I have been here a MONTH!

Today has been a pretty great day here at The Deid. My day started off around 5:30 AM when I was picked up to go back out to the North Ramp to do another briefing for the KC135 maintainers. I love these guys. They work HARD and long hours in the blazing heat and they are all cranky and grumpy because of it but I get a kick out of them and enjoy every minute I get to spend with them. I can be as blunt and crass as I want and they eat it up. It's the only way you can communicate with them. There are rarely female maintainers, so it's always a bunch of smelly guys. But they are great. And many of them aren't bad to look at either... But I digress. I went out there this morning to do a briefing on TSP, which is the military/federal govt's version of a 401k. I had the chance to get to know a few of the guys when I was out there, and I always find out such interesting stuff. Wish I could share some of the stuff they tell me, but I shouldn't. Suffice it to say this base is the hub for so many of our wartime activities and we are doing things out there that just amaze me. And I got to drool over the planes again, so that was cool.

Back to the office again and then went back out there to do another briefing at 1:00. It was so fun! I love doing briefings and hope I can continue to spend time out in the "units" to continue spreading the importance of good financial management. These guys are so freakin' cool and they crack me up. They tell me their stories and I am hooked. I live for this stuff...I hope I get to spend more time out there.

It was 103 degrees here today and MAN is that hot. But I can't complain because, like I said before, it could be so much worse. I mean, I work indoors for goodness sakes! I am a lucky girl.

Every time I go to the gym I get a kick, because Army, Navy, and Air Force have physical training uniforms that they wear when they work out. But the Aussies and the Brits don't. So they always wear the weirdest stuff, like bathing suits with t-shirts and black socks with tennis shoes. And nothing EVER matches. There is this one guy that wears those really short short short running shorts with the slit up the side and he sweats like there's no tomorrow - it just really funny. They are, generally, a strangely dressed crowd. But it doesn't matter what the Brits are wearing or what they look like, as soon as they open their mouths and start talking I am captivated! What is it about a British accent that makes even the most gangly man suddenly attractive? Perhaps I am just deprived. I haven't had the chance to get to know any because they keep to themselves mostly, but I hope I am able to before I leave here. I really want to ask the Brits if it is true that they strongly dislike "Gingers" (redheads). This is something I must know.

I got to talk to Mollie and Jason Polito on facebook tonight. Jason and his new wife are preggers! So that's exciting. Mollie updated me on the dogs - Banjo and Bella have made their way to Mollie's bed each night and snuggle her to pieces. Banjo has befriended Mollies cat, Kodak, which is hysterical because he has been terrified of every cat he has ever met, so I can't wait to see pics of that. Mollie's roommate's dog had several puppies and they are all living there, and Bella hates them. She is really scared of them (wussy dog) so she runs from them when they charge her. Mollie said she spends a lot of time under her guest bed getting her "alone time" - but hopefully she'll toughen up. Get it together, Bella! But the pups move out in May and then it should be her terrain again. She uploaded some videos for me on Facebook of Banjo playing fetch and Bella running around sniffing things (she is so anticlimactic sometimes). They are super cute and I am so thankful she did that.

I can't believe I've been here a month. It's just crazy.

Brett (my lil bro) went down to Columbia and Charleston this weekend to play a benefit concert for a friend of his that was killed in a car accident last year. I got to see pics today (thanks Mom) and I am so sad that I missed it! I am sure the family is having a great time together this weekend...wish I could be there. It's his first time back to SC since he moved to NY last October, so I am sure he is thrilled to be there. He is still sick, going on 7 months now, and they can't figure out what's wrong with him. I wish there was anything I could do to make him feel better, I can't imagine feeling like that for that long. Love you, Brittlebones.

Update on the housing situation: I met a really cool guy at Andrews before I left and have kept in touch with him regularly since I've been here. His best friend is a real estate agent and he's going to refer me to him, so hopefully I will have someone to help me find a place now. So that's good, now I just need to find the place...

The breeze tonight is amazing and it feels so good to sit out here and catch up on my correspondence. I love hearing from you guys so keep those e-mails/letters coming.

Looking forward to my trip into Doha on Monday - have been e-mailing the guy I'm going with and it looks like we will be hitting up the "souqs" (markets) and then doing dinner and drinks downtown. Can't wait to see what this place really looks like.

OK, well it is 10:15 PM and I still haven't had dinner so I'm going to head back to the room and eat my salad and get ready for bed. Don't have to be at work until 1230 tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to sleeping in.

Love you all so much. Miss you more than you know.

Peace in the Middle East,

xo Kelly