Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Baghdad buddies

While we were in Virginia, we had a chance to meet Jimmy and Nate.  Had a nice Thai meal and good conversation.  It was great to just sit and relax and talk about "the good old times" in Baghdad.

Our first visit in Washington - the Hall Family!


Our friends, Dan and Dora and their beautiful baby, Esther.  We met in Benin so many years ago and have kept in touch.  I had not seen them in about 3 years and the first time we got to see the baby.  We were only able to spend a few hours but caught up with almost everything.  It was hot and humid.

And all good things come to an end...

We were released from "prison" on Wednesday, 25 August 2010!  We couldn't stop smiling for two days before or after our trip.  We took an armored bus, called "the Rhino".
 We rode this to the airport.  Just as we were about to board, a "duck-and-cover" alarm went off.  We had to hurry and get in the bus... it is armored for a reason!
 Like I said, we couldn't stop smiling!  It is hotter than hot and we are sweating like crazy but who cares, we are leaving!
 Our very good friend, Perni, who took these great pictures!  She was also leaving shortly after us, on her way to the Philipines.
 Cool outfits, right?
 Our friend, Mary, on the left.  Embarassed that I can't remember our friend on the right.
 Inside the C-130, first class accommodations! 2 1/2 hours later, it would be a memory!
 Amman, Jordan - almost there!
 As we were driving to our hotel.
 
Views from a hotel window.

And they got a little too close for comfort!




No words can explain this, so I am just letting it be...

The quilt that took almost 8 years to make!

 As we were cleaning our closet one day, Bob said that we should throw away all these t-shirts and sweatshirts that have seen better days.  I had the great idea that I would make a quilt out of them.  Well, it was very easy to start it and cut off all the sleeves and make nice rectangule pieces out of them and saw them together - front and back - but I just couldn't find the right material to put in between.  It took me years!  It went with me to VA (didn't have time to do much there), went with me to Benin (I actually found the stuffing on a catalog and ordered it), took it all to TX so I could sew it there... yeah, right!  I packed all up and shipped it to Belgium (where it stayed in our spare closet, still packed, for 2 1/2 years!)  So, I was not going to have anything to do in Iraq, right?  Yes! so it went with me to Iraq!  I finally placed it on my bed where I could see it every day and lo and behold, I got sick and had to stay home because I couldn't share my sickness with anyone... so in about 4 days, I finished it - FINALLY!  It sure came out gorgeous.  I shipped it immediately to Andy, didn't want to take any chances.
 We had a very good friend from Holland.  Her name is Myriam and she gave Andy this t-shirt.  We still keep in touch with her.  On the left square is a t-shirt from the Marine Detachment in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.  On the right is a sweatshirt from Richland College where I got my Associates Degree in Network Administration.
 Bob is from Iowa and we lived there for three years while he was a USMC Recruiter.  We had to show our support for the University.  I embroidered all the main events that happened to us in Iowa.
 The USMC has been a great part of our family as Bob served for 20 years.  This shows all the places where we lived in the US.  
And it all started in Ecuador.  This is where Bob and I met, where Andy was born and where we started our lives together.
 Bob wanted to enter the Marine Security Guard program again, this time as the Detachment Commander.  Our first post was Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.  We lived there for 18 months.  We loved it there, great friends, great job, great beach!
 Then we went to Tokyo, Japan.  We lived there for about 18 months again.  We loved the place, so much freedom, we could take the bus, metro, train anywhere!
 And I got older and realized that I had to work harder at keeping up in shape or as it says "magnificent"!
 We went to Belgrade, Yugoslavia... during the separation war.  We made so many great friends there, both Americans and Yugoslavs.  And my baby turned 15 years old while we were there!  We had a great big party and everyone in the Embassy was invited as well as from a couple more Embassies!  British and Canadians and of course, a lot of our local friends!
Rilski Manaster - This is in Bulgaria.  Even though we were in Yugoslavia, in war time, we were able to travel a bit (unfortunately Bob could not).  Andy and I went on this great trip to this Monastery.  All I remember is that the bed was wonderful, the blankets so nice and soft AND the wine, delicious!

Our home away from home

 This is our room... and yes, we did sleep on that bed!  There was enough space to move around the room and even iron our clothes.
 When the "duck and cover" alarms went off, I went to sit in the kitchen, this was my safe place.  I read a book until the "all clear" sounded.
 Bob's little computer that he could not live without for a year!  Our dining/living room area.
 The view froma window in our building.
 Towards the Embassy.  It took me about 5 minutes walking very fast, always keeping the next bunker in sight just in case I had to run to it.  This is about 5:50 am, that is why it is so empty.
 This way to the chow-hall, too long of a walk - too early to eat!
 View from one of our windows.  It is already too hot in the morning, nobody wants to be outside.
 The hallway towards the elevator.
 A cool day, it is!
The new crew at the chow-hall, lunch time!

Monday, December 27, 2010

Continuing with 2010 Synopsis

So we did socialize while in Baghdad and we even able to make some food at the apartment when we got some ingredients.  I made enchiladas.  They tasted so good but had to buy some strange meat (I think it was beef) and clean it up because it was already seasoned with some other stuff.  Ordered supplies from netgrocer and pleaded for corn tortillas, all that took a couple of months but it sure was worth the wait.

 After a full belly and drink in hand, everyone decided to stare at Bob's PC.  They were all impressed with such a big screen!  I am not going to say what they were all staring at!  LOL
 We also had a wonderful Chinese dinner for Chinese New Year.  It was delicious!  Our friend, June, who is from Taiwan and her husband, Steve, fixed this out-of-this-world meal!  We had to be rolled out of their apartment.
 It was nice and cool at night so we could sit out on the patio and relax for a bit.  It must have been either Friday or Saturday.  I think Amy (in the red) was going home (to Canada).
 And Steve and June went to Taiwan for vacation and decided to bring fire water.  I remember it was very good and we finished that bottle very fast!  They risked being arrested while coming through Kuwait to bring that bottle to us!

 And Josh convinced us to go to Prosperity (a military base) where there was a restaurant that served local food.  It was fantastic!  It might not look too good any longer as this picture is after we already went through the food like locust!


 We celebrated Mother's Day.  I "hung" pictures on our apartment of our boys, Bryan and Joshua.  The chow-hall had a couple of guys in their staff who made this beautiful statue.  It is made of styrofoam and painted over.  My IPS (supervisor) Timmie, put a message on the board to wish me Happy Mother's Day.
 And we had to experience a sand storm, right?  That is why we bought all this fancy stuff and no, I did not go rob a bank! LOL
 We went to the airport to pick up pouch.  We are waiting here for the plane to land.  On the left, our drivers and Bob and our friend, Josh.
 No, we didn't go there but it was good to see that there were other destinations between the Embassy and the airport.  I don't think I feel like going back to visit any of those.


And then, it was time to say good bye.  We had a great party with all the IRM people (computer support personel).  That, in the red shirt, was the big chief of our group.  Bruce is with me.  He is a very nice guy and crazy most of the time.  And Bob just observing the craziness around him.