Shya-she does what she wants

[kmaben]

Some of them came out kind of ok. (I made this one)

And some of them.....look like a four year old did it.

Hall of Gobble!

And Morgan! I opened the cookies about 0900. By 1400 they were reduced to this.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Looks like you´re all having a great time, I´m feeling a bit left out lol.

You´ll have to start cooking lots of curries and biriani´s. I love Indian cooking and use turmeric quite a lot. I´m not so keen on dates on their own but love them wrapped in bacon and cooked together, delicious.

Artwork is fab and very colourful, brightens the décor.

 

[PaGal]

I'm not a huge date fan. I won't eat them like I do chocolate but I will eat a few here and there.

The hand turkeys...Funny how different they all are. Sounds like the grumpy medic needed a time out! Ha

The girls unusual? Hhmmm probably but then they have unusual parents. ha! I can't keep up with their fav colors as those always seem to be changing. They are not really girly girls. They do not like pink or princesses but they are not tom boys either. They like most things kids like.

 

[Anaira]

Some of them were pretty creative. Those are black licorice twizzlers that no one here eats.

????!

 

[kmaben]

ok ok I know I've been lazy on my blog. Haven't been able to work up the energy or motivation to do much of anything lately. It's getting really stupid around here and I'm having a hard time dealing with it. I forget how much I rely on my husband emotionally. He's my rock and functioning without my better half has been damn near impossible these last couple of weeks. I went on a trip a couple of weekends ago and finally have some pictures uplaoded.

Emiraties drive like complete and total ass hats but you give them a land rover and some dunes and it's more fun than anyone should be having.

We visited a red sand desert and then a white sand dune desert. One had random watermelons growing.

Had a great buffet. We were all sucking sitting on the floor though.

 

[kmaben]

haha and lastly my selfie with the camel. You could get on them and the dude walked them around in the circle. It was pretty interesting watching them get up and down. Plus they were like old grumpy camels. Couple people fell off. It was hilarious.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Looks like you had good fun. I´ve ridden a camel in Morocco, it is a weird sensation but I really enjoyed it and we had to eat sitting on the floor. I can live with that as long as it´s reasonably comfortable. Comfy is most important as you get older haha.

I´ve been thinking of you the last few days. They put a quick preview of the 50th anniversary episode of Dr Who on Children in Need on Friday night and they´ve had a programme on this weekend with the ten best monsters or villains with an episode to show each one. Last programme tonight and I´ve loved them. They also announced the poll for the best doctor and the best companion....David Tennant and Billie Piper. I must admit he´s my favourite and I love Rose but I always liked Sarah Jane, she was there when I was growing up. Can´t wait now for next Saturday. I hear it´s premiering in the US at the same time as the UK.

 

[kmaben]

Yes it is premiering at the same time and then later they'll do a global one. It's to keep everything from leaking out. I have to watch it down at the aussie compound as we dont get anything like that on our Military tv. We havent figured out exactly the time yet. I think one of the nurses was talking about streaming it off of itunes or something. Several brits have shown interest so I think we'll have a Dr who party at the Aussie aid station. It adds to the atmosphere so it should be hopefully pretty epic! I really cant wait!

 

[whitelop]

Hahaha I laughed at the camel! I too, have ridden a camel, its a funky ride! Their gate is nothing like a horse and you're kind of weeving and bobbing. LOL I love camels though, I think they're hilarious, with their grunting and snorting. I would totally have a camel. So if you could send a camel on my way, that would be great! Thanks! LOL

I love the pictures, I know you're sick of it, but it looks really pretty. It totally seems like my kind of climate too. Hot. Dry. Too bad it doesn't stay light out like 20 hours a day. Thats my dream, pretty much, to live on the sun. haha.
Your dinner looked nice, even though you had to sit on the floor. Does sand not get into everything? Your cushions looked comfortable enough though.

And did you not know, that watermelons LOVE sand? They grow better when the soil is a little sandy. Only, I didn't know they grew in JUST sand. Those are some pretty hardy watermelons then.

I could imagine, the people(men) there driving like jerks. Do women drive there? Hahaha.

Uh oh, an Army related X Files just came on! Gots to watch!

 

[kmaben]

I did not know that watermelons liked sandy soil. Definitely good to know, hubby is always trying to grow them. He tends to over water them and then they die. I thought he'd give it up but he comes home with baby watermelon vines randomly all the time.

The place where we were at the sand have been compacted and it wasn't really windy. Usually it's not windy anyways except on rare occasions. The desert is really gorgeous when we get to be out and about. It's just that the camp always looks like crap and it's just this rocky, sandy, depressing place.

Both men and women drive here. The emirates in general are the worst because they have such an entitled attitude.
The Saudi's just came out with a "study" stating that driving for women is bad for their ovaries and will produce retarded children....I know I couldnt stop laughing either. True story. Swear to God. Can't make this stuff up.

So I really want to ship our little motor pool kitty home. He's the sweetest thing and extra special. He's really runty and is completely terrified of the dark. At night all the feral cats come out and always beat up on him. He has a pretty sweet area but he has to leave it and hide under the connexes at night. Cant tell you how many scrapes I've cleaned him up from. He's a hilarious little thing and just comes running up to you. He hides when the "important" people come around who would make us move him or worse "dispose" of him. He looks a lot like Sebastian and I call him Alonso to match. Right now there is a battle over what his name is. One section of the FSC calls him Eggo. The other half call him Frosty Flakes.

