Hmm, guess that didn't work, thought I posted the picture right side up. oh well. At least I am smiling this time. Not a bad tree.

Couple more photos

In the upper left of the photo you can see the Kash Rud a minor river, it actually ahs some water in it this time of year, by mid summer after the snow melt ends it will be dry.

Flying High over Golestan

Hi folks just thought you'd like to see a couple snap shots of the beautiful Afghan countryside. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It is also relative, this is some of the more interesting terrain, better than the sand dunes to the deeper south. Golestan is the bottom of the line for the Mountain chains of Afgahnistan. The foothills. If you followed the moutian line to the North it would eventually take you to the Hindu Kush. If you followed it south it would lead you to desert sands and salt flats, eventually leading to the Iranian Border where another North South mountain chain starts up. Oddly the rivers (Ruds in Pashtu) flowing from the mountians do not flow to the sea. They end up in the salt flats, there are a couple salt lakes there that act as collecting pools. Looks a lot like central Utah.

Merry Christmas

As usual, I'm late in wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. I wanted to give a quick update mid Allison and Garrick's stay. We are all having a wonderful time. The kids are having a blast. The girls are dotting over Lachlan and he is just living it up! He is trying his best to keep up with the crazy Rohrs. Lachlan was on the verge of walking when they first arrived. Within two days, he is practically running! There is just too much to miss out on if he doesn't keep up.

Christmas was very nice. As Karl mentioned he was able to watch the girls open their presents. Very surreal. They were very happy with everything Santa brought, but more excited with their cousins and Aunt and Uncle's gifts. It always amazes me just how much they love girly stuff. I don't recall being that girly when I was a kids, okay maybe. My favorite was Ella's combination of Daddy's red and green Afghani dress combined with Poppop and Nanni's turquoise tutu. She lived in it all day.

We had a very relaxing day, unlike most of our previous Christmases. With no where to go and no one to wow with our cooking, Allison and I sat on the couch for a bit drinking lattes for the majority of the day. I think we finally decided we should put the roast in the oven at 4 if we though we were going to eat at a reasonable time. For the most part dinner was a success with all of our substitutions. Trying to find or cook gourmet food in Oki can be quite challenging. For instance the entire island was out of cream. That alone nixed a few recipes. Dessert was saved with a can of readi whip and melted white chocolate (and a whole lot of Allison's creativity). We enjoyed sharing our English heritage with our neighbors, but introducing them to flaming Christmas Pudding.

In case you were wondering where Garrick was during all of this, he was enjoying our most unexpected, kind hearted gifts....a Wii. Just a few days prior to Christmas, the gym held a strength and endurance competition. I knew better than to compete, I knew who the competition was...Marta and Sarah. Both ladies blew the competition away, with some mind numbing amounts of pull ups, push ups and crunches. After over 80 push ups, Marta won a Wii, as did Sarah. The Sullivans recently acquired a Wii for Farrell's birthday. They generously surprised us by giving their newly acquired Wii. It was beyond what any of us expected. We are very grateful. It just goes to show just how wonderful our Oki family is.

Happy Holidays,

-Erica

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Kandahar Airfield Dec 25 2008. Well it is all smiles here today as we relax just a bit to enjoy the spirit of the season. Christmas decorations adorn the Command Center reminding us just a little of home. For me well, I was pleasantly awoken a little before 5 am by the sounds of the Skype computer 'phone' ringing. That happy sound was quickly followed by joyful wrapping paper tearing and little girls giggling. Modern technology is great, for while I was not able to be there with them in Okinawa physically I was there, perhaps a bit foggy in mind-no coffee yet- and a little pixilated, but I was there. Talking to them and watching the events of X-mas morning via the somputer screen, live feed from Afghanistan. It was great. I really enjoyed watching the girls open the gifts I sent, afghan jingle dresses. Though they are apparently a little itchy they sure are cute. I expect Erica will post pictures soon. Each girl actually posed with 'me' standing next to the monitor. I wonder how those pics will turn out? I think those pictures will be family classics.

It is a bit odd though, as I sit and write this blog, I am listening to AFN news and X-mas music. Last night some of us wathced that holiday favorite Trading Places, ok not your normal Holiday movie but it is set in Philly during Christmas which makes it a hit for me. We had already watched Nat'l Lampoons Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story over the course of the week. So we do all the things that we would do if we were home except when we step outside we are here not there. That is when it feels odd.

It is made to feel odder still as of course it is still a work day as we were reminded in a stark way. For our festivities were broken sadly this morning by the lowering of the British Flag to half mast. The war is very real on these days. Thankfully we have lost no Marines.

There are very brave young men and women out beyond this place, at the forward edge, in contact with the people of Afghanistan who are living rough and well loving it. They may be cold and dirty but they are motivated. The are doing something which at times just may scare the hell out of them. Yet those are the moments they remember most fondly. The female second lieutenant who lead a multi-vehicle convoy to an isolated combat outpost deep in no-mans land will remember that in the same light as if it was the big game back home. Even if we are the only ones to ever know that it happened. We will be the only ones to know that she and her Marines covered 70 miles in 36 grueling hours, often moving only as fast as the Marine with the mine detector in front could walk. We will remember them getting through despite mines and rocket propelled grenades, never faltering or giving in to despair. We will remember it, we will pass it along in our training and we will expect it. It is what our folks out here do.

