O69....

No, I am not playing BINGO, I am watching the days click off of the BP "O"il spill in the Gulf. Today is day 69! Sounds like a lot of people are counting around here. Us 'till we leave or go on R&R, and those in the Gulf until the oil stops spilling into their livelihoods. Businesses are closing, people are out of work, others are cleaning beaches and birds, none of this is being missed by those over here in the field. Yes, we are well aware of the crisis and the sadness those southern states are being hit with and once again the hurricanes are also beginning to swirl in their waters! "O"h no!

1-0, 59-59, and #1 is OUT

What a day of news. Of course the USA winning in soccer with a score of 1-0 over Algeria was great, but the time wasted watching for that one goal to be scored was nothing compared to the time Isner and Mahut spent on the courts at Wimbledon. Can you believe the records broken here in one set? The score clock couldn't keep up, even the sun couldn't shine long enough for these two athletes to complete this competition, and it was already the second day! Today, day three, they will take the court with a score in the fifth set of 59-59 - USA vs. France! One set alone running for over 7 hours is unheard of. This is equivalent to a baseball game going 50 innings or a basketball game with 15 overtimes, those bench seats would get very uncomfortable. "This is the greatest advertisement of our sport" said John McEnroe. Right on the heels of the USA soccer team, not being credited for a goal because a referee made an incorrect call that "brought soccer to the front page in America". "We often don't get the respect we deserve in tennis for the athletic demands it places on players but this should push that respect way up" McEnroe states. 23rd seated John Isner of Tampa, Florida, who I met in Indian Wells, CA tennis tournament two years ago, was a handsome, hungry for tennis University of Georgia graduate who stayed in school instead of going pro too early, with his 6' 9" stature was wobbly-legged but withstood the fight holding serve time and time again and serving up 98 aces until the game was called due to lack of sunlight.
If you haven't watched tennis before, make sure you catch the finish of this fifth set to see who really can recover after such a record breaking feat.
Oh, and #1 man in the Afghanistan War, General McChrystal, is OUT, in case you were under a rock somewhere!

Kathryn is published...

http://letterstohomefromafarawaygirl.wordpress.com/
Here is Kathryn's blog.
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100621/GJNEWS_01/706219969
Here is Kathryn's column.

I have told you all about my friend, Kathryn, who was in my training class at Camp Atterbury. I have asked you all to take a look at her blog and if you haven't yet shame on you. Click on this link, because her hometown news has picked her up as a columnist because they have enjoyed her blog so much.
If you get a chance to check out her blog start from the beginning, which is the bottom remember; although she is long winded, she always has a great lesson, or truth to be told or learned.
So here I sit tonight admiring her writing, her detail and her tenacity to get her hometown to follow her adventure overseas.

Happy Fathers Day...

Happy Father's Day to my dad, brother, brother in laws, and all fathers in the field of friendship out there reading my blog today! I hope you all have the chance to take time with your respective children and take some time to smell the roses.
I am certain Scout is snoring at Skip's feet right about now, as they are both out on a fishing trip. This is the first fishing trip that Scout has gone on with her dad. She usually has to stay home with me.

My dad is resting, after triple by-pass heart surgery, in the condo in Seattle. Adam (his home nurse these days) took some time off to go play at the condo over at Lake Chelan. Dad thought he would be feeling up to going with Adam, but not quite yet. My family is doing well, and I got a chance to talk to dad who seems to be recouperating nicely and therapy seems to be working on his stability and mobility. Thank you all for your prayers and notes about his health and we are all so happy that it is behind us.

It was fun today to watch all of the soldiers, sailors, marines, civilians, and contractors enjoy the dining hall festivities for Fathers Day. They held drawings for them so that prizes were awarded and the smiles of winners were priceless. Others enjoyed the baby blue frosted cake, and/or the "HOT DOG BAR" just for them. Since the power went out in our camp I spent more time today watching the fun!

Happy Father's Day Dad, I hope you are taking part in something in Seattle that will make you smile!

Poo Poo Puddles...ponds of piss...

What a pleasure to awake to the bright sunshine everyday! It feels weird for it to be hot so early in the day. The sun shines so brightly here, starting around 4 am. I have to wear my sunglasses to the restroom; first stop of everyday. But this day was ever so special. The "poo poo puddle" is pungent. See if the Afghan workers don't screw the hose on tight enough on the Gray Water truck, it will leak, and in the morning we all get a wonderful surprise. The "poo poo puddle" so stinky that you have to hold your towel up to your face in order to walk to the restroom. Lucky for me, my B-hut is upwind from this puddle that, although it is very hot, it will not dissipate for quite some time. The ground is very dry, and the sun very hot, but for some reason this puddle doesn't dry up quite as fast as a normal puddle of rain water. Any reason why? Something else "poopie" happened today, I found out that our tennis team lost in the playoff match. So, while I was over here playing in my first BAF Poker Tournament, my tennis teammates were playing a playoff match with full focus putting their best foot forward. I guess it just wasn't in the cards, "a real pisser" (the Brits over here would say). Still we ended the season with our heads held high and with a 9-0 standing, our best ever!

Tennis Tammie...

Well as some of you know my tennis team is doing better than ever this season, finishing up the season without me. :(

I did get to play in the beginning of the season, 4 matches and 4 wins. Legally I am still "part of the team" and very proud of our 9-0 record!!!

WE ARE GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS!

How exciting is that! For the first time in all of these years I have been playing, the team is playing in their first playoff match Wednesday night at Bally's.

If you see any of the tennis ladies, make sure to give them a high five from me.

I might try picking up a ping pong paddle while here just to keep my hand-eye coordination in check. No tennis courts here, only tons of rocks and dust.

Umbrellas in Seattle...

Any local from the city of Seattle will tell you that if you are caught carrying an umbrella on a rainy day - you are not a local. Visitors to Seattle will pack an umbrella based on the news that it rains there all the time. What the news won't tell you is how much you will stand out simply by using that umbrella.
Similar circumstances occur here in Afghanistan - don't carry a flashlight.
When packing to come here I packed five different kinds of flashlights, one that tells the time in twelve different time zones (not including this one), a LED blue small keychain type light, a red/white Petzel head lamp, a simple LED hand held flashlight, and even a LED flat Eddie Bauer flashlight. The first week I used one of the flashlights to light my way back and forth to the PX and the gym and the dining facility. But what I noticed was no one else was using one. Why?
My first thought was that it was against policy to light my way along the rocky walkways. Someone was going to stop me, pull me aside and say I was lighting the way for the next rocket attack. My second thought was the walkways here are so ridiculously unkept, streets pot holed, obscure ditches, etc. that you would be a fool not to carry a flashlight.

I also notice that the planes and helos flying over at night do not turn on the headlights....hmmm.

One month later, I am not carrying a flashlight anywhere. I see the ones who are, and spot them as new comers.
When walking I use the light from the large spinning (light house type) light from the air field, the headlights from oncoming traffic (if I am along the "blvd"), and your eyes simply adjust to the darkness.
What is funny is that the smallest flashlight I brought is the only one I use daily, it is a simple LED blue light that was on my key chain. I use it to find the key lock on my door late at night. I use the real flashlight when the power goes out in my room, which it does a lot.
So, when visiting Seattle leave the umbrella at home, and if you are so lucky to get to come to Afghanistan don't forget your small LED blue light. It is all you will need.