The Center of a Tootsie Pop

I was reminded of a commercial this morning. "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?" the boy asks the owl. The owl says, "One....Two....Three....." Crunch

After my run and heading to the shower only to find the electricity is off - hence, no water. How many bottles of water does it take to shower?! One...Two....Three! Of course, that's not washing my hair which would have added another five bottles. Shaving my head is looking better every time.

Another one: How many Iraqi men have I seen on one motorcycle (probably a 150)? One...Two...Three! Yes, only in Iraq! Which brings up a bitter sweet note; Bri found a buyer for my motorcycle. It finally has left military hands since the first owner was Burley and the second owner was Demos. On the To-Do-List when I get back: purchase a new bike and ride to Sturgis!

Bri also sold my 99 Maxima which means I have absolutely no wheels when I get home. Is he trying to tell me something?! He even mentioned he might sell my clothes but I think my daughter is already wearing them. I love how my stuff has been taken over. I'm glad I've become a minimalist while I've been here. I'm trying to see how few uniforms I can keep out and rotate through the laundry. All that stuff I got from the military is shoved under my bed.

The days are definitely warming up and I can especially notice the difference in the morning when I go for a run. It just isn't cool any more when I start out. Even the birds stand with their mouths open, I can't ever recall seeing a bird pant but that is what it looks like. Just like a dog.

From 40 Ways to Prepare for a Deployment:
#9. Leave a lawnmower running in your living room 24 hours a day for proper noise level.

Auge's How to Prepare for a Deployment:
#2. Create a rotating shift in the neighborhood to maintain the lawnmower with fuel. Berate the person who lets the lawnmower run out of gas during their shift. Work hours trying to get the thing running again.

I also wonder if I'm going to have some degree of hearing loss after this experience since the air conditioner in my room is right above my bed and it isn't the quietest model. There is constant noise all over this base from the helicopters, generators, air conditioners, other vehicles, British yelling at each other and the slamming of doors on our sleeping trailers.

I used to think Brian's snoring was bad but I would welcome such a night. I've been falling asleep with my IPod ear buds shoved in my ears. The big question, will I be able to fall asleep once I am at the cabin on Lake George after a year of noise? Only time will tell. I'll probably have to have the lawn mower running. Brian can take the night shift to ensure it doesn't run out of fuel! :)