Funny thing

So, Iraq is at war.

Yup. Suprise.

There are certain things you get used to, other things you should never get used to. Always listening, always alert, always using that extra-something that lets you know when it's not safe.

However, there are certain times you let those defenses down. The shower being one.

So funny story:

Last night I was taking a shower (a hot shower!! YAY!!) when"BA-BOOOM"... with an equal disturbing shake to the shower trailer.

I stand there for a second, running through memories... if it sounded like incoming, listening for running...nothin. Then my mind goes to a possible cruel irony: if I have to run..I'm well...jeez. I only travel with a quick-dry shammy the size of a wash cloth..and that doesn't cover much! When you know it's real, you can't grab that one thing you want to keep safe, you can't think about where you left your ID, you can't change your clothes...you just duck and run for the bunkers. And in my case, right then, I was a little underdressed.

Luckily, it was outgoing. Really, some bad a*% sounding outgoing, for about 30 minutes!

"BA-BOOM"

CHU shakes

Silence

"BA-BOOOOOM"

Shaking

Silence

We have some pretty awesome power!

Well, long story short, I went and bought a towel today.

The biggest one they had...just in case

*A quiet space this morning...nothing to do with the post!*

MUD

When it rains...it muds.

I have never scowled at rain clouds, until now. While my new boots make me happy, the mud in the car, office, bed, showers, PX, EVERYWHERE is getting annoying.

Enjoy photos from the muddy FOB...from your clean, mud free computer.

(yes, mud has made it's way onto my computer. Jeez)

How do they not sink into the muck?!?!

Thorin giving me mud bunny ears

Up to my ankles is sludge

A 'dry' spot!

My heart today...how do I put it into words?

I know a soldier who was killed today.

The cost of this war...

Please, when saying our Thanksgiving prayers, bless these soldiers.

Bless their families.

Thank them for their sacrifce.

In the 'Hurricane Seat'

Sitting in the back right corner of a Black Hawk, with the door open,

is like sitting in a wind tunnel.

But the view...the view is spectacular!

Over the Tigris River

Flying with the sunset

Catching the end of the sunset at BIAP after the flight

More Random Snapshots

Genius...

Vineyards outside the gate

Now, can you say it in Arabic???

Yes. It's Starbucks. So rare here, so wonderful.

The theatre..with a make-shift mortar patch

Parking lot

Great guy

Sunsets over the up-armored Suburban

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETER

Baby brother...all grown up and stuff.

You make a big sister proud, daily.

Happy Birthday ya handsome kiddo.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSEPH NOAH

The moment you came to our family, our lives became better.

More full of purpose.

More full of love.

Happy Birthday Sweet Nephew.

SO tired

Getting back to the CHU after waiting, again, for another flight...not so fabulous..

80 hour work week?? Everyone does it, or will do it, out here. Yesterday, however, it hit me. Just one day of sleeping in, one day I can hit my snooze, one night to have the energy to read or watch a movie. Not gonna happen.

Yesterday we laughed about the Legend of Weekends...
and these guys have been out here for months, some years....

I got my second wind this morning. I even wrote in my journal, and as I read my 'Goals in Iraq' page, I had to laugh at my down right silly objectives: Work out daily (HA!), Eat small portions (Um, it's all you can eat mashed potato night??? BRING IT ON!), No bread (well, that was just dumb)
& lastly, NO sugar (Yeah, I should of known better).
What I should have written down is: Take time to cut my nails, Wear my shirts only 3 times before washing (at 5 or 6 times they start to be offensive), Clean my glasses (I forget to..and DANG they get dirty), Sleep, and lastly...Eat sugar & stop worrying about your dress size.

Yeah, I can meet those goals & day-dream about a sleeping vacation...

Gettin Around

My 'ride'

Perfect night for a Ch-47 flight. We flew with the back open & with the full moon...amazing, beautiful...

Rock on Catfish Air!

So we eat our lunch,

We get in the truck.

Mike: "Um."

Mary: "What?"

Mike: "Gettin out the key."

Mary: "Wouldn't it be funny if we got in the wrong truck?"

Mike: "The key doesn't fit."

Mary: "Huh?" (putting in her earphones)

Mike: "Wrong truck."

Yup.

You crack me up Mike.

Good Morning

A new day, a new 'neighbourhood'

...and a new view from the office.

...like daughter

Well. If it ain't the scorpions...it's the killer Korean Squirrels.

Boys...

Danger...

At the base exit:

Getting Ice:

And Huge killer scorpions!!

The View

When I look outside...

Super People

Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound

Movement

Headed out.

Home...kind of.

I love down comforters from Williams & Sonoma.

I crave jersey sheets.

Neither are here.

And that's OK.

My CHU (Containerized Housing Unit) is a tiny, dusty, slice of heaven.