By Major John Rosnow
Saturday, May 31, 2003 12:18 PM
Well I have not had a chance to check e-mail in about 3 days so I thought I would get this ready and send it out so you all know that I am OK, then I will answer some e-mail.
22 May 2003 - Well it was about 0200 when I fell back asleep. It was still hot, and a few bugs were biting. Mosquitoes I think as the welts were a little bigger this morning than the flea bites. I spilled my bottle of melaleuca oil while I was putting some on my bug bites. Looks like I better order a new one for next month. I have some gel to get me buy until it shows up. I was tired when the alarm clock went off at 0500. I even hit the snooze twice. I got up and got dressed, then moved everything out of my room so they could paint today. I was at work about 0600. Work was busy today, we got everyone moved out to the tent and set up working by the end of the day. We had a sand storm today, nothing like they were in Southern Iraq though. I got done around 1915 and had time to stop for a bite to eat at the MKT. They had UGR breakfast. There was some type of egg, with potato and ham chunks in it. We also had sausages and a waffle with blueberry topping. Not bad. It was hot and quick. I came back and moved everything into my room. I had to pound a couple of new nails as they took the old ones out and patched the wall. Hey, I need a place to hang my clothes so I pounded a couple more in and strung my 5-50 cord out over my cot. I got all moved in shortly after 2100. I am no longer tired, so I decided to update the journal and check a few of the e-mails that I downloaded last night.
23 May 2003 - I went to sleep about 2230 last night and did not wake up until my alarm clock went off at 0500. It was a very good nights sleep. Work was busy again today. I helped the computer folks set up a networked printer today. That was a good feeling. I guess I have learned a few things here and have not forgotten everything. I worked until 1930, then came back and ate an MRE for dinner, shaved, and am now checking some e-mail. I was going to go for a run but it was getting dark by the time I got changed and ready to go. I watched the Simpson's tonight on TV. The communication guys must have found out how to bootleg the satellite to get more than news. Malcolm in the middle is on now. The NIPR was up for a few minutes when I was helping someone else, but now it is down so not sure if my messages will get sent or not. I have plenty to read first anyway. Plus I am watching a little TV while I type. It is kind of neat for a change. Tomorrow I am going to have an interview with the military history detachment. Looks like NIPR came up while I was working on the journal so the e-mail I did last night is already sent. Someone just changed the channel on TV so now Austin Powers is on. It just started. Well you learn something new every day. Haji, not Hodgi, as in one who has made the Haj (i.e. pilgrimage to Mecca.)
24 May 2003 - It is now 2100 and I am still at work. I was going to try and get done early tonight. So much for that. It was a real busy day. I got up at 0500 and was in to work at 0530 and have worked the entire day. I had an interview today with the military history detachment. The interview was tape recorded and about an hour in length. I was going to go back and take a shower and do some e-mail but I am tired so I may just opt for the shower and go to sleep. It was hot today. I drank at least 5 - 1.5 liter bottles of water. We had a UGR dinner tonight, Captain's chicken, beans and rice, cooked vegetables, and a piece of cake. I also had a piece of bread with peanut butter. I am going to leave my computer at work tonight and just get going.
