Musings from an Observation Post (OP) in Afghanistan

Musing #1
Wow, we are really high… Wonka you can keep your elevator
Musing #2
When you are the only Northerner in a squad of 11, you feel like a white elephant with pink polka dots and red toe nail polish, or, if you prefer, a duck in a pig suit
Musing #3
When you find such comments as ‘bovines on the boulevard’ or ‘the crows be a crowing’ amusing, that’s when you’ve lost your mind
Musing #4
Trying to drink coffee from a mug while wearing night vision is a challenge. Either you do one or the other. Tough decision, I think not
Musing #5
When you have spent a week detoxing from 1.5 pots of coffee a day, upon coming down from the mountain do not proceed to down 3 cups in succession. No one will be able to understand you, especially when trying to explain such things as the difference between ‘da Brooklyn Dodgers an da Bronx Bombers’ or why da Bronx is up while da Battery is down.’ We’re not even tawking about da goils on toid n twoidy toid…smile and nod.

So after downing said coffee and still zinging after 5 hours, I have managed to sit still long enough to write this post. Been a long week staring at rocks, counting livestock (bonus points for a spotted cow), and listening to guys talk about the cow tipping championships in Oklahoma (not kidding). If I never go back to an OP, it will not be soon enough. Love to you all. Take care and best wishes.

Another Friday, another week down

Hello everybody. Another Friday has come and gone. And today is Sunday, barely noticed. Amazing how one day rolls right into another one, in one great big gigantic blur. So, another week, not much to report. Went for a couple walks, greeted the new doc who is going to help treat locals in the area, and started a new character in World of Warcraft. Walks are always fun though it is starting to get warm. When we got here last year, by July I had lost 10 pounds so here we go again. Doc Pederson arrived from Germany and is excited to be here. The word is already starting to get around that we have a Family Practice doc in Kamu; my days are certainly going to be exciting if they weren't already. As for World of Warcraft... as Katie can attest, I do not play computer games all that much. I was a slave to the original Nintendo, proof in that I beat the secret level in the Zelda after you type in the Princess' name backwards. Aside from this I have played the Age of Empires Trilogy but that's about it. Warcraft is fun, takes a lot of time, and some of my Soldiers play which is cool. I may not be into Xbox, but this online game is another way to connect with the hardcore gamers of Kamu.
The highlight of everyday is chatting with Katie online. We chat about stuff, finances, the latest cookware from Williams Sonoma and the bed room set we would like to have when we move stateside. Whatever the conversation, it is just nice to be able to spend some time with her everyday. Thankfully our time in Afghanistan is drawing to a close. It will be nice to chat with Katie, in person, while kicking her butt in a Phase 10 match. (Now if only I could sneak a 2nd deck, then I might actually win). There is so much to look forward to when I leave the near East. Best part is once I leave the Near East it will not be long after till I cross over the Pond for good after 5 years. It will be an awesome day. But till that day, I take one day by blurry day at a time. I wish you all well. Take care and best wishes.

We Got Mail!!!!

*We Got Mail!!!!!!!* Woo hoo. Nuf said. :)

Long week

Good evening everyone. This week has been lackluster at best. It has been raining off and on since Monday, with no signs of letting up. Everyone is a bit anxious that the weather might cancel our mail delivery. Here’s hoping that it flies regardless of the thunder bumpers. We haven’t gotten mail in sometime so it will be nice to get some. Thankfully the Internet has been working well so email is pretty regular and I do my best to keep up with Facebook.
Today, Friday, was a bit of a down day. Our brothers in arms, the Afghan National Army (ANA), had a friendly fire incident this morning. One of the Soldiers discharged his assault rifle killing a friend. The Soldier did not make it; there was nothing I could do. I would like to tell the ANA med team that there are people thinking of the two families; despite our differences in faith, I am sure they would appreciate the prayers.
On to happier news, Katie is doing well. She discovered yesterday that she does not have to go to Germany for her MRI, and is quite excited about this. The Italian facilities are not as good as at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Kaiserslauter, Germany, but it is close and does not involve a rather long bus ride, to say nothing of an early morning. Kate does not like early mornings. Stud and I are the morning people, course I do have to go to work at 5.30 in the morning when not deployed, and Stud, well he’s just Stud. Hopefully Katie’s MRI will be okay and she can get her surgery just before her holiday in England. She is looking forward to it. She has promised to find some biscuits, and then promptly hide them when she gets back home. I give them 3:1 odds of making it to when I get home. Katie, if you read this, I love you. 
April is steadily marching on. At this time, there is approximately 16 weeks left in the deployment. As you all know, I cannot state specific dates, but I am hoping to be with Katie before summer’s end. I will be sure to call as soon as I can with the happy news. Till that future day, thanks to everyone who has sent an email and/or added me as a friend on Facebook. I hope you are all well and wish you the best. Take care and God speed.

April!

The sun is finally shining. It has been raining for the past 3 days in the lower valleys; snowing on the peaks. Afghanistan is certainly a land of opposites. Naturally the Internet has not been working since it has been raining cats and dogs (or goats and sheep as it were). Thankfully I was able to call Katie and chat for a while which is always nice. Aside from the crazy weather, very little has changed. One of my Soldiers, SPC Klein, is being reassigned to HHC in the southern province. We are all expecting every excel spreadsheet he wrote (likes to tweak macros in Office) and the Internet itself (like Tebbetts, he has memorized the programming code) to suffer a spectacular crash as soon as he leaves. We will have our own Y2K crisis in Kamu. Oh joy! On the upside, since Klein will not be playing World of Warcraft for six hours a day, there will be fewer fights for the Internet cable.
Overall though, it has been a good week despite the rain. Now I am going back to spoil what happens in Lost Season 3 to all the guys who are now watching Season 2. Wish me luck!
Editor's note: 2 hours after posting it started raining again, and yup, it's still raining.....