Desert BBQ and the First Flight

It was an early morning for Desert BBQ.  We had formation at 0630 and got our equipment loaded on the bus for our ride to the airfield.  After about a 45 minute wait (that’s why I keep a book in my pocket!), our Blackhawk arrived and we were off on our hour-long flight to an outlying FOB.  It was an awesome flight, and the left door gunner gave me a headset so I could hear what was going on and the flight crew was talking to me and stuff.  We arrived without incident and got our equipment to the ceremony site.  It was just a short distance away but they had vehicles for us.  We got set up and waited around for a bit before the ceremony.  It was a Transfer of Authority Ceremony, and it went well.  They had a reception afterward and they invited us to partake.  We got our instruments packed up and then waited around for a while.  We wanted to make sure that all the important people got their food first and then we went in.  They had some Iraqi food and it looked rather, um. . . shall we say.  . . interesting.  I did take one thing that was kind of like an egg roll with some kind of meat inside.  I don’t think I’ll have any more.  I did have 2 cookies (one chocolate chip and one peanut butter) and a can of Mountain Dew.  That was lunch.  Our flight back was about the same – same flight crew, I got the headset again, uneventful.  But it was HOT.  It was a fun day, but by the time we got back to the band hall around 1400 or so, we were wiped out.  SFC J gave us the rest of the day off if we didn’t have any shop work to do.  I asked SSG E in supply if he could live without me for the afternoon and he took one look at me and said that he could.  I looked (and felt) like something the dog dragged in.  My hair was all over the place and “bun-bun” (as my bun was affectionately named back in Afghanistan) was all kinds of falling apart from helmet on/helmet off/helmet on/helmet off all day, and then the seat on the chopper pulled at it more.

So I came home and showered and got into PTs and took a nap until dinner.  I did chat with Dad and Rick for a little bit, and I had planned on stitching, but sleep was much more necessary I guess.  I felt lots better when I woke up and I went to dinner and boy did I eat.  Then it was home for a great relaxing evening.  I stitched for a little over 2 hours and I FINISHED the piece I’ve been working on!!  It’s called Trombone and it’s by Stoney Creek.  I’ll get a pic posted in the next day or so.  And while I was stitching, I watched my Canadian Brass DVD that I got for Christmas and boy are they an awesome group.  They really know how to perform, and there were some points I was laughing so hard I was crying – and my roommate didn’t know what to think since I had my headphones on and she could only see what I was both seeing and hearing.  I hope to be able to see them perform live some day.

Off to bed now as it’s getting late again.

Today’s high:  115
Current:  93 (10:25 p.m.)