Lucy, I'm home.

After an uneventful evening in Baltimore, a couple of Sam Adams pints, and a one hour flight to Dayton, all my women met me at the Dayton airport. (my wife and daughters) My father-in-law drove them and drove us back home but only after stalling at Applebee's in Troy. I had a margarita, a steak and some salmon and we all enjoyed our late lunch. Shortly thereafter I realized I'd been had. As we approached the intersection by our house, I could tell from a half mile out that there was a sign hanging on my front porch. As we got closer, I noticed there were neighbors... and family and friends and some co-workers and even a student, lined up along the road waving and yelling at us. There was even a reporter and photographer from the Sidney Daily News. It was rather embarassing after a quiet, eventless morning of travel.

The throng allowed me enough time to go in and change clothes then formed a sort of receiving line wherein I stood and awkwardly thanked everyone for embarassing me and then didn't know what else to say. I think some of them stared at my eyes to look for signs that I might have some sort of flashback (of an office?!). But most just seemed happy to be there and thus were able to fake being happy that I was there. It turned out to be rather pleasant and in about 20 minutes it was over and just about everyone left.

The next morning I drove up to the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo to start my return paperwork. Turns out our doctors failed to complete the paperwork we did before we left Iraq (along with most other doctorly tasks) so we all had to be interviewed by a doctor in Toledo, but that was the only holdup there. I also learned that reimbursement for laundry expenses on this trip are only authorized for laundry done in the US. I guess you don't need to launder clothing in other countries?! Just when you think you've made it... and seen all the goofiness that could possibly exist, you're proven wrong again. Now that I'm home, it's comical again.

So that's it. I'm settled again. I've coached a soccer practice and watched a second graders' softball game... (only two girls cried and ran to their moms at soccer practice - I guess I am having a little trouble adjusting, or is that pretty normal for a first practice?) I've done at least 6 loads of wash, several loads of dishes, cleaned up the barn, filled the hot tub, drank a few beers, watched a movie, and burned a pile of brush. Now we're getting ready for the big camping trip and then the mad dash that is my somewhat normal life will have taken over completely.

I can't say that I miss anything about the past 6 months... except maybe the paycheck. It's kind of sad that most of the guys I worked with had trouble making the bills on their military paycheck. I, on the other hand, took home almost twice my teaching salary once all my benefits like hostile fire pay, family separation, and immediate tax refunds were added in. Too bad you have to work in a war zone to get all that! Ah well, I'd rather be poor at home than "rich" in Iraq. It's so cool to get out of bed and walk to the next room to take a leak without having to get dressed and carry a flashlight. Not to mention the stocked fridge, whole house AC, clean, comfortable vehicles at my disposal, and rain... sweet summer rain! I love this country.

Luth.