Christmas @ the FOB

12 25 11

I'm beginning my workshop at the NGO Center tomorrow and have 10 locals signed up to help build a masonry heater to warm the place up. It will be busy there with the painters finishing up the painting, the sewing class (we're talking about hand cranked sewing machines and irons that run off locally made charcoal). The sewing class meets in the mornings on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. My class will meet Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in the afternoon. Klaus will be sending out yesterday's blog on the wrestling event but I got chased off the computer at 3am this morning (yesterday evening for you) by the cleaning crew and left out some of the other details.

While we were at the medical center watching ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ we were pleasantly interrupted by a band of 6 soldiers with flickering electric candles singing Christmas carols. They had a laptop computer with them so they could remember all of the lyrics… a heartwarming event that stands out as one of the nicer 'treats' while being here.

My team was given the day off except for guard duty at the HHC entrance point...two of them had an hour shift during the day. We went to the DFAC for a turkey, ham and roast beef meal...not bad, but not that good either....I miss cooking! The gift exchange went well. I got the team members each something made out of local lapis lazuli and handed out one of the rubber band snappers and a fire steel to all of the others I work with and near. It was fun for all. The funniest gift I got was a card from George B., who has a great sense of humor. He went to the PX and got selected cards that had nothing to do with the holiday... I got one that wished me "The Best Chanukah to the Best Dad" ...which was better than the one he gave to Wilson that said "Happy Birthday to the Best Boyfriend Ever!"

I spent most of the day reading and actually finished a book. I have read about 25 books since I have been deployed...lots of them here and at the COPS... thanks to both the donations of soldiers who have finished them and boxes from the US.

Love, -Jim-