Just got back from vacation in Dallas. Like last time, I ate too much and drank too much, enjoying the cleanliness, safety, and abundance of a civilized society.

Pics are here. They start with some guys at my house after a trip to the gun range to shoot my M4gery. Then my Mom’s birthday, when Julie & I took her to Maggiano’s. A few pics from dinner at Daron & Leah’s house, mostly pics of her delicious homemade pecan pie. Lastly, pics from a party at my cousin Monica’s bar Canuck’s in Lewisville (and Shane’s car made it home that night!).

I also took Julie to the gun range to shoot my Taurus 9mm and Ruger.38 revolver. Had Thanksgiving dinner with my family, and showed my 5-year old nephew Brendan how to stuff a whole piece of pie in his mouth. Julie & I had a great evening one night grilling steaks and drinking wine. Went to the Luther’s one night and drank way too much. Went to the hospital to see Diane’s mom Alice who is making a miraculous recovery from a stroke. Took Digger to Petsmart and put him on the scale to learn he is now 81.6 pounds. Did a few chores around the house but didn’t get to everything on Julie’s list.

When my final flight from Dubai to Kabul arrived, I called the office for a ride. Dave Bremer came to get me, but was delayed because of a suicide bombing on the road to the airport. Yep, I’m back.

I can hear Mom now: "You're not leaving the house dressed like that!"
Would-be suicide bomber, kin killed in Afghanistan

Boston Globe Tue, 16 Oct 2007 2:46 AM PDT

KABUL, Afghanistan - A mother who tried to stop her son from carrying out a suicide bomb attack triggered an explosion in the family's home in southern Afghanistan that killed the would-be bomber, his mother, and three siblings, police said yesterday.

It's Friday, day two of the Muslim weekend. Typically I go to Camp Phoenix with a group of guys. I usually hit the gym and maybe play some racquetball, then head over to the PX for some shopping and a smoothie. Then we hang out at the picnic tables outside the PX and tell lies and smoke cigars for an hour or two before heading back to the safe houses. A couple of guys take golf clubs because there's an open area where they can practice their drives.

This morning, as we were congregating in the safe house yard to get in the vans to go to Phoenix, we heard a loud explosion. It sounded like it came from the general vicinity of the airport. I went up onto the roof of the White House to see if I could spot anything. Nothing. Meanwhile, Wayne called BDOC to check on the road conditions. BDOC didn't know yet and said to call back later. A while later we called again and the road to Phoenix was Amber (movement OK). The road to the airport was Black (no movement allowed). I later heard that a suicide bomber exploded at the entrance to the airport--the same entrance I went through with Minister Jawhari's convoy just a few days ago. Two Afghan police officers were killed.

I didn't have a smoothie today, I had a white mocha frappe instead. It was delicious.

Out.

VBIED: 31 Aug, Kabul Province, Kabul District, Kabul City, District 10, Kabul International Airport – At 07:33 a VBIED targeted a two vehicle ISAF patrol near the entrance to Camp Kaia (Kabul Airport). The bomber reportedly detonated the device prematurely. There were ANA soldiers and civilian bystanders in the area at the time of the detonation. Two ANA soldiers were reportedly killed and approximately eight civilian bystanders were injured.

Did I mention the bombing on my first day back to work? I was sitting in my office discussing my vacation with Dana & Jim, between 0800 and 0900, when we heard a loud explosion and the conex rattled. Soon we started getting sitreps. Apparently there was a military convoy turning into Camp Phoenix about one mile away and a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), otherwise known as a car bomb, turned in with them and detonated. Four military personnel and four Afghan nationals were injured—no fatalities except the bomber. Yep, that never happened in Dallas…

Ah, another fun-filled day in Afghanistan.

Jim Foster recently joined us, taking over Dorothy's position as Material Accounting Manager. Dorothy was moved to the Ministry of Interior (MOI) to manage five employees in Kandahar. Kind of a demotion, but that's another story...

Jim Foster is a likable old guy, former Air Force, sort of a dottering grandfather type, and looks a little like Droopy Dog.

Part of his in-processing and acclimation to working with the Material Control Team (MCT) at D-1 is to visit the vehicle area at D-2 in Pol-E-Charki. Dana wanted to take him out there and meet with the manager, Mark Orthman. Troy and I went along for the ride.

D-2 is further down Jalalabad Road, towards Pakistan. Incoming vehicles are staged there for issue to the ANA. Mostly US-made military vehicles, there are also a variety of vehicles from other countries, including some old Russian trucks left over from the Soviet occupation.

After Jim's tour of D-2, on the way back to D-1, we decide to stop at the ISAF base for lunch. After getting some Euros from the ATM machine, we went to an Italian restaurant. Dana & Jim had steaks (I saved the bones for the yard dogs at D-1) and Troy & I had pizzas. Dana also bought pizzas and sodas for our two Afghan drivers.

After that delicious treat, we headed back to D-1. The MPRI warehouse manager, Ramon Padilla (loud, opinionated Puerto Rican) was supposed to meet with LT Hogan (US Navy) about the weapons inventory and Dana wanted to be there to referee. However, just before we turned off Jalalabad Road to D-1, we got a call from BDOC that there was a suspected suicide bomber in the area. So instead of turning we went straight to our safe houses.

So now it's a little after 1:00 PM, I have a full belly (pizza and two cokes), I'm in my room in my shorts and t-shirt and the bed is calling my name.

Out.