Long Time no hear!

I am back in sunny Southern California. I WISH! I am back in Iraq but the weather is like SoCal right now. Cool in the day and nippy at night. I am glad and sad to be back all at the same time. I missed the people here but I damn sure did not miss the place. After 3 years deployed and two here I am getting a little weary. Maybe the fact that I get another 7 day break at Christmas will solve some of it. It will be my first Christmas home in 4 years.

My R&R was great. 3 days in Dubai (2 days too many) followed by 9 days in Jamaica (2 days too many) with Carren and Tanner and finished up with 3 days in Cambridge, England (2 days too short). Expensive as hell but much needed.

We threaded the needle on weather. We had two days of torrential rain in Jamaica followed by 7 days of glorious sunshine. We left just before the fringes of Hurricane Wilma came along. Cambridge was brilliant clear blue skies. Perfect for the air show I attended at Duxford.

I really wish there was some way to figure out how Carren could take these three day jaunts in Europe that I take on the way back. I enjoy them and need the time change break but I get lonely on them as I usually don't know anyone where I am going. I was fortunate this time that my buddy Dave was in a place called Sudbury visiting some of his friends. We spent one evening together as he was in London every day. I have done the London thing quite a bit and unless I am guiding Carren and Tanner around I really have no desire to hang out there. I have been there 9 times already.

I will write more later but just wanted everyone to know that I am back. I have attached a photo of me from a river punt on the Cam river. It was just beautiful and very relaxing.