Morning from Iraq! Well the unit we replaced is probably home by now, sitting on the front porch with their loved ones. The actual Transfer Of Authority (TOA) ceremony takes place in a few days. There are only a few soldiers left here from the unit that we replaced, that need to stay until the TOA takes place. I have 108 days away from home now under my belt, 260 +/- to go.
One of my buddies back home sent me a message that they were going four wheeling this past weekend. Man, I wish I was there to ride with them. You can’t imagine the first mud hole of the season and the displacement of the mud when you blow through the hole on your 4 wheeler. After talking to my family they said the temperatures were cool where they were at. I can only hope my buddies riding had decent weather for their ride. The weather here has been hot, one of the guys’ lives by a digital thermometer that had temperatures at 110 the other day. I thought that was warm that day, but maybe when it gets warmer I will look forward to a cool 110?
My family got together for a belated mother’s day back home. All the kids made it home last weekend for the get together. I was happy for my wife Susan but sad at the same time. Susan, Jacki, Aubrey, and Darcie helped Mom/grandma fix the rain garden so it would pass inspection. Last fall the inspector said we had a good start but that we needed to add plants and mulch. Susan told me our neighbor up north was kind and gave her Hostas and some lilies. Thinking of working outside at our cabin makes my mind wanders, and I leave the desert for a brief day dream. I usually end my day dreams talking to myself something along the line of “Self, what are you doing here”? More times than not I respond by saying “Living the good life”. Life here is good three square meals a day, (four at midnight if you’re interested), a roof over your head and some guy name Hussain washing your dirty underwear. There is free internet at work with government restrictions, and blocked access to face book, web pages, and blogs. But who am I to complain? At least the local paper here in country is fairly current, by the time we get it; it’s only 4-5 days old. I know I’m complaining, but thoughts of spring back home have me homesick. I love all the seasons in Minnesota, each of the seasons I love for different reasons. But spring always has me waiting for tulips to bloom, the smell of the grass being cut, and watching the crab trees blossom. You don’t know how much I wanted to be home last weekend with my family.
Putting it into a more positive spin at least I have my life/wife to come home to. Imagine that you had to leave home for one year and put your life on hold. It’s like pausing a movie on the DVD player so you can go and do something. So much happens when you hit the pause button, you do what you have to do and then come back and hit the play button. The movie starts again where you left it and the counter starts right where you left off. But what really happened while you were away, and do you remember the parts of the movie before you hit pause. Some of us might have to hit the rewind button to get a little refresher on what the movie was about. Others might have to explain what happened during the intermission; the rest of us hopefully will have the movies end with us all walking together into the sunset together.
Dreams of home sometimes haunt my dreams. Waking up the next morning, the pictures of family and friends hanging by my bed make me smile. I know I’m not alone here with all the support I get from you guys back home. To my kids I thank you for taking time out of your lives to make your mom’s world a better place. To my friends four wheeling I hope that you didn’t get to see the locals from deliverance again. To the rest of my family and friends I thank you for your support.
As my favorite actor Radar said “That is all”
Dave
Dave - Janner, here. Bob, Harvey (Bob's bro), Rich and I met at Macgregor and rode to Cass Lake and back on Saturday (35 degrees that am) and man, was it a chilly ride.(The next day it was sunny and high 60's - go figure.) I believe I took that same ride with you and Josh and Bob, on another chilly day. No snow this ride, but it was a bone chiller. Some of the highlights: I had my rain gear pants on backwards. Did clothing aerobics in the bathroom in Remer to remedy that, which took me quite awhile cos I couldn't stop laughing. Mud puddles. Lots of 'em. Don't get wet with rain gear on (over the other 5 layers). New mittens with a zipper pocket for a "hottie" plus heated grips equals warm hands. Watching the guys pee on the trail (or try to thru all that gear!). Getting 10% off the food bill for being "off the trail. Running out of fuel around the same place I did when I went w/ you, Bob & Josh. Yup, even though it was cold enough for BOB to be cold, it was fun. We were suppose to meet at 0800, we all got there around 0700, so we hit the trail early. Harvey thought I was a guy at first cos I had on layers, a hoodie and a ball cap. Hmmm.... It was funny when he figured out that Rich and I were "the guy and his wife" that he'd asked whether or not they were going to show. That must make me "one of the guys". For you, the ride would have been going from one extreme (heat over there) to the other (cold) if you'd been here. I bought a round of DQ at the end (oddly enough, ice milk after a cold ride was not voted down). Bob and Harvey continued on to Moose Lake while Rich and I headed home (a 3 hour drive). Looking forward to having you back on the trail, even just back here. You were a topic on the trail.
ReplyDeleteWe're up at Dan's cabin this Memorial Day weekend. Dave, Matt and Rich (who were all deployed together)are out on an all day run to Port Wing, along with Amanda, Rich's daughter. I stayed back with the dogs.
Rich gave me a paper written by Rich Raby, who served with Rich's uncle in Korea when they were captured. Rich's uncle passed a day or so after the ambush, but this fellow endured alot to survive. Again, it reminds us all of what was sacrificed over the years by our men in uniform.
Thank you and your fellow soldiers for all that you do. Thank you Dave, for your sacrifices that you are making during your deployment.
Stay safe.