25 May 2003 -Well I got a shower in last night and I read 1 article in the paper before getting so tired I went to sleep. It was about 2230. I slept great, all the way until the alarm clock at 0500. It was hot out again today, but the AC is working well in the tent. My water intake was lower today. I think I have only had about 3 bottles of water so far. I have almost finished my 4th, and will do that soon and then go fill up my water jug and bottle from the water buffalo. Someone took some things from my room today. I came back for lunch and I noticed a can of my peaches missing. Upon further investigation, I found a box of mine open along with the candy bag and I also noticed my shampoo missing. I was going to give it away anyway, but it is just the thought that someone would take these items is irritating. I worked until 2130 or so tonight. I am going to do a little journal update, then check some e-mail, and still try to get to bed by 2300. It is still hot out tonight so it will not be easy to sleep. I find by putting a wet washcloth on my head, that helps. I will shave before I go to bed too which should cool me off a little. The ACP is making another trip. They are going to the 1st AD on a staff assistance visit. The entire ACP will not go. BG Fletcher asked for me by name, he said I knew what was going on and that I should go. That was a nice feather in my cap. MAJ Page is going to go instead of me though, as he is getting ready to leave the area and PCS and I am just getting up to speed on the class I stuff and supply division. I am CINC Refer (Commander in Chief of Refrigerated equipment), which is just a term for me being in charge of all the refrigerated vans in the Corps. Where are they, how long have they been there, are they full or empty, where are they moving to, etc. We went to soft caps today at 1300. The CSM came back the other night and has set up shop in the CG's old office. He moved the big TV in there and the computer that was set up in the G-6 room as well. I still have the computer that is assigned to me to work on so I just plug in and go to work. It is hot in this room though. I have the laptop set on a shelf and am sitting on an MRE box. They are really a good height and have doubled as chairs quite a few times. It looks like all the Haji's have left the building. They must have finished the last of the painting today. Quite a few visitors on the front porch tonight out smoking cigars. I am about ready to go and get that water and call it a night. Time sure does fly.
26 May 2003 - Well it is 2225 and I am still at work. It has been a real busy day. I was working on headcount analysis all day. It sounds like we are having a storm now. The wind picked up and it sounds like some rain. No e-mail checking tonight. Time to get back to the building, shave, and get some sleep. I am tired out. It was hot again today. I only drank like 4 bottles of water though. They had a service here for Memorial Day, but I had to go to a meeting and could not make it. The band played, the CG spoke, and they had a helicopter flyover. I guess it lasted about 20 minutes.
27 May 2003 - Well that was not rain I heard last night, it was sand! We had another couple of sand storms last night. It did lightning a little too, but no rain. I woke up about 0100 to strong winds and dust, I had to close up the windows. It is now 2122. I got off work about 2030 tonight and came back to check some e-mail. I am still at the ACP. I have the Retention NCO set up in the room next to me. SSG D and the CSM are down the hall. MSG P and 1SG B moved back in. I heard CPT W, MAJ J, and CPT D have to move out though. That end of the building is O-6's and will be visiting GO's. They cleaned out the G-6 area. I had to re-run the cable to get the connection back. It is working fine now though, and there is a table and a chair to work on which is nice. It is hot though, no AC and no fan in the room. Today was busy, but not as bad as yesterday. I did think I was going to get out of work early, but no such luck. Well, I guess it was early compared to the last few nights. Rumor was the Theater was going to take over the camps in a few weeks and the 19th ASG would be without mission. No such luck. It looks like Theater will take over, but the 19th will be asked to stay and help run them. No going home for awhile it looks like. I got an e-mail from Andrea that said Kevin was back in town. I wonder if he came home on leave or is re-deployed. I am still real busy, but would not mind coming home either. I looked at a map today of the US and I have been to quite a few states. I think I still need to go to Nevada in the West, Louisiana in the South, and some states out East like Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. I have to check my travel logs to see how far up the coast I made it the one year after OBC. We were going to go all the way to Maine, but the car broke down for a few days so we shortened the route. I am just sweating sitting here. I need to shave my head again tonight so I keep cooler. Well, time to check a few e-mails then off to bed. 0500 comes early. I just got an e-mail from Paul about the lizard I found. Very interesting.
From this web site:
http://exoticpets.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fjason.creager.com%2Furos.html
Overview - Uromastyx maliensis are a species of spiny tailed desert lizards which occur primarily in the landlocked African country of The Republic of Mali. Formerly, they were referred to as "spiny tailed lizards", "Dabb's lizard", or "mastigures", but "uromastyx" is currently the term most commonly used in the herp trade. Uromastyx are diurnal (daytime active) lizards which live in arid conditions. They are primarily herbivores, but are opportunisticly carnivorous when an unlucky insect wanders within eyesight. The areas they inhabit are sparsely vegetated, so life is difficult at best and any available food source is utilized. They are long lived and slow growing lizards due to the scarcity of food and harsh environment.
