Finished my week

Sunday night. We get Sunday morning off, so I slept in till 1100am. Great. The air conditioner works fine in my trailer. This was an interesting week. I worked from 0800 to 1000pm Thursday, and it was rough. I got a pizza after work, and it was excellent.

I went to Burger King this morning, and tried to get a sandwich. My credit card did not work, so I went back to the office. I called the credit card company, and it seems that a retailer was hacked, and several thousand credit card numbers were compromised, so my account was closed, and a new number assigned. I explained that I was in Iraq, and I needed my account, so the closure was cancelled, and now I can use the old card again.

Last night, I went to the rec hall to watch "Law and Order". The music in the dance room was so loud, that I could not hear the program. I miss having my own TV in the room.

The food quality in the chow hall remains excellent. I am impressed, that the KBR people can do such a good job, in this environment. I am eating much better than I ever did, when I was on active duty 30 years ago.

I also miss Masonry very much. I have completed the year of suspension, and now I am eligible for re-instatement, and my friend R.B. Hooks Jr, will attend my lodge (KY) next week, and get my reinstatement completed. I still need a letter to be sent to New York and Massachusetts, so that I can have the suspension lifted in those states as well.

I am going to Camp Speicher ( pronounced SPY-ker) and I do not know if there is a lodge there or not. I plan to start a square and compasses club, if there is not one there already.

Believe it or not, I miss Afghanistan. The climate there is not as harsh, at least you have some elevation, so you do not broil in the sun. I drink 6 liters of water per day (about 1.5 gallons) and I still cannot keep my self hydrated. At least I can sleep well. I got some cardboard, and taped over the windows in the trailer, so that the sun rising at 4:30am did not wake me.

I installed a counter on this blog, and I am amazed that 50 or more people read this blog every day. I am astounded. I did not know I was so interesting. I wish more people left comments, and joined in on the twitter.com conversations.

Saturday night

I will never get used to this country. Today it was fair and pleasant. Warm enough to wear short pants. I have been through two winters in Afghanistan, and believe me, they are cold. I have to fly up to FOB Tillman, and do an installation, then fly on to Orgun-E. I spent ten days at Orgun-E in October 2007. What a dump. No quarters for transients, and I had to sleep on a cot. A decent chow hall. The Chaplain there was terrific, plenty of free time, we would chat about various stuff.

Went to the chow hall for lunch, could not look at the food. No appetite at all. I just got a small spoonful of spaghetti, with some meat sauce, drank a soda, and ate a cookie. Went back to the tent, and watched a couple of movies. One good thing about this job, is that you are traveling a lot, and you do not have to spend much time with any one person.

When I worked in Iraq, I had my own trailer, a 75 foot paradise, wall to wall carpet, and cable TV. Shower house next door. fabulous. Here I am in a tent , and it is 200 yards to the shower house, and then climb up the stairs.

I would like to participate in Masonry in this country, but the opportunities are not there. Most of the FOBs (Forward Operating Bases) have no lodge, and the few lodges that are operating here, are not recognized by Kentucky. I see no reason to antagonize anyone. I have never attended a clandestine lodge, and I never will. If I go and have a plate of fried chicken with some American heroes, someone will "fink" on me. Best to just leave Masonry alone in Afghanistan.

I intend to participate very much, when I return to the USA. I want to get back in the Shrine as well. Masonry is so fantastic, and I have always enjoyed it, no matter where I am. I wish the Grand Lodge of New York would issue a charter for LSA#1, but the Grand Lodge of New York doesn't even answer my mail.