumblr

[melkennett]

Had such an amazing weekend with hubby home. Sadly all things come to an end and hubby is back in Hampshire, but I can sleep tonight with positive thoughts and a grateful heart ready for adventures this week 🥰 x x x #armywife #marriedunaccompanied #greatfulheart https://www.instagram.com/p/COGicklLs7U/?igshid=1b6nk4n7rgqpu

[melkennett]

Good afternoon all 🥰 So I haven’t been posting as much about my online business as I took time away from everything for a little while.... I kind of unplugged myself a little to focus on things and recharge! So now I’m back and recharged. let the fun at Melkennettlifestyle begin. My business is going from strength to strength and I’m looking forward to meeting new people with similar business minds 💕 Here’s to a great year 🥰 #armywifelife #newhomeowners #hastings #businessowner #nurselife #family #friends #lovemylife #melsbalmyarmy #marriedunaccompanied #smugmarried #rest #relaxation https://www.instagram.com/p/CKoPoxNnt9g/?igshid=1ipqdg4t89102

[melkennett]

Cannot believe that I left Northern Ireland a year ago today and my husband and I moved into our own home 🥰 So very grateful and blessed x x #firsttimehomebuyer #militarylife #marriedunaccompanied #hastings https://www.instagram.com/p/CIvuc5_HcMi/?igshid=wrxsu2ug80u4

[melkennett]

When your husband tells you he is coming home Wednesday evening for a long weekend and you haven’t seen him in a month and he’s a week early 🥳🥳🥳 #armywifelife #armywife #marriedunaccompanied https://www.instagram.com/p/CINSiM2HE_T/?igshid=1bv6kpon5xhkv

[melkennett]

Good morning everyone and happy Saturday...I hope you have a fabulous day whatever you’re doing x x #happysaturday #saturdayvibes #saturdaymorning #marriedunaccompanied #militarywifelife #mentalhealthnurse https://www.instagram.com/p/CH2QmoUHJAq/?igshid=8sdiz7fpnigw

[melkennett]

Good morning and Happy Friday..... Those of you who set yourself goals at the start of the week this positive post is for you... What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. 22 days whoop whoop #friday #fridayvibes #mentalhealthnurse #armywifelife #nurselife #marriedunaccompanied https://www.instagram.com/p/CHz1Ix7nK9E/?igshid=qsx0pjrdu9oz

[melkennett]

My husband may be hundreds of miles away, but he always knows how to make me smile on days like today... Beautiful flowers, a teddy bear and a card delivered for jacks birthday 🥰 Thankyou shane for always being so kind and thoughtful and for loving me like you do x x x #smugmarried #couplegoals❤ #babyloss #armywifelife #marriedunaccompanied #marriedtomybestfriend (at Hastings, East Sussex) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEEsmCwHl_D/?igshid=684di07ihwd5

[melkennett]

My husband may be hundreds of miles away, but he always knows how to make me smile on days like today... Beautiful flowers, a teddy bear and a card delivered for jacks birthday 🥰 Thankyou shane for always being so kind and thoughtful and for loving me like you do x x x #smugmarried #couplegoals❤ #babyloss #armywifelife #marriedunaccompanied #marriedtomybestfriend (at Hastings, East Sussex) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEEsde8HDw_/?igshid=6vv30ubarxxg

[melkennett]

Wow where has that year gone! A year ago today we left England to embark on a new journey and life in Northern Ireland! Fast forward a year and we’ve bought our own home back in England, I’ve got my dream job working with the Shaw Trust and Health 2 Employment helping people with disabilities back into employment and we’ve gone married unaccompanied..... Life has its challenges every day, but we are facing them head on with a smile and a positive wobble of the head every morning..... Thankyou to everyone that has been a part of our lives, even if you are not in it now because you’ve all made an impact on us whether bad or good..... #marriedtomybestfriend #marriedunaccompanied #armywife #forceslife #northernireland #england #homeowners #positivevibes #nonegativityallowed (at Hastings, East Sussex) https://www.instagram.com/p/B930PeMBR_9/?igshid=2oe7mpjnroq9

[melkennett]

This is so true. I’ve made so many good online friends who are part of the forces family that I have never met... Being miles away from the one you love, whose arms wrapped around you can make all the sadness and hurt just melt away, can sometimes be really hard, but having people who are going through the same married unaccompanied journey really helps! So this is a shout out to all my forces wives that are doing this! #marriedunaccompanied #forceswifelife #armywife #armywifelife #armywifestrong (at Hastings, East Sussex) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9tXceHBKhc/?igshid=19ih4mbxpo7zx

[mille-at-home]

