Mid-December on the Tour...

Well we decided to take today off for a change. We have been running real hard lately with the mission down to Mosul and then back-to-back missions to BDE HQ's. It was nice to do nothing for a change. We actually busted out the BBQ grill this afternoon, threw on some ribs, and relaxed. The only thing missing was some beer….the non-alcoholic crap you get over here just doesn't count!!!

We also got a huge mail drop in yesterday so got to pick it all up this morning. We all got packages…I got nine myself. It was a great day. We all opened up boxes and shared with everyone on the team and even had some left over to share with some of the people and agencies that support us here on FOB Sykes. Gotta take care of the folks that take care of you!!! A special thanks goes out to my sister-in-law Kathy's sister Sophia. Her and her friends made 49 boxes of cookies and sent them over. There was more than enough for our team and for a lot of the people that help us here on the FOB. Also a thanks to the All American Pin-Up Girls. They send out boxes to deployed troops all over the world. They really do a great job. If you want to help them out…check out their MySpace page….they are listed on my friends list. And thanks to all those out there who support the troops all over the world…especially during the holiday season!!!

The internet is real slow today. I guess it is because it is Sunday and most of the Soldiers are inside the wire bogging down the internet. Hopefully it clears up later on this evening. Not sure what is on the plate for this week, but whatever it is we will do it safe as we can. Good luck to the Steelers this afternoon in Baltimore. I hope to catch the game on AFN, but if they are not playing it I will need some help with internet links from Steeler Nation out there…hook a brother up!!! Go Stillers!!!