|
For 16 years he played Army one weekend a month and two weeks a year. Then on 9/11 he came home, silently went upstairs and dragged his gear down from the 3rd floor, expecting the call that evening, I guess. That's when it hit me, "Oh, now I get it..."
|
Saturday, April 20, 2002
Troop resupply efforts ongoing: today's package included a 5-port Ethernet switch, 10 CD-RWs, one SI Swimsuit edition. Other things on the average soldier's wish list include ramen (a case of the Korean type beef chicken, etc.), tofu in the box, water chestnuts and coconut milk, other things for stir-frying, etc.
Yes we have brought stoves and I brought that wok to cook in. The guys could not believe the amount of stuff that I did get in country; send the pie cooker as we can get sliced bread here and I would have a camp out - the army jamboree - we can even tell scary ghost stories. I want to be the k2 pie king, lord of the pies, keeper of the keys to the perfect golden brown mouth napalm cherry filled delights. Tempers are getting testy so lets eat something zesty
posted by Debbie at 10:48 AM
Sorry I was at the base station talking commo with some of the other guys and said I have to go and get back and make the commo time with the wife. This computer has finally exceded my expectations. I was hesitant in the purchase of it when I was leaving but now I see its full potential. I finally got on line and updated some of the drivers that were screwed up. The other thing is that my typing has been getting better-all it takes is practice. The one thing that I know that we could use are one of those black light bug zappers as the bugs have just started to hatch and this is a malaria zone.
posted by Debbie at 10:21 AM
Things are going to heat up here with the poppies blooming and various warlords vying for power. It is just a big rat hole worse than OTR on a hot summer night when everyone is pumped on beer and crack. The only difference here is that they have an abundance of weapons and have spent the last 20 years killing each other in real barbaric ways. This place makes Apocolypse Now look like a day at Six Flags...
posted by Debbie at 7:58 AM
Chris: got you the SI swimsuit edition; am I good to you or what? LOL (laughing out loud ;-)
I guess that I will look at the swimsuit edition even though we aren't really looking at the swimsuits-what a crass marketing ploy. Any cheesecake is greatly appreciated on our end. I read that they were going to ban the import of pork products via mail to keep the infidels in check. They are making more rules as they go along and are making it difficult to get anything in the country. See if you can get in some green onion sets. Your mom sent the big onion bulbs.
posted by Debbie at 7:00 AM
Friday, April 19, 2002
Deb: finally got the net on my computer so if you are online we can ICQ it. Been cleaning up and getting rid of the cobra bait. It is amazing how much crap one can collect in a short time. Hmmm I bet one of those soviet jet engines would make my truck scream. Just kidding, girl. I was watching the sun set and realized that it was about 10:00 in Cincinnati. Yep, the same sun was shining on both of us. Will keep ICQ up tonight and you can give me the uh-oh sound and see if we connect. Chris
posted by Debbie at 11:30 AM
Wednesday, April 17, 2002
Letter from one of the six boxes I have received thus far:
Deb & monkeys!
Received 4 packages, one from Joe (Joe Mama ;-). Things are moving but at a slow pace; the same way that it seemed to take forever to get here. People are in the queue to get out. Needless to say, the return trip is a more excruciating wait. Everyone is doing whatever they need to to make life more comfortable here. Boy how I miss y'all even the whining - not. But I do miss the goofy things the kids do. And one does appreciate things when they are gone. It is a little tough to get that part of your back below the shoulder blades and above your waist - the place that burns when you put the suntan lotion on by yourself. Enclosed in the package is some show & tell stuff (native hats/scarves, etc.) Note that the pilot chute will not support Zak jumping from the second floor so don't let him do it [ed. note: this was the first thing he asked to do when he saw it...] Days have their ups and downs: hectic or snails pace. Things will settle in a groove here when we finally settle down and have our own digs. Then we can finally unpack and get to normal. Hope you enjoy all I sent. Love, Chris
posted by Debbie at 8:44 AM
Dad, it gets real lonely around here without you. What are you having for dinner? Mom says it's dinner time there. Do you have to eat MREs every day? What's your favorite? I wish you could come back. Zak
Zak, we have the same 7 dinners on seven different days. Every sunday we get steak and shrimp except that it looks like a dough ball with a tail on it. We are supposed to eat mre's for lunch but I usually have a pogey bait sandwich. Dad
posted by Debbie at 5:36 AM
Tuesday, April 16, 2002
Amanda, I received the package from your grandma with the onion sets. Today has been the second rainy day and brownostan has turned into mudostan. I started to plant and found that my boots were weighing about 15 pounds apiece. So I will plant the other 2 bags tomorrow. Here is my wish list for other seeds: mustard greens, green onion sets, ramp sets, carrots, tomato seeds, cucumbers, lettuce, dill, spice seeds. I hope that you enjoyed the video from Mario. We were standing on top of a bunker watching the air force punch a bundle out of a bird. Amanda, why don't you write Mario a letter as he thinks the world of you and he does not get any mail. Love Dad xoxoxoxoxoxo x=hug o=kiss
posted by Debbie at 7:38 PM
Next three boxes out today: a USB floppy port for the laptop, the seeds (veggies, herbs, flowers) and a box with lime pickle and other condiments; note that DVDs are also appreciated by the most technologically-equipped fighting forces in modern history (they can watch them on their laptops ;-)
posted by Debbie at 5:58 PM
posted by Debbie at 11:38 AM
Monday, April 15, 2002
Dad, it's Amanda. Please look at my report and tell me what you think. Are you OK? Have you trashed the place yet? That picture of your hat didn't look like you were keeping your room neat he he he
Amanda, I down loaded your report and read it good job, girl. I am on the West Virginia beautification team; we are trying to make camp Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx look more like home. I found an old refrigerator to park outside my tent, and am looking for a sofa to stick on the berm. If I had a car without tires up on concrete blocks, it would make this place look like any happy holler. Love Dad
posted by Debbie at 5:10 PM
We had a big yard sale and I got a bunch of stuff for the third floor. I hope that all is well at home and at school. The biggest thing that you kids can do is help mom out with the work around the house and not give her a lot of grief about how hard you are watching TV. Around here there are a lot of things that people do not want to do, but if they do not get done then things fall apart. It has been raining here for the last 48 hours and it is becoming camp swampy again. It will probably drive the rats up into the tents-yippee! Time to get out the trenching tools and go rat whomping. It is these little simple things that make annual training so much fun. I can tell you one thing: all this male bonding is getting a little old and when I get home there will be a little female bonding. I received the onions from your mom and planted one bag until I was muddy and decided that there is always another day. I sent the request for more seeds and the other thing is that DVDs are always welcome. I have attached some pictures so you can see I am doing well. I hope that things have started to settle down at the house and that some sort of normalcy has begun. I miss all of you and do my little recollection every night and times during the day. I hear the birds warming up to do the hunting for the night. The hat that you sent me (Operation Enduring Freedom hat) well I got out the gold thread and did some ripping and some stitching and here is my new hat (picture of a hat that now says Operation Enduring Boredom ;-) Love Chris
|
|
