A Chilly Wednesday Morning

I woke up this morning to a cool 68 degrees and it was by all accounts, refreshing. It will still be 110 when the sun gets all the way up and then it won't be all that refreshing.

If you didn't notice I said, "I woke up this morning" which means that I have finally switched over to the day shift 3-4 days ago. We have a rotating schedule every ten days so my body will never get used to what is day or night here.

Sometimes life over here is not so bad. The other day we set out in our trucks as the sun was rising and the brilliant light was begining to shine over the mud huts and plastered walls of the local villages. We went as we normally do business donned with armored vests, helmets, and weapons loaded, prepared for the worse as always, yet there was a sense of calm. The Johnny Cash tune crackling over our headset from our ipod, the locals preparing their goods, the hum of the truck, and the bumpy ride down the back trails made the morning feel quite gemutlich, pleasant and easygoing. A friendly wave to the goat herder, a honk at a stray donkey in the road, and the gentle flow of the Euphrates off to our side; I couldn't help but take it all in with a smile on my face. Maybe it was because of the four hours of sleep I had the night before watching the Vikings win in overtime via the play-by-play on the internet, but it was a great day nonetheless.

Until next time,

Nick