When I was checking out with the solar showers, the girl running the register (who I swear was NOT a blond) scanned and bagged the first one without paying any attention. The second one, she briefly looked at the box, which stated “5-gallon solar camp shower” on the label, then scanned and bagged it. The third one, she held up and asked me “So, these aren’t re-fillable?” I gave her a look and said “They’d better be. I’m sending them to some guys in Afghanistan who don’t have any shower facilities, and they are going to be awfully disappointed if they can’t put water in them.” A very dim lightbulb went on in her head as she said “Ohhhhhhhh….I thought you were buying so many because once you used what was in the box, you had to throw it away.” (Can y’all hear my eyeballs rolling? Do you know how difficult it was not to say “Did your Mama have any children that lived?” LOL!)

Well, I’m off to get these items boxed up and ready to put in the mail today. Shawn gave me $20 to help with postage, which is perfect.  I can fit two showers, two bottles of body wash, two shower puffs, and a pack of baby wipes in one of the small FRB’s. The postage for a small FRB is $10.35. So I can dig seventy cents out of the change jug and have exactly enough to put these things in the mail today. Awesome!! (P-Dot, if you are reading this…THANK YOU! from me and from Chuck and his men in Afghanistan. You rock!)

My old boss gave me a card today with a $50 Wal-Mart gift card in it, which of course I am going to use for my troops. Looks like Chuck and his guys in Korengal Valley, A’stan, will be getting solar camp showers in their next care package…Woo-hoo!! I reckon I should get them some shower gel to put in the same box with the showers ~ I don’t expect they’ve been stocking up on body wash since they’ve been taking “bird baths” with baby wipes for so long. (And since they don’t have a PX where they are, either.) I love it when I can fulfill an entire wish list, even if it takes awhile to do so.

Well, I’ve got Jeremy and Oceana right now, and I need to see what the little critters are into. I have put the dog’s food and water out of reach, but Jeremy always finds something to get into if I turn my back for too long. You know how those one-year-olds are! Thanks for reading my blog; I’ll write more later.

Onward and upward…

“I’m a sniper team leader in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan. We don’t have many resources out here, including no showers. Some of the things my men and I need are baby wipes, and a portable shower, something along the lines of a 5 gallon solar heated jug? We need sheets for our mattress’ (twin size) because they are bare and are very old and there is a big problem with fleas and bed bugs here. Also some chewing tobacco would be great, we have no way of getting these things, if you are going to send chew I like grizzly straight long cut, thanks a lot to whoever answers this, i hope I didn’t ask for too much, God bless.
Chuck”

The Korengal Valley of Afghanistan is also referred to as “The Valley of Death.” A friend from AnySoldier lost his son in the Korengal Valley on April 15th this year. It is a rough and rugged place at the best of times, and those stationed there are certainly not experiencing the best of times. It is my intention to provide as many items from this Soldier’s wish list as possible; I can put together a box of edibles and get it in the mail tomorrow, and I have e-mailed to let him know I am doing that. I also told him I was going to work on getting the items he specifically requested, as soon as possible. Anyone want to help? (I feel like The Little Red Hen sometimes. Anybody remember that story, or am I showing my age?)