I Have Returned ... just in time for Easter!

Finally.  I have returned from my Polish, mountain retreat into the dusty and welcoming arms of Bagram Airfield.  There was something about the fresh air, sound of helicopters, the Poles and lack of consistent phone and internet access that created a womb-like peace.  Now I'm back in the thick of it and it's been a dubious arrival.  The flight was about 3 hours this morning, which like too much of any good thing, left me nauseous upon arrival.   This flight was absent the gunfire and explosions that my prior flight experienced, but seemed to be full of a lot of twisting, maneuvering and rapid elevation changes.  Did I mention that these fly with the back open - meaning that they aren't pressurized either.  Apparently the Hillbilly Wino has sucky altitude issues so needless to say, I was glad to get here, but felt like I was about to reheat my breakfast.  Oh, and no family or friends meet you at the airport - I mean tarmac.  Usually a stranger shows up, but a helpful one and the baggage issues aren't such a pain in the arse. You lug all of your bags and required equipment around while wearing a 30lb flack jacket.  Which means, if you bend over too far, or misjudge your balance you will end up on your face in front of God and your countrymen.

While I was on my Forward Operating Base adventure, I was notified that I'm being evicted from not only my Bhut, but also the base!  I'm moving to a new plywood hovel on Monday and then to Kandahar Airfield at some point in April.  There I will live and work in a tent - with plywood partitions - and it's in the desert so it will be kind of warm.  It also has large waste treatment ponds so it smells like poo.  BUT, it's spread out and I won't be living on the wire so when they shoot rockets into the base, our chances of not being hit greatly improve.  It's also a NATO base so there are many amenities that General McCrystal cannot expel because they are owned by the NATO countries - can you say Tim Horton's? Also, the team I will be working with sound like they are actually a team and get things accomplished.  AND, there are new latrines and showers, plus the bedding, so I'm looking forward to that - I can't begin to describe the silent screams that catch in my throat if any part of me comes in contact with my current mattress or shower walls/curtain - I literally freeze with "the creeps".

So, when I arrived today I also had 3 boxes - THREE - from home and let me tell you, they were full of civilization!  Things that smell good, things from home, things of mine that I need here, new things - with a focus on bedding, lotions, clothes.  It was fantastic - now I just have to figure out how to move my life to a new airfield.  I am prepared to decorate.  I was just with a guy in Ghazni who was like a character out of a Tennessee Williams play - I loved him - and he even had a southern accent!  He shared some very creative decorating tips that I will apply once I have completed my relocation.  One of the keys to getting through it here is where you choose to focus your energies.  Other than work, there isn't much happening so you tend to go a little crazy.  Decorating and improving your living space is a huge past time and involves locating scrap wood, tools and other found objects to incorporate into your space. It's a trip and totally should be featured on HGTV - I have seen some amazing spaces and remember, these are basically 7 x 10 feet if that.  There's a huge barter system involved too.  I greatly enjoy the whole energy behind it.  Plus, it keeps your mind in the present and off of how much you miss your people and home - if you don't try to keep you mind in the present, you will be miserable - it's tough to do, but I make myself.  It's only been recently that I allowed myself to look at videos and pics that I took of home, family and friends because I was afraid I'd upset my mental applecart - and we know my mental applecart was operating with different size wheels to begin with!

Well, I'm about to indulge in my language CD and make some tea  - or coffee, with my shiny and new little pod machine (thanks Betsy!).  I'd like to send an early birthday shout out to Mike K. - he's old now, but is taking care of himself - I think he should get his family a puppy for his birthday and stay away from his front porch bushes this year during his B-day celebration.  Also, I would like to extend a brief moment of silence in honor of my brother's family puppy - Rosalita - who had an unexpected date with death due to a heart ailment - Special Ed, Auggie and Gus are for sure giving her a good welcoming sniff in dog heaven!

Drink of the night - hot tea in my own space - cue the fireplace and smoking jacket!