Monday in Iraq

Cooler today. The morning dust was thick in the air, and it gave the place an eerie amber glow. The wind has not been strong enough to blow it away, so aircraft are all grounded. Got up early, got a shower. Ate eggs and cheese and french toast for breakfast. The dining hall is serving South African orange juice, and it is good. Had a bowl of Apple Jacks for dessert.

Worked this morning, drove over to a recycling yard. Stood around for a while, and tried to get some scrap metal. Left the yard, and returned back to the camp for lunch. Cheeseburger, fries, diet soda. I plan to lose some weight here. If I can avoid the baskin-robbins, I can go back to the USA thinner.

Back into the office. Bought a few bits online, I need some large styrofoam cups. Work over soon.

Tomorrow, I will go back to the salvage yard, I could really use a conex container. You cannot be too rich, too thin, nor have too much storage space.


There is some confusion about Military lodges. "Land, Sea, and Air Lodge #1" is a traveling military lodge. It has no lodge building, nor fixed address. It is a real, working lodge, and the charter is from the Grand Lodge of New York, F&AM. You can see the story of the lodge, and see the charter at

http://www.esmason.com/ fall 2005 issue page 32

Land, Sea, and Air lodge #1, is able to do degree work, make new masons, conduct funerals, and do everything that a fixed "bricks and mortar" lodge can do in the USA. LSA#1 has no officers, no elections, no dues. The lodge exists only to serve the needs of military masons, during time of war or international conflict.

I am a member of Master Builder lodge #911, Kenmore (Buffalo), New York. I was approached by the Grand Lodge of New York back in November 2005, and asked to take over the operation of the lodge. The charter is sitting in a museum in New York City, and the lodge equipment has not even been unpacked, since I received it in November 2005.

I have made repeated requests to the Grand Lodge of New York, to obtain a charter or other authority to operate. The Grand Master and Grand Secretary, will not answer my mail.