Happy Halloween

I have just returned from work; it is later than I normally sit down to write but I would hate to miss a Sunday "deadline" after all these weeks. It is Halloween today but other than candied apples at the dessert bar for dinner, which was a nice and thoughtful touch, it would be hard to tell. No tricks but a special treat on the walk back to my CHU this evening. I heard the sound of helicopters, I was sure they were near, but despite trying I could not spot them until after I felt the wash of the rotors. In the dark sky, flying without lights, it was impossible to make them out until one touched down no more than 50 meters from where I stood. I think it is magical how they blend in; I am always delighted to see them swoop down and then take off with such power, quickly disappearing into the night. They happily remind me of Adam and his helicopter days, and also serve as a reminder to be grateful that I am in a unique place, privy to some special experiences.

Another special experience was a dinner last night at the home of an Iraqi. She lives within the International Zone (IZ) so travel was easy, and safe, but I am afraid I can not share many details out of concern for her safety. But what I do want to share is that I had a really lovely evening and enjoyed their warm hospitality. During the evening the lights flickered a few times, once going out for a few minutes, but conversation continued as if nothing happened. Their hope for a better future for Iraq was palpable, and as I reflected on the evening I wished that I could bring ordinary Americans into their living room to see how similiar we are. They proudly shared stories of their family, past and present, and I shared the photos that I always keep in my sleeve pocket; it was clear that we were linked by a common desire for a secure future for who, and what, we love.

And then there was the food... I will have to wait until I am home to show you my Hostess but I wanted you to see what a tradional Iraqi spread looks like. It was all delicious and so fresh. We started with a soup, its base was made with tomato and turnips but it had other chopped vegetables and wonderful stuffed dumplings. Two rice dishes, a fantastic salad, homemade hummus, an okra dish and a platter of grilled meats and onions followed, all accompanied by bread similiar to pita but closer to naan in texture. The food is complex in flavor but has a simplicity to it that is very appealing to me. I will have to come back with some recipes.

Thanks to Lisa and the Jones family for the wonderful pictures of home. As time passes for you, it passes for me and I am grateful for the seasonal reminders as the months go by. Next year, you will find me excited to be back at my front door passing out candy. Amelia always joins me towards the end, we sit on the steps digging through her bag as she takes care of the stragglers at the end of the night. Noah arrives a little later, but I can always count on him for a Reeses Cup and a colorful recount of his evening. Next year...

Love,

Krista

Batter Up!

This past week was a busy one. The pace was similar to my early weeks in Iraq, but this time, it was purely self imposed. Briefing the Commanding General (CG), a four star, is something to be prepared for and I was pretty determined to make the best of the opportunity. It was not a given that I would brief, there were a number of scenarios that would have meant someone else briefed what I prepared. In keeping with the current baseball playoffs that were in full swing last week, I appreciated my Generals' confidence in sending me up to bat. During the car ride over, not long before I went up to bat, my General told me "don't screw it up." Oddly inspiring!

Perhaps because I had practiced so much, I felt suprisingly comfortable. No Brady Bunch moments picturing the General in his underwear were required. But I did remind myself that I was the expert (scary thought,) raised my chair, sat up a little straighter and calmly waited for my turn. It was a "U" shaped table, mostly Generals, a few Admirals, one Captain, and me, with my Embassy partner next to me. With the strap hangers behind the "U", about 35 were in attendance. And it went well, really well. But when it was over, I mostly felt relief. Relief that I had not struck out, and a bit of joy that I may have even made it on base while playing in the Majors.

The next day I had another brief for the CG, but this time it was just one slide with accompanying script by video teleconference from the Embassy. It is blasted all over but most people just see the slide and hear your voice. So I read, I focused on articulating clearly while ensuring my voice stayed out of the squeak zone. I made it through without blunder and then focused on my next responsibility- the Hail and Farewell that was scheduled for that evening. My coworkers were happy to do the heavy work- they just had no interest in the planning. So it was perfect- I planned, coordinated and crafted a bit and they picked-up and set-up as I requested. College football was the theme and the tailgate inspired menu included spicy brats with grilled peppers and onions, chicken wings, pasta salad, assorted chips, fruit platter and dessert. The DFAC did a super job preparing the special meal for us- all we had to do was pick it all up. Nice and easy- particularly when the guys pitched in so willingly. That ended my triple header. I pretty much collapsed into bed that night, exhausted but happy.

