My “day off “started with the joy of my daughter crawling into bed and giving me the biggest kiss.  Then walking up stairs to find fresh coffee in the French Press. After pouring myself a large cup of dark rich coffee, I returned to the basement to do some reading, as I would spend the larger part of my Day OFF reading and resting.  Until 8:30am when my driver informed me that the post office had called and we needed to go ASAP to get the box that had arrived.  Since Id-e-Qurban starts (according to the post office in 45min) in reality tomorrow. I had to get dressed, and go out in the muddy rainy weather.  Upon arrival the Postmaster was on the steps door locked behind him, and in his nicest English said “Late Why You Not Get here Soon”  takes all I have to not trip him or something as he works to get the keep out of his pocket open the door and rush me inside.  He brings out the book, that I must sign and then pay him the 5$ to take the box. (money due because it’s a larger than normal package) He then calls a young boy and sends us to the customs house.  Now for those of you have never gotten a box from America in a supper conservative country let me just start by saying you have never had any fun>>  Upon driving completely across town with the box the boy and the book from the Post office that is now officially closed for the holiday.  I entered a small brick room in a wall out on the city limit area.  Six men who just assumed I didn’t speak their language started talking about how crazy Americans are and all the junk we like.  They then started talking about how I didn’t understand this and they should just open and eat some of the food, and keep the books so they could look at the pictures of the women ( Shortcuts Magazine, a Hair style book)  WOW … After a few minutes of their insults I started in with the nicest form of their language, but you could see the shock on their face.  The fun was on we argued and fought  for what must have been 25 minutes over a box of peeps, Christmas candy, 2 magazines, a lamp, a flashlight and some cinnamon scented pine cones.  It was really funny that I left the room without a black eye seeing how they all wanted something different for themselves out of the box.   I did make it out with only relinquishing one pack of taco seasoning, and 6 hot tamales.
This all before 10am.
Some reading, Lunch and some email, and then a phone call from the wood stove manufacture.  2pm I started getting things ready in our home for the stove to go in our basement.  This required taking out a window, cutting some wire to install a pipe, and then around 4:30pm driving over to pick up the stove, and 2 people to help move it from the Patrol (which the battery is working well thank you) and carry it to the basement.  Then I  installed the 30 ft of pipe to pull the wood smoke out, all before dinner @ 6:30, and then a skype conversation with my family.

Over the past 6 months I have worked 4 and 6 hours a day on language. Well starting this week I have started learning to read and write Dari as well. Let me just say if you have never attempted to learn a second language and one with different script good luck. It has been very difficult. In the ling run I’m looking for it to be well with the investment.

When you think of Afghanistan Communication is the lest developed area - now I don’t mean

communication is not here - We have cellphones - and radio stations. But when it comes to the cellphone communication well this is is funny stuff.

One thing I would expect to be a month by month event would be the paying of my phone bill. In America we had post pay system that made communication very easy. Not in Afghanistan- No sir, here you buy a sim card on the street for a few bucks and then proced to buy prepaid cards for credit. Thers not yearly contract, or any paper work to sign .

This works wonders if you want to keep track of what you are spending on phone calls let say to family and firends in America. But come on lets be real who wants to stop every few days and buy cards and type *222* + 14 digets just so you can have money to call your friends inside the country. Or even better be in the middle of a very importan call and you run out of credit grrrr. A month by month phone plane would be so much easier.

While there are so many things that have taken place since I last posted I have no idea where to begin.  My attempts over the next few weeks are to tell a few of the events of the past months crazy, and fun moments.

Lets being with internet – since its been months and months with out a good connection.  Internet in a 3rd world, war torn country, can be questionable.  Its not available  in almost 90% of the country.  In late January I was told about a company that would sell me a desk phone that I could connect via the USB on our laptops.  The company was so happy to boast about 32kbs which actually turns out to be only 14.4 on a good day.  Those of you who are wondering what those number mean –lets just say its because you haven’t speeds that slow since the 1997.