I can afford to send him home but I feel really guilty on several fronts. The amount I would pay to send him home could be donated to an animal shelter or a couple of special needs animals and make a big improvement. On the other hand I kind of feel responsible for Alonso. He's been a great friend to me and the other troopers and you dont just abandon your friends. We have the time and the room but I kind of want to downsize in the animal department with wanting to expand our human family. But leaving him just feels morally wrong.

Or am I just being overly sensitive?

 

[PaGal]

The pics were nice although it would not be my ideal living situation. I like green and need to see it around in plant and tree form to be really happy. Plus I associate it with all of those futuristic movies whrere the world and everyone in it has gone to crap such as Mad Max. It's depressing.

Watermelons actually do not need watered that much and you are supposed to cut back on watering like a week or so before you should be able to pick them. It cuts back on the water content so the sugar content will be higher and they will be sweeter.

That's a difficult decision with the cat. I hate being in a position like that.

 

[whitelop]

It is a difficult cat situation. I would be bringing the cat home though, because I'm a crazy person and I must save them all.

 

[PaGal]

I almost forgot and had to jump back on to warn you. If you haven't used the light up balloons yet then you may not want to. Hubby blew up the ones I got for the girls yesterday. I had one pop for no reason as it was laying on our table and I was busy hanging another one up. Then another popped for no reason after just being up for a few minutes. The last one I just put on our carpeted bedroom floor because I was tired of the popping and it popped for no reason. The other two have not popped.

When the two popped it was very loud and left my ear ringing so I thought I would warn you. I wouldn't want anyone to react badly to it.

 

[kmaben]

hahah Denise shouldnt have told me. Now I'm gonna put them in the TOC and watch all the higher ups dive under tables and stuff. I gave two? to one of the girls that lives in my tent. I blew one up and was singing her a nighty night song and told her it was her night light. She looked at me like a crazy person and laughed. Shep is on a different brain wave anyways. I still have two left and gonna tape them to the SergentMajors desk and wait for the pop!

Those are a really neat idea with lots of possibilities.

The girls think I'm strange because I take the little fish with me into the shower so I can color it again! When I'm bored and feeling unproductive and depressive I dig him out and color it with my Franklin rabbit. Such a sad, sad life out here.

 

[Chrisdoc]

I didn´t know watermelons grow better in sandy earth. I do know that they don´t need loads of water cos they grow really well down here and it´s been really dry up to now.

The little cat sounds lovely, I´d be torn in two whether to try and take him back but if it´s mega expensive, you´re right that could do a lot of good for rescues or shelters but it will be hard to leave him behind. He sounds like a really clever kitty as well.

Sounds like you´re going to have real fun with those balloons now, wish we could get photos or video of the reactions lol.

Kaley, you could also stream via www.filmon.com. That streams live UK TV so you could watch it on BBC1, it airs at 7.50pm UK time.

 

[PaGal]

I am glad you have had and will get to have more fun with the balloons.

Whatever helps you get through. I don't know though. There are times I feel I have a sad, sad life and I'm not living in a tent in the middle of the desert many miles away from everyone I love and care about. I know it is part of serving but I think it is the worst part which is saying something.

 

[whitelop]

So I have some great ideas to send to you for Christmas. I have to make sure to get everything ready to send soon, so it gets there on time!
But I'm going to put some stuff in for the joes too, how many are there? Just small things, so its nothing serious, but this box is probably going to be on the big side. LOL

OH and I figured out the right kind of bread to send to you! I got the bread to work and didn't fail at it! So expect that too! And this recipe makes A LOT.

I'm pretty excited though, I've been on pinterest looking for things and I've found like 5 things to do and send to you. Be prepared. But thats all I'm going to say. Ever.

 

[kmaben]

It is definitly the worst part about serving. Simply is what it is. Just because I live in a tent in the middle of this stupid country doesnt mean you dont have your own set of problems that are just as improtant. I think we all have those moments.
I had to take a cold shower after a very long, very dirty day. Life was for sure in the crapper. I have those moments when all the animals are driving me crazy and I just want to leave them all behind and run away. And I actually love them!

Cant wait Morgan! I only have 2 joes in my squad. Dont particularly care for the rest. Well there is one more that I like and he's my big eater.
Pretty much after the 1st of December it'll be too late to mail anything out. The new unit is coming in and they'll shut our post office down. Again I want to thank you guys for all of your support. I've enjoyed it greatly and it has helped alot to keep spirits up. I have a few more boxes to send out and I'm trying to atleast wait until december.

 

[PaGal]

Kaley...I understand that. Everyone has their own problems and issues to deal with. Oh boy do I know that! Ha

Right now I'm ready to move Lavern and Shirley outside. I guess the change of season is having an affect now as I have caught Shirley mounting Laverne a few times and that hasn't happened since they first got here and now they bounce around all night which means I'm not sleeping. There nowhere else in the house I can move them to and not hear them.

I have been meaning to sit down and write you a letter but things have been crazy. I'm hoping I'll have some time this week. We'll see. There always seems to be something out of the ordinary popping up and taking my time.

 

[whitelop]

So does that mean you're coming home soon? Or are you just moving? I need to know! So I know where to send you goodies. Or if I have to send them sooner rather than later.