It's HOT!!!!!

Good Morning All,

This is a picture I took the other day on the way to the Ministry. They're digging ditches along the major roadways these days for "sewer". In reality it's an open ditch the sewer runs through. Speaking of which, I still haven't found the clean facilities in the Ministry... we'll try again today.

Oh man, it's been just brutal hot the last few days. The mornings aren't too bad, which is good because I walk into work... yes, it's relatively safe and gets my heart started in the morning. But later in the morning as it gets hot, I have to get all dressed up in my body armor, blazer and scarf to head to the Ministry. This encompasses a walk of about 100 yards along dirt roads (no clue why I keep polishing my brown leather shoes) and then getting into one of our very warm, okay hot, vehicles for about a 15 minute commute into the Ministry. By the time I get to the office I'm sweating like a pig... sorry Ma, I'm glowing profusely.

Now let me remind you that it's Ramazan. So, it's rude to drink in front of your Afghan colleagues. I'll admit I keep a bottle of water in my commute bad and slip a sip when no one is looking. Poor Asa though. She commutes in for an hour and her Ramazan outfit is quite confining. Unlike me, she cannot slip a sip. By 11 AM, she's just beat but keeps up a very good heir... I know she's horribly thirsty.

The dust/grime seems to be worst these days too. Like going into work, I like to end the day with a walk home... it's about a mile. This is where I run into all the kids and it gives me great joy to experience their laughter. Oh ya, Asa told me the Ramazan fast starts for girls at the age of 9 and boys at 15... not fair in my book, but that's just the way it is. Lately, the wind's really been blowing this very fine dust/grime and needless to say when combined with my "glow" I'm like a mud ball when I get home. But, it's worth it for the walk.

Well, gotta get ready for work. I've started stretching in the mornings along with some wall squats and pushups and it seems to be helping this rapidly deteriorating body of mine.

This blog hugs goes out to my most wonderful nephew AARON or AJ as most of you know him. I miss you much. xxxooo