Updates

I'm 49% done!

Well we got the news yesterday that R&Rs are going to be a little touchy through the holiday season. There are apparently a whole lot of people traveling and everything is backed up. If Baghdad Airport shuts down for any length of time we are going to get screwed.

I really hope this goes off without a hitch.

In other news, we had to medivac a TCN last night for appendicitis. That's the first person we're had to evacuate since Chris or I have been here. He had surgery last night and is doing well we hear. Thanks to everyone who helped along the way.

I had to break down and open one of my Christmas presents- I knew what it was anyways. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004. I have been thinking about getting my private pilot's license and figured that I could get the ground school out of the way while I was over here.

I've started reading Aron Ralston's book Between a Rock and a Hard Place. So far it's a pretty good read. You may or may not remember the author name- he's the young climber who had his arm trapped by a boulder and, after several days with no rescue, cut it off to save himself.

Three days ago we had a group of trucks carrying T-walls pull up at the front gate shot up (they were not in a US convoy). One of the driver's managed to crawl from his truck before dying, two others were already dead. Three more dead Iraqis who were just trying to make a living. This whole situation is ridiculous. They were attacked a few miles down the road from us. I think I've heard explosions (off the FOB) every morning for the last few days along with sporadic gunfire.