Swordplay

Once upon a time #1 son was in the Army, first on a SSSC (gap year in the Highlanders) then in the OTC and finally in the TA.  He asked for a Highland Pattern Officer's Sword for his 21st birthday, in 1982. However, he isn't tall and it would have to have been made.  Then Wilkinson Sword, who made the swords, stopped doing so and it had to come from Germany, where British Army Officer swords are now made.

Nothing was done and the years went by.  The, considerable, amount  of money that it was to cost, was kept on the side and eventually ended up in my part of the financial settlement. That meant the by now absent father didn't have to be at all concerned about it. Eventually, in 2012, the money was paid over and the sword ordered.  The plan was that the sword would arrive in time for the it to be used to cut the wedding cake, in February 2013.  

It arrived (eventually, via a long delay at Port Klang) hurray, but .... the blade had been inscribed incorrectly, upside down to be exact. It was not used to cut the cake. 

Many emails followed to and fro between KL and Solingen and the Company agreed they would relaser blade but the blade had to get back to Germany.

So in October 2014 I brought back a long, light box via KLIA, Doha and Edinburgh airport and despite the unhappiness of the man in the PO I sent it back to Germany.  And then there was silence.

At the start of THIS year, with nothing having been heard by either me or #1 son I started to track it.  The contact in Germany said it hadn't arrived with there (even although he'd known it was on its way). Parcelforce checked and eventually came back to say it was lost and couldn't be tracked.  Dommage!  

Plans were set in motion to a) claim on the insurance b) order a replacement.  I submitted a claim to Parcelforce but needed one more bit of paper, and then in March 2015 Parcelforce came back with the scan of the 'delivered' signature.  Delivered to the correct address, 5 days after it left here in October 2014.  An immediate email to Germany and 20 minutes later the 'missing/lost' blade was found, in the corner of the warehouse.  Joy!  

While I was in KL in May photos were sent of the correctly inscribed blade and on Thursday it arrived back here.  It's been unpacked, photos taken and Whatsapped to KL and a delighted #1 son.  And me, well I'll be happy to take it back out to KL in September in another long, light box. Been a long journey.  And my reward, big hugs, below the shoulder. 

Here the weather has calmed down a bit from yesterday's gales and rain. It was noisy during the night but fortunately there doesn't appear to be any damage.

I spent this morning ordering food for the 90th next Sunday.  This is an expensive event, but a one off.

And I have a busy week upcoming.  Tuesday to Alford for C's funeral.  It will be such  a sad day.  Then Wednesday and Thursday in London.  I'm going to the Proms on Wednesday night - a first. Looking forward to it.