It's a syn 😜

I am sure feeling my age this week and perhaps realising that I can’t decorate with the speed that I have been accustomed too over years. Knee pain?! Argh I survived the quite wonderful Abba Mania concert by having ibroprofen for breakfast, lunch and dinner but the pain has been quite something! I am fine walking but lifting my right knee/leg or walking up the stairs especially is pretty bad, but driving my little automatic car has proved excruciating! I have had to get on with it as I have been at the garage all week and well, resting it is not an option. Then came Wednesday and the pain has still not subsided, do I go to karate or don’t I?! If I miss another session I will lose motivation and I guess it’s an age thing anyway so I have bitten through it. Bought some sport knee supports, a huge tube of voltoral and apart from getting up from the bow I was fine. We were on self defence anyway so nothing too heavy and I promised myself some self discipline. Rather strangely today it feels better? Perhaps i needed the karate strengthening? But I have taken a break from the decorating as I have been helping at the garage this week. Painting will commence again this weekend, I may well be wearing the knee supports!

With more hours comes more problems with hours in the day and there were a few things I had to attend this week that I couldn’t cancel and some I had to jiggle around. First was Cory’s physio, a strange one as I don’t see any improvements - the physio was her usual lovely self but said that although she needs to see Cory regularly she needs to discharge him and I need to make a ‘self referral’ every three months? I kind of agreed with her (as you do) but questioned why on earth he can’t just have the usual follow up; apparently this is because hours are being cut and they need to discharge patients? This is madness! So here I have sat feeling guilty for not referring him earlier when I first noticed the problems, there she sat at one stage making me feel guilty for not referring him earlier. (I took him to the GP) Cory sat as usual with difficulty, completed some difficult stretches admitting when and where he is in pain or certain positions he is uncomfortable with and she wants to discharge him saying that the metal shoe plates have done wonders?! Erm…My confused look and questioning quickly made her plot a follow up appointment for the summer but I have to admit, I don’t see any improvements but I also think he will be discharged with the same problem due to these physiotherapists needing to keep their jobs or complete discharge notes! What a mess!!

Tuesday I had my first keyboard lesson! This was difficult to source a teacher for day times (I have no evenings free) but we spoke a couple of months back and I said I needed to decorate and organise before I can start, after half term seemed perfect! It was fantastic and it’s only half an hour a week but my aim is to get back into reading sheet music again. (I played guitar at Erin’s age) The teacher is great and we hit it off straight away, I am going to teach Erin what I learn each week and in turn she will teach me guitar! Well, watch this space as I should improve! Ha Ha!

Time has been against me really and I admit that after Christmas I joined slimming world! Well, I need a kick to motivate and encourage me. I have done well, it’s slow for me but I have never eaten so much but really enjoying the plan and really enjoying experimenting with so much food; but it doesn’t work when I have the husband home! I can’t blame him solely but he can take some responsibility! I missed weigh in last week as he was home and we needed to finish Erin’s room. I planned to be there this week and go to the garage after weigh in but that didn’t go as planned so after much stressing and reorganising I dropped by after karate last night. I did feel a bit of a wally rushing in in my Gi but I had no time to plan another outfit so I went with it. This group was a lot smaller than the usual group and really friendly bunch. I found myself chatting to some nice gentleman and another lady about nut allergies, her son was going in for testing and even when I stepped on the scales to be told I’d gained 3lb I laughed and said ‘I blame the chocolate cake’ they did too and said something equally funny and on my way out a lovely lady was asking where I train and the costs. I may have recruited another one so all was not really that bad! Slimming world is great but you do have to plan and with work and children and my best intentions it never goes accordingly. I am back on it and promise not to eat any more chocolate cake!!

I tried to have a telephone conversation with the husband tonight, in fairness it’s only ever me wittering at him because when I ask how his day has been I get “Yeah, I have done this and that” but I just go with it as it is what it is, anyway Cory was in one of his funny witty moods in the background, much to the irritation of Erin. I have completely stopped the 'play fighting’ that seemed to be a passing phase but now we are onto verbal insults?! So apparently Erin is a reject, Cory is a nerd and all that but Erin seems to have developed a real irritation to Cory’s funny wit. I quite like it myself but her tongue can be particularly sour! The slow cooker had lovingly prepared beef in tomatoes whilst I had been at work, (I need to marry this thing) served with veg and all the healthy stuff I try to do. You know the 'good mum’ foods. An hour later they want jam sandwiches?! Knowing Erin is thinking of some remark to spark the teenagers quick temper, I sit and supervise said sandwich making - whilst sitting on the table like a senior care assistant at the dementia dining table. Children are so damned predictable aren’t they? Cory hadn’t even spread the jam when she starts on him 'don’t take all the bread’ 'too much jam’ etc etc and it turned into her having her tablet and phone taken away tonight. She says 'I don’t care, I will catch up with daily bumps tomorrow then’ so I ban it tomorrow as well until the attitude subsides, she responds with a big 'growl’ and huff so I say 'right Saturday banned’ I get another big sigh 'right Sunday banned’ another sigh; until I get to next Friday! Crikey….she then enters into panic mode realising that she can’t text Dad? Tears and tantrums have followed since and it’s now 10pm - I have had a little beer as there is no wine?!!! (anyway it’s a syn) I am not giving in! Daughter = 0 Mum = 1 I have soooo bloody got this MU living haven’t I?! Bah!!!

