I hadn't even realized it had been so long since my last post... You know how you get really busy, then you have to travel, so you try to finish everything except you cannot, then you actually travel, then you come back and there is all the work you left and the new stuff that you got from your travels and the news stuff that appeared on your desk while you were gone? I don't know if there is a name for that phenomenon, but I will call it my excuse for not posting in a while... thanks to those of you that wrote to see if all was well here! Busy is good--makes the days go faster ;-)
A couple of quick tidbits:
* this is a desert... water can sometimes run in short supply... in the last week the base has started urging people to conserve and take combat showers... two nights ago, doing my part, I get wet, then a nice head of lather all over my body, and then go to rinse off--NO WATER!!??!! But, the shower across the trailer is going just fine--I know there are two hot water tanks, but they are connected to the same feed, so what's up with that!?? I was seriously worried for about a minute, but then, slowly, very slowly, the water pressure built back up in my shower and I was soon rinsed--odd way to conserve water
* I may be going nuts--definitely here too long. I was walking to lunch yesterday and stopped to use the port-o-john on the way to the chow hall. I stepped inside and it smelled delicious! Nice sauteed garlic smell--clearly I was going out my small mind... I was relieved when I stepped out and realized the smell was actually coming from the chow hall and just happened to waft over at that time--the garlic-o-potty would have been too much!
Anyway, that isn't what I wanted to write about today... But, I do want to take a moment to note that the above ablution anecdotes are not part of the ongoing quadrilogy of bathroom-based stories--we will get back to that later! So, to the task at hand.
As a military officer I am not supposed be openly "political", or, at least not publicly political... (and this blog is somewhat private) but, I don't think I am going too far out on a limb by saying that this war isn't terribly popular back home in the States. But the support for the troops in general, and me in particular ;-) is really amazing--it does wonders.
The highlight of everyone's day is mail call. If you get that e-mail in the morning that says you have a package waiting (for pickup at the mail room between 1245 and 1400), then the entire morning is ripe with anticipation. Even if you don't have something waiting, someone in your section does, and most folks are kind enough to share the goodies that they receive with the group. Even if you don't get something, and nobody in you section gets anything, almost every day the chaplain receives boxes of goodies (a lot of girl scout cookies--I think they took all the cookies they didn't sell and shipped them over here! Although many of the boxes of GS cookies are specially marked with a "thank you" for the troops) that are for all the soldiers (and sailor) in the battalion.
These are people that may or may not know someone serving in Iraq that simply send things through the Any Soldier (sailor, airman, Marine too) program. I understand that when the Cupertino neighbors were discussing sending a package to me with some acquaintances that one of them ended trying to donate some money to the cause--this kind of support really means a lot to everyone.
So, I wanted to send a big mahalo to those thinking positive thoughts, those supporting Peg and the kids back home, those that take the time to write (e-mails, letters--it doesn't matter), and those that send off the packages! Here is a sampling of the good things I have gotten over the last couple months (since I last said thanks!):
- music and movies from tommy
- Poi Dog Pondering and Trader Joe's goodies from KT--the Punjab Choley is BURNIN' my tongue as I type--wow!
- soup noodles and macadamia surprise from hawaii
- books-excellent books from Gina
- toys (that maddening paddle with a ball at the end of an elastic string--arrrgh!!) and the best adenovirus t-shirt ever from Mary
- pound cake, curtains, and frisbee (among other wonders) from Mom
- a chair from Andrew and Peg--now I can sit and type in comfort (Andrew does need a lesson in packing for world wide shipping though...); and more food than I could eat in a year, and lots of DVDs with the latest TV shows so I don't get too far behind
- Italian food, CD, and made art from Connor and Brian (I won't say which one made the art)
- Detailed experimental notes from Grandpa Tom on the performance characteristics of a Stirling engine!
- Sardines for eating, and magazines for reading, and bones for chewing and puzzles for thinking from JP and Dianne and Jake (the dog--he wanted my teeth strong--no scurvy here!) And, the fish helps the brain for all the reading and puzzles--sudoku gets easier every time I fly!
Thanks all!
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