Greetings from the former-desert-now-sea-of-mud-Basrah!

It is officially the rainy season. There’s water two inches deep right outside my door. Kinda sucks walking in flip-flops to the bathroom – kinda of like walking in the surf, except stinkier.

Well, still no replacement to help me out, so I’m running the show by myself now (sigh), but hey, that just means people like me more, right? Anybody want a neat job? Meals, housing, laundry, clothing, utilities are all free! Just need you to work 7-days a week and avoid the occasional rocket, easy! [chirp, chirp…]

Ok, never mind.

We did get a VIP visit this week, actually two. First Senators McCain (Az), Lieberman (Ct), Snowe (Me) and Thune (SD) came through for a briefing on what’s going on in the south, and then a half hour of shaking hands and pictures with the troops. McCain and Lieberman looked pretty tired, as you can see by the pictures, but Snowe looked good, she must travel well! I didn’t find Thune, or I would’ve got a picture with him – if memory serves he was the one to knock off Daschle. McCain and Lieberman were clearly the most popular, and the most widely known, and the crows of soldiers and airmen (and a few sailors) loved them for their support of the mission over here. It may not end well, of course, but they want us to succeed, and that means a lot.

Then, a few days later, we actually got visited by Senator Kerry. Yep, the guy who flubbed the joke and called us all stupid. I had to give him credit for putting his neck out over here at least. He had a lot of cameras with him and I’d be surprised if some of it didn’t make it on the news, which of course I’ll never live down if I end up on TV shaking hands with Kerry… (you know who I’m talking about – in my defense remember that, just like saluting officers, you are showing respect for the office if not the person - does it help if I note I had my fingers crossed?).

Oh, and a big thanks to Mom (who sent me some Christmas presents! Thanks for the fleece!), to Mere for some dried fruit and nut snacks, instant coffee and canned herring, and to Glenn and the folks at NHC, who sent a bizarre collection of books, snacks and a season or two of the new Dr. Who!

19 weeks and counting…

Fair Winds and Following Seas from a Brown Sand Box Sailor!