How to Clean a Hooch!

I’ve been glued to the news today as the events unfolded overnight in Boston.  I was saddened and really mad at the news of the bombings near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday afternoon.  These races are friendly, happy events full of friends and family cheering and supporting runners who’ve put a lot of effort in to preparing for and running this distance.  The Boston Marathon is the premier marathon in the U.S. every year.  Unlike most large city marathons, the Boston Marathon has strict entry requirements.  Runners must either qualify with a very good time from a previous marathon or raise a considerable amount of money for charity in order to gain entry into this event.  A number of friends and acquaintances have run or qualified for this race.

So, it looks like authorities have killed one of the bombing suspects and have the other pinned down somewhere in Watertown, MA.  My thoughts and prayers go out to those killed and injured in the bombings as well as to the families of the police officer who was killed and another who is critically injured.

Well, today was the first time since returning from my R & R that I’ve had the chance to relax a little.  I arrived back here on Monday, April 8^th.  As I was travelling back from the U.S., colleagues of mine here were involved in a deadly attack in the city of Qalat, in Zabul Province.  Zabul is one of the three provinces in the southern region of Afghanistan, the area my organization is responsible for.  One diplomat from the embassy in Kabul was killed along with three soldiers and another man, a Defense Department contractor, whom I knew quite well.  Another colleague who worked with us here at KAF was severely injured and is recovering in the U.S. at Walter Reed Medical Center.  So, as I arrived back, we were still in the midst of all the activity and work that encompasses the aftermath of this kind of attack.   It was not a pleasant environment to return to.

So, I slept in this morning!  Then, after the appropriate amount of caffeine was consumed, I went about cleaning my hooch.  My living quarters had not been thoroughly cleaned since before I left on R & R so it was certainly time for a scrub.  So, my little hooch got a good dusting, the rugs were beat and swept, and the floor swept and mopped.  I also changed the sheets on my bunk and aired the place out.  I bet you all really needed to know what all was involved with cleaning a hooch so there you go!

As for my R & R, I just went home and spent some quiet, quality time with Terry.  I really needed the rest.  We did simple things like going out to eat, or catch a movie.  We watched a bit of TV and talked a lot.  Terry introduced me to the British TV series Downton Abby.  I got hooked right away and ended up watching all three seasons while I was home.   Mikey has begun his six-month preparations for travel to New Zealand.  Even with all the tests and vaccines he’ll be receiving, the NZ government still requires a 10-day quarantine period.  This will be Mikey’s sixth country of residence and the strictest with regard to his importation.

Well, there you go, all caught up.  Until next week…