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When I can't not write...

The place I keep friends and family updated on our life in the US Army. My part in that I affectionately refer to as being part of the 82nd Chairborne Division!

Monday, August 27, 2007

The simple things

Power came back on this morning about 11:30.

Being without power for the better part of five days was certainly an adventure, but I did get more caught up on my sleep!

Just wanted to let you all know that we're up and running again!

Thanks for the prayers!

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Update on Brian

Sorry for taking so long to get this to you all, but here's Brian's address-

PVT Schreiber
B Co. 73rd Ord. Bn.
Ft. Gordon, GA 30905


He can get letters and care packages now, but food only in very small quantities if at all please. He's not allowed to keep food in the barracks, but sending a small package of pistachios or Slim Jim's or orange Creamsavers would still be much appreciated!

His big request right now is still for a computer. We actually went ahead and bought it while Best Buy had their great back-to-school sales, but now he has to pay for it! He has asked that if anyone wants to get him anything for his birthday (9/22 in case you didn't know), this is really the thing he is most in need of. Not only for personal use, but some of his coursework is done online and now he can do it back at the barracks and not have to wait for one of the communal computers to be free. So, I'm just passing that request along. FYI, he's done a good job of getting just about everyone paid back that he owed money to previously, and is working on paying me back now, so he's come a long way in handling his finances.

The odd part of the request is that if you DO want to sent him money, there's a bit of a snag. Since his bank is at Wells Fargo in AZ, and he's appointed me to handle his finances, if you send him a check, make it out to me please? I have to deposit it and transfer the money to his account for him. My bank locally is being a pain about 3rd party checks. You can still send it to him and he'll forward it to me, or you can send it to me and just let him know about it. I know, it's kind of odd...but it works. The other option is to send a Visa giftcard that he can use there on post.

As to how he's actually doing? Well, he finished the initial online course about 6 days ahead of the rest of his class, had two wisdom teeth pulled week before last, and got into the next section of his training, a course on soldering..if I recall correctly. It's an evening course, so he and his classmates are on a different schedule from the rest of the group for PT and all. It also means that he doesn't have as much free time to spend on the computer, which is also a GOOD thing, even if he doesn't always think so! He is still struggling with his run, but by now he might have it down, I hope to hear from him this weekend.

So that's about it for him right now, if you don't have time to drop him a letter, you can always email him at ramza_the_drake at yahoo.com. Like Aaryk, he loves to get mail, even email!

Thanks for your prayers and support!

The lights are out

Just a quick note to let you all know that no, we haven't been floated down river just yet.

However, we have no electricity and likely won't for another couple of days still. Power's been out since Thursday afternoon and while it is frustrating to not be able to get online (times like this I really see how much I depend on the Internet every day), it does mean that I'm getting more sleep! It's very humid, but not unbearably hot.

Please pray for all the folks in the area though who are dealing with flooded basements and homes, and that Com Ed will be able to get power restored to the rest of the 130,000+ folks who are without soon. They have been working around the clock, and already we have more and more of the town back up. At peak, there were over 500,000 homes without power on Thursday.

I'll tell you all about our adventure driving through that storm next week, after we're back up and running again!

Friday, August 10, 2007

A very quiet Fort Bragg

I just read this article from the Army Times online-

With troops overseas, Bragg streets are quiet

Makes me homesick for a place I only lived for less than two years.

But there's something about the military lifestyle that just really appeals to me.

Just wanted to share!