http://www.shellycruse.com/wordpress Four months in Iraq Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:55:43 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en My apologies to all for taking so long to  post a new blog and new pictures, I know you all have been on the edge of your seat.  Still working the picture thing.  Let me catch you up on what's been going on in my life lately.  Last month I flew ... http://www.shellycruse.com/wordpress/?p=23 Not exactly the ideal place to celebrate your birthday... but, it's better than 10 years ago when I was in Basic Training.  The morning didn't start out great, I had to have a conversation with my boss about stuff back at Blue Ash, but it was all up hill from ... http://www.shellycruse.com/wordpress/?p=20 Happy Valentine's Day everyone!  It certainly doesn't feel like it over here, although I may try and have a piece of cake or some chocolate today, it's not the same. Last week we had a Comedy Central group come in and do some stand-up for us.  It was hysterical!  Scott Kennedy ... http://www.shellycruse.com/wordpress/?p=18 Yesterday I had the afternoon off.  I went to the coffee shop and got a strawberry-banana smoothie and then got a half hour massage at the beauty parlor on base.  After that, I went to the Dining Facility and got a bowl of cheese to go.  I came back and ... http://www.shellycruse.com/wordpress/?p=16 Today I went to something called a Souq (pronounced s-oo-k).  It's supposed to be a kind of market place where the Local Nationals (LNs) come to sell their stuff.  We walked over there right after lunch and I was expecting to see a flea market type of atmosphere, but, disappointingly, it was ... http://www.shellycruse.com/wordpress/?p=13 Well I finally moved yesterday and the night before.  My old CHU was a bit smaller; length-wise I could have stuck out both arms and touched the sides.  It was about 20ft long.  I took pictures of the old one and my new one.  I just haven't loaded them yet.  ... http://www.shellycruse.com/wordpress/?p=11 The restroom situation isn't horrible, but it's not great.  On our "Pad" (our living facilities) there are two seperate trailers, one for the showers and one for the latrines.  All of the water is "non-potable" which means you can't drink it or even brush your teeth with it.  Everywhere you ... http://www.shellycruse.com/wordpress/?p=8 I arrived at the base on Wednesday afternoon completely exhausted and jet-lagged.  It is now Saturday evening and I'm almost recovered.  It was a pretty tough trip getting here, mentally and physically.  We left Monday morning from Blue Ash, and there has been nothing but "hurry up and wait" since ... http://www.shellycruse.com/wordpress/?p=5 This is my first post.  I am leaving in less than two months and need to get a handle on the whole blogging thing before I go. http://www.shellycruse.com/wordpress/?p=1