A note from an Englishman written inside a Camp Victory 'sauna' (porta potty):
"No to the Euro. Keep the Pound."

I thought that was funny. Even here in Iraq, someone from England is concerned about their national currency.

I've received a few packages and email from people back at home, etc., and I want to thank you. :) It's always nice to get something, even a card. There are some people at work who don't ever get anything, though, so if you would like to send them something just let me know and I'll give you their names (the address would be the same). I'm still looking into how to get beanie babies to the local children -- I'm not allowed to go out and walk around, but I'm sure someone is.

Looks like the election is stirring up a lot back in the States. I'm kind of glad to be missing it. It all makes me sick, all the bickering and smashing. I have to deal with a lot of that here, with Iraqi politics, too. I just wish I could find the one answer to these peoples' problems. Having the U.S. pull out right away certainly isn't it.

Well... I have some more assessments to write up. Let me know how we're doing in the Olympics. I don't have a lot of time/opportunity to watch. I did laugh yesterday, though, when one of the guys in my shop asked, "Did Lance Armstrong win the Tour de France? Wasn't that this week?" At least he was happy when I told him he did, for his sixth time.

I continue to ride my bike around, and I'm getting better at jumping over the speed-bumps. Have you ever tried riding a pot-hole laden dirt road at night, without much for a flashlight? It's a little scary, and you end up very apprehensive. I changed my shift from 8am-8pm to 7am-7pm so I won't have to do that anymore. Last night was the first time I got home in daylight, and I watched the sunset. It was gorgeous. With the hot, dusty horizon, the sun is blazingly orange as it sets behind palm fronds. The sun rise (I accidentally called it the "sun morning" for some strange reason today when I was very tired) looks almost exactly the same. I took some pictures last night, which I hadn't done in a while.

~Amber