Long Overdue

Hey! Hey! Hey!

It's been way too long mis amigos.  I guess time flies when you're having fun and I dare not exclude you!  Besides getting my butt kicked in the office and at the gym, all is well.  The food hasn't gotten any better, it's getting hotter each day, and humans continue to show me how dumb they can really be.  Yes, definitely fun times.

In current news:
There was no vanilla ice cream at the DFAC last night! *cue screeching dramatic music*  Saturday is the one day where I treat myself to my desert of choice-vanilla ice cream, which I use to make a root bear float.  Imagine my devastation when *Samil said, "No vanilla, you want strawberry?"  My heart rose to my throat and I had to fight back tears.  I was like "What!" as I peered into the ice cream case freezer thingy thinking if I looked really hard it may appear.  Disgruntled, I took a cup of strawberry.

Yesterday, I took another trip off camp to make a visit with some folks at a facility down the street.  Again, we took the gator.  The exposed, not up-armored, can do you no good in a blast or against hostile fire gator.  The streets were less crowded and I didn't receive as many sneers as the first time we went out.  We visited the shops ran by the locals and took some cool/funny pics in handmade fur hats...pics to follow.  I then had lunch with a group of Navy folks (not as awkward as I thought), until the conversation went above my IQ.  Something about the Soviets, former U.S. Presidents... *shrugs* I don't know, I just continued to eat my meal.

Oohhhh, so the test I previously mentioned at a camp about 20 minutes away.  I thought the drive from the airport when I arrived was the most intense of my life.  Nope, that's been trumped.  Thank God the PSD (personal security detail) rock, but I really hate having to go places.  Kudos to the guys and gals that are out convoying and doing other kick butt stuff everyday.   

What I couldn't figure out was why there were so many rocks placed throughout the streets.  CAST guys were right:  I think every rock is an IED.  I'm just saying they are always stacked in the most weird places, but what I don't understand is how they were stacked and placed all puzzle like throughout the street.  Busy streets at that.  Do people weave in and out of traffic to place them?

The biggest takeaway I have every time I'm out in the city is how much I and other Americans have to be thankful for.  I understand that even in the states poverty exists, but when you're in a place where the average salary is less than $500 per year it puts a totally different perspective on things.  I gripe about not "having enough" while making 150 times that not to include benefits.  Insane.  I see children younger than my oldest son out trying to sell little trinkets all day for money.  There are the housekeepers on camp who try and find extra work to make $2 and $3 more.  Then there are the vendors that are allowed to setup at the weekly bizarre, but have to pay $26 to the Afghan government each time.  That's a big chunk for someone who might not make a sale that day. 

Well friends, the bleach from the housekeeper mopping is burning my eyes and nose decreasing my functionality.  Until next time...