Greetings to all!

We've been trying to get this out for some time but the internet is not so hot over here. We've gotten it typed only to realize that in the mean time we have lost connection. So John is typing this on word and then will copy it over (we hope!).

I (John) went visiting some northern Army camps yesterday. Was that ever an experience? First offwhile going up a particular road we passed an area littered with old, rusting scraps of tanks and ambulances from the first Gulf War 20 some years ago. We were not allowed to take pictures (even if we had it was so dusty you'd probably not recognize anything). Then motoring on up the road we passed through several Kuwaitti check points (their security is very lax, we passed through with a wave).

This was my first experience with this environment, very desert conditions, everyone on full alert. I mean alert in everyone carrying either a sidearm or rifle, even in their PT outfits, girls as well as guys. Their were Brits, Pols, Aussies , as well as the Americans. You know you are close to a war zone under those conditions.

On the way home we passed a lot of Bedouin camps with sheep (under shade tents, 110 deg out there) and they were in their air conditioned (electric generators) tents. Saw some camel herds, Jan asked if they were 'camelflauged', yuck, yuck. Then we hit the "Road of Death", so called because this was the highway the Iraq Army used to evacuate out of Kuwait. There convey was stalled and our pilots had open field of fire straight down the road. If you remember the pictures of all the bombed trucks, tanks, cars all over the highway and along side of it, all on fire, then this is that road.

We finally got moved into our new two bedroom apt. We think that it will be very nice. We overlook the pool, two hot tubs and two basketball courts that our in our courtyard. We had to go shopping to pick up a lot of items to complete some of our needs, we still have more to get though. Jan has put in a request to her brother for Bulls Eye bbq sauce and stove top stuffing. Our stores do well on most of our needs but there are some items we "need" but can't get.

We'll try to get you updated more often and hopefully the dust storms will abate so we can get out for some photos soon but with summer coming (135-140 degrees) that might not be that easy to do.

Oh, by the way, we are having our first grandchild, for those that didn't know, Rachel found out just the other day that it is a boy. It's due Oct 14 so we'll be home for two weeks then.

John & Jan