21 March from Lincoln

Lincoln's having a hard time getting computer time . . . . at least the computer that he can view his blog on. . . . I thought this post was funny. (By the way, he sure loves comments!!) Here goes:

Due to known water shortages and sewer limitations (we are over taxing the sewer system), we are limited in our shower durations (2 minutes)and how often we are allowed to wash our laundry. Oh boy, one starts to smell by the time you get the chance to put a clean uniform on.

So here is the dilemma as this is what gets to happen whenever I decide it's time for a new start. Inventory of the items in Lincoln's uniform pockets:

First my pants; Right lower leg: reading glasses and pen; Left lower leg: Reflective belt; Right center thigh pocket: Camera and spare batteries; Left center thigh pocket: Gloves, face mask/wrap, mag light;Right front pocket: room, bike lock and weapons case keys, Excedrin tablets; Left front pocket: chap stick, floss, hat, pocket knife; Right back pocket: empty; Left back pocket: condensed wallet.Next my shirt (called a jacket in the military). Front lower left pocket: cell phone, Sun glasses, single serve drink mixes (3 of them) and a pack of gum; Front lower right pocket: Dining access card, ID badge, Base Escort badge and local directory of frequently called numbers; Front upper left pocket: pen; Front upper right pocket: empty; Sleeve pocket left arm: pen; Inside left pocket: Spare reading glasses (I tend to carry a spare as I keep leaving my set various places and have to go back later and retrieve them); Inside right pocket: military water proof note pad, orders and various business cards. Knowing that anytime I have to change a uniform (every two or three days) I have to pull all these items out of my pockets, make sure the pockets are truly empty before sending the uniform to the laundry, and then transfer it all to a new uniform...

It's a big hassle and often a justified reason to keep the same stinky uniform on for another day. Stuffing ones pockets with all of these items appears to be the water conservation measure on base... load your pockets with enough gear and you'll never change your clothes thus saving the water required to launder them.

The water conservation measure at the last base was to simply not provide hot water for showers. The math looks something like this: No H2O (Hot) water = Shower < 2minutes. This conservation measure worked well in Sharana. Here in Kandahar it's not the lacking hot water but the over taxation of the sewer that is driving the conservation efforts.So, I picked up my laundry last night and was actually looking forward to the new uniform after all three days in 90 degree plus temps with occasional stints with full body armor on will make one ready for a new uniform.

Simply put, my current uniform needed an oil change. There were fresh sheets and the rest as well. This morning I donned the new set and spent the 10 minutes or so it requires to move the hardware store from the dirty set to the clean one. I felt like a million bucks right, so would you. I proudly strode into breakfast filled my plate with the traditional fare, sat down and promptly spilt it all over myself...:(So you see I had a fresh uniform, I had the beginnings of a nice day.

The sun was shining and I could only faintly smell the sewage lagoons.But my nice clean uniform was now not so clean however it didn't stink,what should I do... back at the office after breakfast I cleaned off my uniform the best that I could and yep you guessed it I'm wearing this nice clean uniform albeit a few stains. One must make a few sacrifices in a combat zone right. So this afternoon I'm off checking on a job site and decide to help out the contractor as he fills his generator with gas and yep I get gas on spilled on myself, oh why can't I learn to let people do their own work. The challenge is that it's in my nature to help others right... Now I have a somewhat clean uniform with stains on the front and it reeks of gas fumes.

Time for another uniform and the ritual of transferring all of the items from my pockets to the new clean and hopefully spill proof set. I hope you all enjoy your clean cloths today.

On the up-side, I successfully completed another gravel order, it was small, only 4,500 cubic meters but oh was the customer happy.

Love, Lincoln