I put a spell on you... because you're mine

Today I was looking at the Navy News' pictures of HMS Argyll coming home after 6 months deployment. I looked at the photos of the families standing on the quayside, in anticipation of seeing their loved ones again. Every time you see it, it takes you back.

On the morning of Si's first long deployment June til December - the car wouldn't start. Panic stricken we called a taxi and both jumped in. The on-guard sentries wouldn't let me into the dockyard, and our final farewell was a hug and a kiss in the backseat, before I clambered out, and waved good bye with a very wobbly lip and tears streaming from my eyes.

I turned and looked back up the road and realised that apart from the dress I was wearing and the keys to the flat, and £3, I had nothing. Bereft as I was, I started to walk, and by the time I had reached the Forth Road Bridge, I decided I may as well stand and watch the Ship sail away.

I stood for 2 hours, alternating between shivering with the cold, and howling against the injustice of separation and damning all cars, taxi drivers and the Royal Navy to hell.

Then I saw the boat appear.

I stood breathless, hoping against hope that I would see him once last time. But as I stood, and watched, and waited, I realised that everyone was now busy below deck, getting ready for their trip to the Gulf.

That set me off again, and I was able to get to the other side of the bridge, and into Queensferry, where I was able to board a bus to Corstorphine, and then I walked the last two miles to the house.

And then started the count down of the 187 days until the boat came home.