On a more positive note - tomorrow is Friday! Have a great weekend all. Mille X

[mille-at-home]

Mulberry blush.

This half term malarkey has sure whizzed past! Mind you I have been up to my eyes in mulberry burst and plum wallpaper trying to get the painting finished for husbands leave week. I managed it and my dear boss even came round and helped put the to bed together so that he didn't have to come home and build a bed! I am pretty sure he appreciated it but was a little taken over in awe of the finished loft conversion. I must admit it is like sleeping in a plush hotel suite every night - pure bliss. I think we can safely say, it has been worth it. (Will share a before and after). Next project (apart from Cory's 14th birthday) was to help me get Erin's 'new' room (our old one) decorated before the weekend. She needs a few days to settle in as she doesn't do change in routines very well so we aimed to have her in by Friday. Husband has been a refreshing change in help as we actually managed to get her in a day earlier than planned, I would say it's been fun but I'm not quite sure he would share my enthusiastic description of decorating; well, it's a good job someone in the house enjoys the changing rooms I guess. Erin has learnt some valuable life skills and built a flat pack stool all by herself with an alun key (is that the right spelling?) and helped paint the walls in her room. Actually for the last 5 years I have scowled every night at the awful bumpy ceiling, I payed £100 when he was in Afghanistan (as a surprise) to have the ceiling and above the picture rail skimmed of the awful woodchip paper. (This stuff was on every wall and ceiling when we bought the house) Anyway the guy who did it, was definitely from Bodgit & scarper ltd and it certainly was a surprise for husband as it was a bloody mess, so was the carpet and I have been reminded nightly of my disaster cash payment! It pays to get the pros in sometimes is all I will add to that mistake! Anyway, Erin now has this room and to save the hassle of skimming and sizing ceilings after all the building work I decided a darker colour would cover the bumps. It's now sky blue with white walls and looks pretty effective for a football girl. She loves it and has trebled the space she had. Oh and by the way, it does indeed cover the bumps! I am having a weeks break from the paintbrush, but only a week as I am at the garage helping out; but I also start my keyboard lessons, (eeeeek) Cory has a physiotherapy appointment follow up, since wearing the metal plates for 6 weeks, (I am a little apprehensive of the results) and then it's full steam ahead to put some life into Cory's black and white room. (Is it a teenager thing, this colour blindness?) but he is eager to help with a frog tape design. Then it's the huge task of the hallway; but you I'm not all decorating barmy - new carpet is going in his room and into the main hallway in 3 weeks so ideally I want to paint before the carpet goes down. See, there is a logical side to me! Erin has had the 'specialist' dental appointment this week, (I wrote it and rewrote it several times) attended by myself and husband, but our observation was pretty much identical, whilst Erin sat in this huge blue clinical chair the dentist carried on waffling to the very nice and patient (it has to be said) nurse. Erin started crying for no reason other than she was left in this chair whilst the dentist carried on at her computer screen behind her (she couldn't see her) talking to the nurse as to why Erin was referred?! Oh my bloody days?! These NHS dentists are truly a special breed. We told them Erin had X-rays done at the hospital one month ago but they couldn't find the records on screen so, they will take more at the next visit - who says the NHS waste money huh?! The usual lecture about bad parenting follows ie: sugar, sugar & sugar but basically any food into orifice is bad, bad, bad unless it's a carrot! There is no denying I have done something wrong where Erin's teeth are concerned but she has eaten just the same as Cory (who's teeth are fine by the way) and as he is 14, I can tell you now, Erin has been far more obsessed with teeth cleaning than her brother. I remain a baffled bad parent on the teeth front! Which leaves just the 'S' word to leave you with. How wonderful to have the husband home to help me this half term but the snoring (maybe it's the new luxurious bed) has taken the snoring to a next level of decibels! Am I allowed to look forward to next week? It seems so wrong when all I want is him home, on the other hand, I have worked the poor man so hard with white one coat and sky blue that he may well be thinking just the same! The joys of military living huh?! Tee hee....have a good weekend. Mille xx