As for me I get to sit at the forward operating base, Mom and Erica are not upset in the least by this, writing, revising and rewriting plans. All of which are brilliantly (of course) diabolical ways of stearing the social-political dynamic of a troubled country towards a path of peaceful cohabitation with the world community. Said more simply kick-starting democracy, Afghan style of course.

Anyway enough shop talk, I hope you are all doing well, I wish I could have been home for the tree-trimming party. Maybe next year. Until then Merry Christmas.

X-MAS Kandahar Style

Well, it isn't much but it is a real tree, a little better than Charlie Brown. Where the men found it I have no idea, until this point I've seen about a dozen trees total in Kandahar. Notice the fire extinguisher, it gets awful dry and I'm not sure that tree will make it to Christmas. The sign is NATO Regional Command South that is our new HQ here. It represents the Alliance and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Thanks for all the packages

Hi folks,

I just wanted to get out a quick thank you to the folks who have sent care packages. Aunt Mae, and the Lutheran Pre-school of Hilton Head. Just want to let you know the packages made it and the Marines are smiling. Thank you for the timely gifts.

-Karl

Great Day Today

Well today was simply put great, in fact the last two days have been particularly good. Sunday I was up early and out running the "loop" a 7 + mile run around the airfield. It was cool and a little damp, it had rained the night prior. The damp air and the light rain and beaten down the dust so the sky was clear and the air pure. I put on my headphones and took off at a leisure pace, it was sunday after all and no need to push too hard. I had the armed Force Network radio playing, every sunday is 60's and 70's hits and this weekend it was Beetle mania so I started out to hard Days Night. They also mixed in a good number of X-mas songs to add holiday flavor. As I ran I wondered what the locals thought of that of that, I pictured a shepherd on one of the barren hills with a transistor radio calling to his buddy " hey Mohammed, they are playing that Bing Crosby guy again..." Of course Mohammed may not appreciate the First Noel so much. Any way. It is an interesting route, you start off passing concrete blast walls and cruise out over the first ramp, passing one of the old Russian minefields with big red signs and rolls of concertina wire warning you to stay away. Then it is off past the graveyard of soviet armored vehicles, all that is left in scrub covered fields are rusted and burned out armored vehicles, BTR's BMP'S T72's etc. All scrap now. Then it is on to the flightline, no pictures please, dozens of aircraft from as many nations. Mirage fighters, F16's, big Hecules transports, private russian style heavy lift Iluyshin's oh and old John McCains private plane, we had visitors that day guess he has a lot of time on his hands now. But that is a different story. From there it is past ammo dumps and fuel storage, all the things you need to keep a modern army in the field. Impressive amounts and all the contractors with long hair and bushy beards you can stand to take care of all of it.

I finished my run and headed back to the frat house, once there I checked the news and got ready for work. Nothing spectacular there troubles all over, but gas is cheaper. At work I did what I normally do, write plans, re-write plans, submit them and get them back, then re-write, if we didn't have guns this could be a bad episode of the office. But then as a FOBBIT (forward operating base FOB, -FOBBIT someone who never leaves the FOB.) this is what you do.

Then it was off to brunch, sunday meals are quite good. Lots of food. Eventually I broke free and was able to Skype Erica and then my Parents. Skype is a wonderful invention. We talked about all sorts of stuff, Carolyn's winter ball, the X-mas decorations, cats, food, health, family, football...

Oh did I mention football? This made it memorable, because my Dad like myself is a glutton for punishment, can't be an EAGLES fan and not be. He went and bet Coach one more case of Yuengling that the Birds would beat TFG ( T is for THE, G for giants I'll let you figure out the F, this is a family Blog after all).

Now in the frat house we have satellite TV, this is war in the 21st century after all (even if outside the FOB it is more like the 5th or 6th century) and we can do some cool things with electronics. Once again Armed Forces Network comes through, this time with live feed NFL, game of choice Eagels v Giants yeahha. Yeah Baby big blur er uh blue. Kick off was at 10 pm. So it was a late night but worth it.

So now it is monday, slow start, I stayed up too late gloating over the great victory. Went to work, hit the gym, they had a lot of Westbrook Highlights on TV so that was nice. But to make the day better, MAIL CALL, and I had a big package. Life in kandahar does not get better than this, really it doesn't. A big box from the Disitos. I couldn't wait to open it, I ran back to my office as quick as I could, like a kid at X-mas. I had that box open in seconds, my eyes bulged at the treasure trove, a years worth of SI, PHILLIES WORLD SERIES CHAMPS edition special!; summer sausage, hickory farms, and TASTYKAKES!!!! Oh yeah. I felt like , well I felt Like Coach was paying up on the bet he made :).

