QUICK WEEK

It seemed like this past week just flew by. Probably a combination of traveling and working our rotation schedule. I spent two days traveling to two separate locations and both trips went just as planned (for once). We were able to leave in the morning, travel to the location that we needed to visit. Spend a couple of hours with my Officer in Charge at that location as well as meet with the customers if possible. Grab a quick bite of lunch and fly back. We are usually flying Space Available so it is always a guess if we will get on a flight, but we are able to see how many people are already on the flight so we can decide the best gameplan. Two trips in a row is unheard up. Today’s was probably the most interesting flight I have taken yet. I think I have mentioned, but I really enjoy Helo rides because you get to see a big picture of the country, the kids are always waving at you, and it is MUCH safer than convoys. We were flying over Baghdad and we stopped right near the Embassy to drop some passengers off. As we were landing and then when we took off, you had a perfect view of the crossed swords that you saw on TV a bunch. There are two sets and it looked like there were on either side of a bridge which was leading to a large coliseum. You could see Mosques and Palaces in the background as well as the “sprall” of the city. We even flew lower than the top of some buildings. All the buildings are block (typical masonry) and if they are “classy” then stucco is applied to make it smooth. The thing that I notice the most out here is that everything is a dull color. All the buildings, the landscape, the cars, everything. There are occasionally patches of foliage, but even it is a dull green. My eyes are looking forward to some wildflowers or green trees, red mountains or blue oceans. Anything that is not dulllllll.

Everything else is going fine. We are starting to put our contribution plan together for the relay and I am working up a letter to post explaining all the details. We are really hoping to get in some of the newspapers over here. I will post links if we make it. I received my new Seabee Flag this past week (to replace the one that was stolen). I am going to fly it over the camp, but it probably won’t stay up all the time.

Thanks to everyone that has sent me packages. They are all great. It is always neat to open a box and not know what you are going to find. It is the little tastes of home that are the best. They just make you think of everyone and know that there is support from back there.

I am doing a mile swim tomorrow as part of a morale event. I will let you know how it goes. I think it is low key, but I am kind of looking forward to getting in a pool. Also the weather is continuing to get milder. We are supposed to NOT break 100 by Tuesday.

I have not seen much on Rita, but hoping that everyone is doing okay.