My Water Truck is Better Than Yours

 

 

In case you ever find yourself wandering around, lost in thought, contemplating the virtues of life and you look up to see a brightly colored truck in front of you.  I'll give you a hint; you're not in Kansas, you're in Afghanistan.  Seriously,  these guys rock out to a completely different artistic style.  I think they call them Jingle Trucks.  Some guys have tassles hanging from the mirros and bumpers.  One guy driving a drum roller had important Afghan people (I assume) plastered on the upper windows of his cab and pictures of women around the bottom. 

 

I also added a couple of picures of the Logar Resident Office and barracks.  We can crawl to work if need be and sprint to the bunker as the need arises.  The bunker did get used this afternoon but I didn't hear anything so I have no news on what happened.  I also added a picture of the Area Office across the road.  Oh, and yes those are trees in the foreground.  I think the Afghans laugh at us for trying to grow trees, but, I think we can do it.  If not, we'll throw them in the fire pit and roast something.

 

The picture of the M-ATV is my version of the Jingle Truck.  It's a little drab by traditional standards, but what it lacks color in makes up for in performance.  I'm taking a class on driving it this week.  Classwork up until Wednesday, then we get to drive in the day and night on Wednesday.  Thursday we get to drive in the day and night with the VDE, which is a thermal imaging type screen that you look at to drive.  At a minimum the M-ATV will go 65mph, up inclines and declines of 60% and can handle driving on the side of a 40% slope.  If all goes well, come Thursday evening I won't have flipped, got lost, drive through the perimter or crash into a Jingle Truck. 

 

HOME FRONT NEWS:  Travelling with 3 kids in the car can be challenging for parents as well as the kids.  Sera, being the oldest is usually called upon to help out with the babies.  Sera is a sweetheart and loves the babies, but she does have her breaking point.  Well, on the way back from Alabama Christian got Sera to that point.  She had enought and yelled at him "IF YOU DON'T STOP I'LL BRAINWASH YOU UNTIL YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S UP!!".    I'm assuming he backed off, but I won't know until I talk to him.