Pictured are my friend Vern making his way down the food line, me with my coworker Terry in the middle and Brian who works in the front office. Terry is a reservist, a Navy pilot, who is a rancher in "real life." He runs a cow-calf operation in Nebraska. In a rare perfect fit- he works agricultural issues here and really gets it. He heads home soon, he is more than ready to get back to his family and ranch, but I will really miss him. I don't remember exactly what was making me smile so broadly but I do remember laughing when that picture was snapped. And then there is my craft project. I made 25 pennants using the pre-season college football rankings in Sports Illustrated. There is no shortage of SI here so I tore two of them up to get my project started. I bought a role of brown craft paper at the exchange and laminated away. We have a great laminator and a really nice paper cutter so the job went fast. A few hole punches and weaving with the ribbon, and I was all set.

Wishing those at home a wonderful week, I am smiling thinking of all the halloween activities ahead. If you get a chance, please send me a picture of your ghosts and goblins.

Love,

Krista

Happy Birthday!

Last week I wrote about the predictable warm weather, and as if someone heard me and flipped a switch, the weather changed abruptly on Monday. I watched out my window on Monday afternoon, seeing the wind pick up and the visibility decrease as the air became foggy with dust. This was followed by a short spell of the "mud rain" I mentioned in my last post. I walked outside a couple of hours later, the wind had finally settled but the temperature had dropped at least twenty degrees. It felt wonderful! Most of the week was markedly cooler, a welcome change. But while the temperature went down, my workload increased as a presentation for the Commanding General was moved to this week. I have put in some long hours and expect to do the same for days to come, but I am excited for the opportunity to brief the CG.

On Wednesday the US Navy celebrated its 235th Birthday! The Dining Facility Manager graciously offered to make us a cake and as you can see it the picture above- the Baker did a great job. I helped gather the Navy personnel stationed on the New Embassy Compound for a brief ceremony that included a cake cutting by the oldest and youngest naval officer present, a few comments by one of our Captains and an off-key, but rousing, rendition of the first verse of Anchors Aweigh. We ended with a hearty "Beat Army" in keeping with the good natured rivalry that exists between the services-particularly the Army and Navy. Our Navy identity sometimes feels a bit lost while wearing the Army Combat Uniform but we Navy types are proudly displaying the Navy's "Don't Tread on Me" patch on our left shoulder. I myself have come to enjoy this uniform- particularly the many pockets which function better than a purse. A few "shipmates" I can think of did not make the picture but we were joined by a few from an adjacent base. It was a nice opportunity to get together and made Wednesday's lunch special. Actually all day there were a lot of "happy birthdays" exchanged in the hallway. Navy pride is alive and well here.

I have a little side project this coming week that I know will make some of you smile. I took on organizing an upcoming "Hail and Farewell" for my directorate- J9. These are monthly events where we get together to introduce, hail, the new folks and farewell those headed home. They are more commonly referred to as "Hail and Bail" since you go (mandatory) and then leave as soon as possible. The senior leadership would like to see people hang out a bit and socialize a little. I accepted the challenge and themed our upcoming gathering as a college tailgate with appropriate fare. College football is a welcome diversion on the weekend, and much talked about, so I think I may have found some commonality to bring this diverse group together. Time will tell.

And now, back to work.

Love,

Krista

Grill Night

With the exception of one dinner outside of the Embassy Compound, I am afraid that there is not much of significance to report this week. I think because I have developed such a routine, it is pretty easy to identify things that stand out. None I can think of this past week. And maybe that is not a bad thing, especially here. Quiet is good. Just makes it hard to come up with something to share. So how about we talk about what one often turns to when in need of a topic of conversation- the weather.

The daily high dipped below 100 degrees Fahrenheit this past Wednesday. In general the mornings have started to cool, what a nice change to make it to work before starting to sweat. August was pretty brutal and it carried well into September. A thermometer is posted outside of the Dining Facility and I cannot think of a day it was below 110 during August or September as we headed into lunch. All that heat makes it hard to imagine cooler days ahead but I have been promised that come November, or December at the latest- I will need to take out my army issued fleece zip-up. I am looking forward to it! But I have also been assured that the rain will come- and walking back from dinner tonight they described the rain as mud rain. Apparently the rain mixes with the many dust particles in the air and creates "mud rain." Fortunately the army also issued me a rain coat!

