Opening Day 2007

Hard to believe that it’s opening day once again and although two games were played yesterday the A’s open their new season today against the Mariners with Dan Haren on the mound. With a new manager Bob Geren and some new players on the roster Mike Piazza, Todd Walker, Shannon Stewart etc it should be a great team this year and if the pitching staff stays healthy there is no reason the A’s can’t win the West Division like last year and make it to the World Series. Either way, though I won’t be home to catch any of the games adn eat those wicked Gordon Biersch Garlic Fries while downing a nice marzen, however I once again subscribed to MLB Audio Game Day and will be able to catch the games archived since there is an 11 hour time zone difference from California to the box.

It feels like opening day out here in Kansas as it is sunny and a high of 85 is predicted for today. Though with us beginning our Mounted Combat Patrol (MCP) training tomorrow through Thursday the rain is moving back into the picture because rain is infantry weather and what would MCP be without rain and mud!!

This past weekend the Soldiers that I will be working with threw one hell of a BBQ in what could be called less than appropriate weather with rain and wind. They had it all, ribs, brisket, chicken, burgers, hotdogs, brats, veggies and plenty of beer, spirits and wine. They started barbequing at 1700 hrs and finished with the last of the food at 2030 hrs. I left the party just after 2200 hrs and from what I was told there were still folks out there at 0400 hrs. Due to the inclement weather, some tarps were set up, a large shelter tent was set up and a fire pit was used and there was plenty of wood to keep all the revelers nice and warm, the alcohol helped too. For me it was probably the last chance to party with the Soldiers since this coming Easter weekend is our four day pass, the following weekend my parents and sister are coming down to see me and sometime after that it will be wheels up for me and I will have to play it by ear as to when I will be heading over.

Today the folks that we will be replacing are here briefing us as to how the organization is set up, what the overall mission statement is, what to expect etc. All the folks that are in our group except for a couple who are in some other classes were there to listen in. The Soldiers have already been given the points of contact of their counterparts in the box and they have already began to email and call them to find out what to expect and what they need to bring or not bring over to the box. I also picked up my pair of hearing aides and now have something else in common with Carmen aka HQ6. We both have hearing aides and the kids better watch out since I can finally hear a pin drop and much more. I jokingly told the team that they better watch what they say since I can now hear almost everything including sniveling!

As you can imagine spirits are high as our four day pass is just two days and a wakeup away but who’s counting. Most of the Soldiers are going home but others myself included will have their families fly in. Right now it looks like I will meet Carmen and the kids at the airport on Thursday evening, stay near the airport and then on Friday head to Manhattan Kansas where we will spend two days there visiting the university, the city and the surrounding areas like Ft. Riley, Abilene and Topeka so the kids can see this part of the state. Easter Sunday we will head back to Kansas City and spend Easter and Monday sightseeing and just relaxing. They have a late flight out so that gives us most of the day to be together and then it’s time to come back to Ft. Riley and finish up with the last few blocks of instruction and start clearing.

I, like the Soldiers really want to get out of here and get over to the box so that we can begin doing our job that we were mobilized to do and help the Iraqi Army get up on it’s feet and transition as much responsibility and operational capability to them so we can finish up and leave for home after our time is up over there.

Go A’s!!