So what have I been up to this weekend?

I went to a party for a friends 50th. He'd come up for my "surprise" 50th a few months back and his missus was so impressed with my Wife's sterling stitch-up and excellent hook, line and sinker effect on me, she decided to pull the same for her Bloke Gary. It was a fair ol' drive to get down there so we stopped over in a near-by Hotel on Saturday night to allow us to enjoy the evening to it's fullest. There were a fair few ex and current there but we had all served with the Birthday boy and each other at some point with a few of us more than once. There were former soldiers there that I haven't seen for twenty five years. Great to get it on again. It was like stepping into a time machine.


This is a few of us partaking in a group Karaoke rendition of "Swing Low", a favourite of ours from when we all played rugby together in the 80's and 90's. (Yes, it's that song, for that team). We've just got to the "carry me home" bit. Well, you have to sing it with actions don't you?

On the Sunday, after a smashing fried breakfast and a couple of tins of "Black Asprin" (Coke) it was a beautiful day so we decided we'd go and do a bit of rememberin'. My wife decided she'd better drive (I wasn't really up to driving, not for a while yet anyway. It had been a long night) and so drove us North to the National Memorial Arboretum. Located in the heart of the country, inspired by Arlington Cemetary and National Arboretum in Washington DC and built on a reclaimed gravel pit, it houses 50,000 maturing trees and more than 200 Memorials, both Military and Civilian paying tribute to organisations, formations and units from all over the world.
I thought I'd share some of the day with you too.


The first thing to see is the monument to the Berlin Airlift which is a dramatic Golden Eagle in flight.


The Polar Bear Memorial commemorating the 49th Infantry (West Riding) Division.


Looking across at the Armed Forces Memorial, the centre-piece of the park.


Bronze sculptures inside depict Loss and Sacrifice and the walls record the names of all UK Armed Forces personnel who have lost their lives in conflict, peace keeping or humanitarian efforts since the end of the Second World War.


It's all rather emotive and moving.


A closer look.