While I was buying this phone.  It was a great experience with a glass of tea. We spoke with the one person who knew English in this two-room business.  The technical person at this company explained to me they had just sold the last connector that would connect the phone to the computer, and it would be a few weeks before it would arrive form China.  No problem I said one of my friends has one I can use for a few weeks. We both smile and I leave happy. I have a phone that is going to provide a connection to the Web.
Two weeks latter I drive out to the business and ask to buy a USB connector.  The same guy told me it would be a month before the came in.  The last shipment from China had them back ordered.  No, problem I said I will just use my friends.  Only problem is when I returned in March he again told me it would be aother month. This went on for four months when finally I went back with my phone and said I do not want this device I have moved into a different home and I no longer can barrow my friends connector so I cannot use this phone.  “I will get a shipment in 3 days with connectors.” No, No I have waited Four months I want to return my phone. “Can you give me one day and I will find you a connector.”  One day!!  True to his word he found me a connector (ha ha), now why could he not have done that sooner?

My Thursday started around 5:30am – When I awoke the first thought that came to mind was the fact our crate will arrive today!  The items we boxed up in Louisville KY have arrived and will be in Mazair today….Yeah, only one problem the family that was to be moved out, from our new home yesterday, still holds the key to the gate including their things in the house.  So @ 7:00 I decided it would be nice of me to show up and give them a friendly reminder they were to have moved out and OOO by the way I will be here today with three very large wooden crates.   I knock on the door and a boy two years old, maybe,  opens and says “sOb” (Morning) that’s about all he can say because he’s two.  He closes the door in my face to return with an older brother that is five at the most – I ask if their father is at home to no response and the door closed again in my face.  Yet another brother this one ten or eleven opens the door. I ask again is your father home he said no but may I help you.  I explain to him that seeing how as of yesterday I should have been given the key to this house I have two very large crates arriving from Kabul and will be setting them over the wall some time today. The boy with an exasperated look on his face says you need to just set them here on the sidewalk… No I explain they are large boxes the size of a small car and will not go on the sidewalk, so he offers me the street.  NO> NO> I am telling you that today there will be two very large wooden boxes in the yard and I will be here to cover them with plastic to protect from the rain.  You need to call your father and let him know.

Some of you might know that EB turns one year old on the 21st. One year ago in an ice storm in Louisville Ky along came the second most beautiful little girl I have ever seen. So how would I celebrated such a special year, NO other way but to block out the entire weekend. For those of you who actually know the 21st is on a Saturday you must remember that in our new culture we observer the Holiday on Thursday and Friday rather than Saturday and Sunday. ANYWAY… how we celebrated EB’s 1st year, Thursday morning I took my right hand man Moosen to the local market and ordered 22.5lb of cake, yes over 20 pounds of cake.  For a grand total of 1,000AFS($20) and 18lb of random nuts, raisins, and chocolate  2,000 AFS ($40) and 6.5lbs of cookies  250AFS($5) for a food total of  $65. I was so pleased with the mounds of food and the simple fact the party was coming together so nicely I decided to take the family to lunch.
We called this EB’s family celebration.  Not to be confused with the Friday party that will include neighbors, friends, drivers, guards and team members.  So lunch was @ a local restaurant called the Royal Oak.  A cheeseburger for the little girl some spring rolls for Jeni and a James Burger for Me – complete with a fried egg.  And since he had provided some amazing help I asked Moosen to join us for lunch.  It was in this nice American/British style restaurant I discover my driver doesn’t like burgers.  What a same I had to eat his as well.

We returned home to a freshly baked cake that Jeni had so lovingly made (heart shape none the less) and EB took her evening nap before destroying her very own cupcake covered in icing.  After cleaning the icing from here little fingers and face she opened present 1 of the weekend a ball. Wow! Did she love this new pink soccer style ball. It was so much fun she didn’t even want to see her next gift- her very own camel.