Uromastyx have many interesting features. While only distantly related to the chuckwallas of the desert southwest United States, they are a fascinating example of convergent evolution since the two separate species have evolved to fill similar niches in their environments. Head size and shape and their methods of defense are strikingly similar.
Uromastyx make fascinating captives. Their individual personalities make them a favorite herp among uro keepers. This webpage attempts to explain proper husbandry and answer common questions related to uromastyx while providing basic knowledge applicable to all reptiles. The page is geared for all levels of knowledge relating to herps. Information on this page is from the Uromastyx Mailing List, email, internet care sheets, and personal experience. There is no gospel when dealing with uromastyx. Read, assimilate, and use what you will.
28 May 2003 - Busy and long day today. I heard a bunch of gun fire about 1030 today. I did not hear any details of the shooting. It was outside the perimeter. It is 2116 and I am still at work. Someone messed up my refer tracking so I have been stuck here trying to fix it. I am going to write a few lines in here and call it a night. It was a little cooler today, and we had a breeze. I certainly could have slept in this morning. I may have to go to 1 AD on the 2nd. I should know within the next day or so. Well, that is all for now.
29 May 2003 - No e-mail checking again tonight. It is 2100 and I am just finishing up at work. I am tired. I slept great last night though. I woke up 4 minutes before my alarm clock (then went back to sleep). Someone stole some more things from my room today. A couple of pudding cups and a few cans of peaches were missing. Whoever it was went through my boxes of stuff to look for things. We think in may be the Haji cleaning crew as the CSM found out from the painters that our cleaning crew were former prisoners and they were caught stealing a few other things already. I let the CSM know so if they are in the building, they will be watched more closely. It was not much, but it is just the thought that someone is going through my stuff that bothers me. Well, early night to bed tonight. I should be in bed by 2130 if I get going now. I may read a bit, but will still be asleep before 2200.
30 May 2003 - Another long day. It is 2200 and I am still at work. I have not had a chance to check my NIPR e-mail in almost 3 days. We had some rain today, just a few drops. It was cloudy most of the day and cooler, but the humidity was higher. It was probably not really that high, but when you are used to having almost no humidity, even a little bit you can notice. More refer issues today. It was a steady day, but not crazy like a couple days ago. The day went by too fast. I want to leave now so I can take a quick shower and change uniforms so I can turn this one in to the laundry point. I figure a machine wash will take a lot of the ground in dirt out of it. I am still at the ACP. It looks like they wired the building with the original power and light fixtures today so no more generator power. MSG P was going to fix the ECU so we have AC. SSG D found a half can of peaches under his cot today, probably some of the ones stolen out of my room yesterday.
31 May 2003 - Great day today. It was a little cooler outside and overcast. I left work at 1700 tonight. I came back and did some laundry, then went for a run, had some dinner, came back and got my camera and took a few photos of the area and how it has changed. I am now back to check some e-mail and download my pictures. I should burn them to a CD, but do not have a burner on this computer. I have not checked e-mail in at least 3 days. CPT Pete is leaving on June 5th. He got a command in BIAP. That means we may lose out NIPR connection over at the ACP. I still do not have lights in my room. They hooked up the fixture, but still have some work to do. At least it is cooler outside. I cannot use the fan as no electricity down there either. I had some watermelon tonight. One of the local painters brought it in. These guys have been around here for a few weeks. They told the CSM that the cleaning crew was crooks. Sure enough, they caught one today that stole stuff out of my room again. They went through the boxes and took some snacks and my rice crispy bars. The guard checked the guys bag when he was leaving and there was my rice crispy bars, inside a baby wipe container. He would put stuff in the trash, and then take out the trash and pull out the stuff he stole. At least it was not anything too valuable. I need to get the week 13 e-mail put together and get that out. Time sure has gone by fast.
