A month already?

Holy cripes! It has been a month and a couple of days since my latest adventure began. So far, I have only had to go to a bunker once *knocks on wood*, and it was in Kandahar. I've only had to wear my kevlar and vest once, and that was for a helicopter ride. So this whole war zone thing isn't as bad as I thought. Don't get me wrong, it could all go to shit any moment, but so far, so good. *knocks on wood again*

When we got to Kandahar (KAF), we were all a bit nervous that the rest of our year was going to be spent in similar craptastic conditions. Imagine our surprise when we got to a smaller base, with significantly less everything, and were happier! Here at Howz-e Madad, compared to KAF, it is less dusty, less smelly, less busy, and less full of silliness. There is silliness here, but the right kind of silliness, not the kind of silliness that makes you want to punch people in their faces.

It is odd, but I really find it quite beautiful here. Mostly at night. We don't have a lot of exterior lighting on the base, so on a cloudless night (as most of them are), you can see the entire universe! Orion's Belt comes up over the horizon and I know things aren't as bad as they could be. What does one constellation have to do with anything, you ask? I know where I am, I can see the night sky, and I can wish upon the stars.

Of course, I don't spend a lot of time outside at night, because it is REALLY FRICKIN' COLD! There is a thermometer by the site manager's office that says it was 40 degrees around 8:30pm yesterday, but I am certain that it is a dirty, dirty liar, because it was WAY colder than 40. Dirty lying thermometer. But my tent is nice and warm. SpongeBob keeps me nice and warm at night, as do my military issue sleeping bag(s).

They finally have the shower units up in our little DynCorp area, so it is only 14 steps from my tent porch to the door of the (occasionally) female shower unit. It is absolutely glorious to be able to get up in the morning and take a nice hot shower. I could've taken glorious morning showers with the every other day schedule as well, but then my shower escort would have had to get up early to escort me, and he doesn't like getting up early. My poor little sunshine. (Yes, that's me picking on you, Jason.)

So, a month down ... only 11 more to go. And at least 30 of those days, I'll be out of Afghanistan, so really, only 10 more months of Afghanistan. I am planning to be home toward the end of April, because someone is supposed to be having a baby around the 1st of May. Fingers crossed I get home before the little Sarah/Waylon decides it is time to join the world!

'Til next time ...