A Year In The Sandbox

I finally got internet access on my laptop.  It’s pretty slow, but I can upload my pictures at least.  I’m adding them slowly but surely.  You can see them at http://picasaweb.google.com/mbrameld

Nothing much exciting has been going on here.  Last week was an Afghan holiday called Eide so we had 5 or 6 days with no missions which was a nice break.  We’re back at it again now though.  Today I went to Achin for the third time to check out a clinic there.  There’s tons of kids in the district center and they all crowd around trying to talk to us.  I went there the day before yesterday and the little effers stole my pens out of my sleeve pocket.  I didn’t realize till we got back to the base that they also stole my pocket knife that was clipped to my pocket   Little shits.  I had the interpreter ask around today, I told him I’d give $10 (about two weeks pay for an average family here) to whoever brought me my knife.  They brought all kinds of knives but none of them were mine.  It’s probably in the pocket of some Taliban fighter up in Tora Bora by now