Thank you Bill, Anne, Tommy, Matt and Amey, you made my day and I love the picture, it is on my wall.

love Karl

Tour of Homes

Wow, what a busy week. Like most folks, I'm always very excited to decorate my house for Christmas. Now that the girls are older and appreciate/remember more, I find it more enjoyable. They are really getting into the spirit. Each morning the girls run to the advent calendar to see what goodies are left behind the door. Just yesterday we wrote Santa our wish list (complete with photos from our trip to the toy store...we don't get toy catalogs here).
I have to admit, however, I'll a slacker when it comes to actually getting the job done. I tend to wait till two weeks before Christmas to pull everything out. I believe it is because we use a live tree and I'm afraid of the fire risk. I never could understand why so many folks purchase trees the day after Thanksgiving. The tree dries out in a few days, and your left with a huge beautiful fire hazard. Plus I'm still full and tired from the day before! I'm always, always late shipping Christmas presents. I have no problems buying them. It's the wrapping and shipping I don't do well. Kinda like laundry. I'm wonderful at loading and transferring laundry, but good luck finding nicely folded clothes in your drawer. In fact the laundry situation was so bad recently, Carolyn and Meghan told me I need to buy more socks cause there weren't any in their drawers. Guess where they were? Yep, in one of three laundry baskets full of clean, folded laundry.

Well this holiday season a new woman has appeared!!! Can you believe it is December 7 and our house is completely decorated with tree and all. And, yes, all of my holiday presents are shipped!! I'd like to say I've turned a new leaf and have become some amazing Martha Stewart re-incarnation. But no, there were outside forces at work. First, the gifts. In order to guarantee presents would arrive by Christmas, I had to mail them by November 23. Yes, an entire month early. There was no room for procrastination. I believe this is why the laundry situation got as bad as it did. I was tackling enough folding with the wrapping :)

Now for our house. I'm not sure where to begin with story, so I'll start back in Iowa. Karl and I had hoped to be away over the holiday's during our time here; maybe visiting my sister and Garrick in Aussie, maybe skiing in northern Japan or sunning in Phuket. Regardless of where, we just weren't going to be here. (And guess where we were spending our holiday's this year?) Thus, we chose to limit our Christmas decorations. We did it before when we were first married. Lights, bows and simple red balls on a tree, a few poinsettias and your all set. We literally packed three Christmas decorations: our advent calendar, a table cloth and one 12 pack of ornaments. This was my plan, simple easy christmas decore.

Live christmas trees are basically impossible to come by here in Oki. I wasn't sure I was up for buying a fake Christmas tree. I thought I'd use a palm tree as a substitute. Then I got really creative and was going for the plastic, glittery pink, yellow and blue palm trees scattered across all the car dealerships. I'm serious here. I was really set there for a while just to have fun with it all and go for really tacky. Then I thought of my poor sister and Garrick. They'd be looking back at pictures of Lachlan's first Christmas were he's ripping into the presents sitting beneath a fuchsia palm tree. I just couldn't do it to them. So I resigned myself to purchasing a fake Christmas tree. I was still in my I'll wait till the last minute mode, but then opened my big mouth. Long story short, our house was added to the officer club's holiday tour of homes. Talk about a lot of pressure. How do you decorate your house to look like a show home for 30 plus women to come and see, when all you have is 3 things and don't want to break the bank doing it? There went the simple decorating.

One crazy week after Thanksgiving later, full of lots of bargain hunting, candles, flowers and paint, our apartment was ready for Friday's tour. I must say the apartment looks very nice. We also out did ourselves this time on the 9th floor. In addition, to showcasing our beautifully decorated homes, we hosted a buffet dinner in the hall similar to Thanksgiving. We each decorated a table with different themes. I had the whimsical holiday theme (thanks to Marta's adorable snowmen/santa placemats). After dinner, we took a bus to another house for desserts, ending the evening at the O Club for cocktails and karaoke. What a night!

So there is my story for why I'm so put together this year. While it was all for a fun cause, there were some times there I was quite stressed. Like when I was frantically trying to tie ribbon onto every single ornament as excited girls stood on chairs and ladders decorating the tree cause there isn't a single ornament hook to be found on this bloody island!! Thank goodness I accidentally bought plastic ornaments. Or our dorm living situation that adds up to six women PMSing at the same time. (Surprizing, there were no brawls over chaffing dish placement!) All in all, I'm really happy to have all the holiday stress behind me. Usually December 7 finds me staring at Christmas like a speeding train headed my way. It will be the first time in a long time that I'm able to a have relaxing holiday season. I wish you all a relaxing, enjoyable holiday season as well.

Here is another view, the Bazaar covers about two football fields.

Welcome to Qari Ali's bazaar. Everything you could want in jingle dresses, lapis and other semi precious items. Open for business every saturday from 1000-1400 except during the Haj and Eid. Around the corner you can get every DVD known to man, provided you don't mind the bootleggers quality. --Karl