Monday afternoon

Very busy on Saturday/Sunday. I got a set of coveralls, and worked with the guys, installing the equipment. Hot, and dusty, but I enjoy it very much. The work here, will help the American forces come home sooner. Been feeling rundown, I have some kind of virus, I went to the medical clinic, and he gave me some tablets.

In Iraq, you have a whole new "family" of bacteria, and germs, which you ingest everytime you breathe or eat. I drink only bottled water, but you still get bacteria, from the environment. Without going into too much detail, I have had to keep a straight line for the men's room. You have do drink extra clear water, just to build up your fluids.

Since we are ahead of schedule, today is a bit slow. Wednesday is my scheduled day off, but I am on call, so I will probably have to do some work, I don't mind. Work is very good here, and I want to remain in Iraq for some years, if possible.

We got a very bad duststorm on Sunday. You could not see 100 yards. All of the helicopters were grounded, so it was quiet and spooky. Imagine the worst fog you ever saw, and everyone wearing surgical masks, that is Iraq in a duststorm.

Last afternoon and evening, the sky was pretty clear,we thought the storms were behind us, but the air is getting dustier by the hour, and we will probably face the storms for the next two days.

Just found out, about the tornados in Suffolk VA. I worked in Suffolk 2001-2002, and I lived in nearby Franklin. I really liked that job. I supervised 5 cable TV systems in two states, and some days I drove 300 miles in one day. I was on call 24/7, and I got a lot of call ins. Cable TV is an interesting industry.