When I spoke to Adam today, Amelia and her friend Mabel were in the yard creating a leaf pile. They have an established fall tradition that involves jumping into giant piles of leaves. And although Adam reports that today is unseasonably warm in Columbus, just the thought of the girls raking and jumping into leaves is enough to bring me the feeling of fall. Another indicator is the trickle of halloween candy that has started to arrive. One of the young Army Captains(O3) that I work with is single and his Mother supplies a steady stream of treats. Just this past week she sent a box of Cheryl's Cookies (Columbus based) and then days later- a big box of halloween candy. Chris surprised us all, leaving treat bags on our desks that his Mother had prepared. I have mentioned the community shelf before, but in addition to the community food shelf there is also a large filing cabinet- each drawer filled with seasonal decorations. And in my cubicle, there are two big boxes- a christmas tree and a wreath left for me by my mentor and friend, CAPT Ahern. So despite the steady heat and predictable blue skies, the seasons and accompanying holidays of home will be celebrated, just celebrated Baghdad style.

On Thursday night a group from my office went "out" for dinner. The occasion was a farewell dinner for one of my Division co-workers. We enjoyed Grill Night at a nearby compound, even eating outside under the palm trees and a few visible stars. And although it may be a bit hard to see, I am posing with my dessert, a very pretty flan. Of course, before someone leaves, someone normally arrives to replace them and that means that I am no longer the new person. I have felt established for quite some time, but still, it is nice to lose the "new person" title. With Halloween approaching a new title might stick- Water Witch was jokingly (I think) proposed as an alternative to Aquagirl. They better watch out- I bet I can find a hat and a broom in one of those drawers!

Love,

Krista

Something to Live By

Back at home, I remember flipping through a catalog when the image above leapt out at me. I was enamored with the clean design, cute crown and most of all- the sentiment. I am pretty sure it was a framed print that I first saw, and I thought about where that could go in our home. Still not knowing the history behind it, but with it leaving an impression, I started noticing it more frequently. First the poster and then needlehook pillows (cute,) t-shirts and finally coffee mugs; hmmm, maybe a little too trendy- I took it off the mental shopping list. But I was reminded of it again here when I spotted an aged 8 1/2 by 10 version adorning the outer wall of a cubicle just down the way from mine. Now I was really curious, a quick trip to wikipedia filled me in; the slogan accompanied by the crown of King George VI was produced by the British Ministry of Information in 1939. It was one of a series of three prints, war propaganda designed to bolster the mental fortitude of the British should Germany invade. Fortunately the posters were not needed but sadly, they were destroyed.

Well not all of them, an independent bookseller from Northcumberland England discovered a folded up poster in the bottom of a dusty box of books bought at auction in 2000. He and his wife hung it the shop and eventually had prints made to satisfy the demands of customers who frequently inquired about purchasing it. The history, combined with the appropriateness of the senitiment in my current setting, I am in love all over again! I printed a copy of my own and it is now framed and sitting on my nightstand. Although not prone to hysterics, I really like the cheery and sensible reminder to keep moving forward.

People here track their progress or count the days in many ways. There are different schools of thought as to the best method; should you count daily, weekly, monthly or not at all? I do not know anyone that does not "count" in some way. But my friend Jason takes the prize for most original. He goes by the moon. The moon is very pretty here, and normally very striking because of the absence of clouds. I like his method, but having previously adopted the month, I have stuck with it. The little red box came out again on the 22nd of September, and this time Noah, Amelia and the Days were joined by the Jones Family for an after school treat of frozen yogurt at Cuzzins to celebrate two months down. And for me, a trio of Baskin Robbins with the baby scoop. I am in pretty tight with Ganesh, a kind gentleman who proudly oversees and maintains our impeccable ice cream bar. Normally it is the self-serve soft serve I indulge in, but for special occasions, Baskin Robbins served with a smile by Ganesh.

I did venture off compound, but within the International Zone, to the United Nations Compound this past week. It was interesting to see just how many countries and Non-Governmental Organizations are working to assist the Government of Iraq with water related issues. Ideally our meeting would mean less duplication of effort and more progress, but it is a challenge in this environment, a challenge excentuated by stalled government formation. Nonetheless, we are all trying to move forward, like me, one day at a time.

Love,

Krista