Two down!

Looking over the B huts at the mountains surrounding us on a nice spring day!

The weather is improving. Yea, no rain for the last 3 days. Out in PT shorts yesterday and today getting some much needed Vit.D. A little too much on my forehead! This week has gone much faster than the last. Getting into a daily routine. I have started fake running on mon, wed, and fridays. Fake running is done on a treadmill. The gym filters the outside air which smells of human waste and burning rubber. Tues, thurs, and Sat we lift weights. Dr. Bill is my exercise buddy and we keep each other pretty honest. Bill and I are getting to know each other pretty well and he is a good man, soldier and doctor.
As you know I finshed my closet. I'm working on a couple of projects for the TMC now. Still working the afternoon shift, but now I have three days of ortho consults a week. These times are for soldiers that have chronic problems that need attention or further treatment. Some are to decide if they should go home early to be fixed. Some need some small things done while here. An example, this week I removed an inclusion cyst from a hand of a soldier and injected a ganglion, some shoulders and knees. I have one local kid that had some sort of insect bite that had needed some basic debridement every other day. Another local came in with a distal finger crush injury that was almost completly amputed. I took off the tip and cleaned it out, then closed the end. I'll be following him up regularly. Thats the cool stuff, more common things are sinus infections, rashes and general complaints. We all pitch in and see everything that comes in the door. Some of it in our comfort zone and some of it not so much. Dr. Bill is always able to be reached if one of us can not figure it out. We are learning the strengths of our medics. They are very capable and willing to learn more. It is a good group!
Friday was my first Bazar here on post. It was down in the French quarter of the base. I must be likeable because all the dealers wanted to make me a deal because I was there friend. Thats what they told me, it must be true. Kind of felt like I was in Mexico. Just bought some post cards. I have looked at some leather jackets though that were very nice too. You can get Cuban cigars here too. The big Bazar is next Friday, I wonder if I'll make more friends?
I'm finding out that there are as many activities here as a cruise ship. Each night of the week different things are going on for the soldiers to enjoy and relax with. You can line dance, listen to soldiers playing live music, try your hand at singing yourself (not me), or learn to play poker. Like a cruise ship the food here is pretty good and there is always enough. Haven't seen a single MRE since leaving the states. Three diffenent food lines plus a buffet bar for every meal. You can go to one or all of them. Most of the food taste pretty good too. My normal cafeteria rule still applys; if you can't recognize it quickly, don't eat it. If you get to a meal late some of the food is dried out and tough or over cooked. In general I can not complain though.
Today I took most of the morning to relax and read. It was a nice change from the kind of endless movement of the rest of the week. We played catch with a couple of footballs and had some fun. Found a couple of bikes and fixed them up to ride around, we'll give them to the locals when we leave.
Church was nice today. Being at church while on military time seems to increase the revelence of the message to me. Somehow here I seem to be able to focus a little more. I don't have lifes little interuptions and my schedule is much less compressed. We have 3 pastors, all have a good style and can get the message across well. It is a good time to fellowship!
Well thats all for now. Thanks to everyone who looks in to see how I am doing and thanks for all the comments on the blog. Next week I'll post some pics of the food spread we see daily.

To Cailtin: My wonderful little girl, Happy Birthday!!!!!!!! March 27th, my little Sunshine will be 9 years old. I miss you! I am very proud to be your Daddy. All my love Sunshine.