My friend, the fabulous Fr. Tom W (sober since God was young, I think) from the People's Republic of Berkeley likes to talk about "ten true things." So, here are ten true things today, to the best of my knowledge:
Aunt Pat continues to hang in there after her ruptured cerebral aneurysm (Class V). She was able to say her name and the name of the hospital the day before yesterday. Please keep the good thoughts and prayers coming, if you would.
Mrs SFC McG had her surgery (what was expected to be 30 minutes, max, turned out to be over two hours), and is doing remarkably well. Please keep those prayers coming, too. Thanks!
Many folks sent cards and email notes to SFC McG on the occasion of his birthday last month, and Apryll N sent the most spectacular cookies imaginable. She even sent them in a great tin -- and it turns out SFC McG collects tins, so he was doubly delighted.
The wifi connection to the internet ($65/mo!) continues to be as slow as my old dial-up connection in the States, so that's why I've not been able to use Skype to call everyone from my hooch.
I finally took a look at my 'attachment orders' to this unit over here, and it appears as though I might be here a month longer than I'd been led to believe; the orders read "365 days BOG" which translates into English as "one full year 'boots on the ground'." That's at odds with what I'd been told about the deployment of reservists, but not a surprise, I guess!
The high here yesterday was only in the mid-100s. Woohoo!!!
Body armor is still heavy and cumbersome.
The Army has a new "combat shirt" that gets worn under body armor. It's very high-tech, and very expensive. It's cooler to wear under the body armor in all this heat than is the undershirt/blouse (uniform top) combination that we presently wear. The Army is finally issuing it to everyone -- except to SFC McG and myself. Seems we're not *really* enough part of this unit to be issued it, but we're too much part of this unit to get the folks from whence we came to issue it! Welcome to the Army, I guess! (Same thing appears to be true with the new body armor, but SFC McG is going to try to work his magic on these issues, so I'll keep you posted....)
When I'm wearing body armor, I look like a geriatric mutant Ninja turtle, I've been told.
SFC McG and I were outside the wire a couple of times recently, and I guess I've not done anything stupid thus far, because he hasn't had to hurt me (yet). He keeps mentioning the "yet." It's very disconcerting, actually. But I keep telling myself that he means well. Really. He does. He means well. No, really.
(I figure if I keep repeating it enough, it'll just become true. That seems to be the way politics is working these days!)
Blessings and peace to one and all,
Fr. Tim, SJ
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2 comments:
Hi, Tim
I just discovered your blog; it's great to find out how you are. You've been in my heart.
Take care - Dennis says hi!.
Sandy Masters
Dear Dr. Meier (or, Fr. Tim),
I just want to say hi and let you know that I am thinking of you, and that I'm grateful to you for keeping us up to date on your experiences in Iraq. I don't pray often these days, but I do pray for you, and I am very glad to know that you have SFC McG and others looking out for you. I hope that you'll stay safe, but also that you will find ways to do the "outside the wire" work that first called you to Iraq. It sounds like you have done pretty well with that so far. I greatly admire what you're doing, think of you often, and hope I'll get to see you when we're both back in the US.
Vaya con Dios,
Emily
(P.S. In case you don't recognize me: I'm the Bio undergrad who you sent to Dr. Bergmann three years ago, currently doing a half year of service in Ecuador)
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