Hot Hot Hot

Today it cranked up to 105 degrees F. Which means it was hot, and we have 30 to 40 degrees to go! Ouch! Today my squad (myself included) worked on our vehicles in the motor pool and I said "Guys, finish up by 1300, go to lunch and then weapons maintance." which really got the motivation engine running-everyone got their work done and to chow and to their rooms-a/c baby, a/c.
I really don't know how the people here deal with it. I know that not all have a/c (I don't know how many) but it must be unbearable. Yea, I know they live here all the time, but I don't think you get use to 140 degree temperatures. I guess I will find out soon!
You may read about IEDs going off; some of the guys I know here stopped and applied first aid the other day after just such an event. They were coming back to the gate and came upon the scene just after the explosion. I heard it and saw the smoke plume going up the the sky. You could tell something was hit and burning from the amount of smoke.
It wasn't pretty I was told as they worked to save Iraqi lives. (No GIs hurt at all) Life in Baghdad-for the natives.
We often wonder why the insurgents don't just quit and go home. If they want us out of here so badly, that would get us out of here faster-at least that's what we think. Hey, what do we know? We are only the tip of the spear you know.
It has now been four months in country, six since deployment. It still seems like a long way to go.
I know one thing, being over here changes you. Not only the threat of danger, the fact that you have a very lethal arsenal at your disposal, but being away from family, friends, your job, your daily routine all that and more.
I look of photos of green grass and just stare. I look at my children's photos and hurt thinking that I will not have this year with them. I look at my wife before I sleep and think ....
Being overhere changes you...I hope I will be changed for the better.

Here is a reply to one of the comments I received: Packages are welcomed! Thanks!

popcorn?

popopopopopopopop-is that someone popping pop corn in my hooch-this early in the morning?
This was my first thought at 0530 as I was trying to wake up one morning. Then-blam! now that isn't popcorn! And those pops sound very close.
So what do I do, just like everyone else, stick my head out the door and look (rubbernecking in the war zone?). I see a large black cloud of smoke and very loud explosions now. At first some one yells the ammo yard is on fire! No that's not it, if the ammo yard is "cooking off" then we would be in really big trouble. All the excitement was an armored vehicle caught on fire and its ammo cooked off. No one hurt and someone got a new vehicle.
So that is how my day started off.
I think the rainy season has taken off to another country. Not a cloud in the sky and the thermometer is going up, up and up. Hello sunblock and sunglasses! Look around and everyone is carrying water bottles.
The computer at home has been sick, but is well again. My wire couldn't send my any e-mails for awhile, but now she can-boy did I miss those!
Did you know that this area is noted for being where agriculture started? Where Abraham lived and could be where the Garden of Eden was? There is a lot of history in this land and more is being made. Let us stick to the course that has been set-freeing Iraq and keeping it free!