Back here again...

I have returned to Kandahar Air Field, with a happy Christmas to remember, and I am getting rid of my jetlag ever so slowly. The trip back was just as long and tedious as those previous, however there were a few bonuses this time. I was able to see Amsterdam for a few hours between flights, which was really great, and later had a day and a half to spend with my dear friend Catriona and her family at my next stopover.

Now that I am back, I am ready to come home - we have very few weeks left to go and now the time seems long!! Thank goodness I had the majority of my tour done before I went home on leave.

Things at the hospital have been quiet other than the changing over of the surgical teams, both Canadian and Dutch. We were called in for a Canadian casualty this morning, and it was a not-so-pleasant welcome for me back to business here...this is why we are here, but with five months under my belt, I can say that it doesn't get any easier. The weather is getting nicer again, still pretty chilly at night but during the day it's climbing up to 20C. I can handle this! The bad part is that the dust is getting worse again, because it's been more dry.

The group that was here over Christmas had a good time I guess, with Rick Mercer and Mary Walsh, the band Jonas and Damhnait Doyle here to entertain them, and a visit from the Chief of the Defense Staff as well. There were a lot of great people back in Canada thinking of us over Christmas, and they showered us with care packages and gifts. It took me quite a while to go through the pile of gifts on my bed when I arrived back here!

I have tried to post a couple of photos but I don't seem to be able to do it from here...I will have to fix things up and show some more pics when I get home.

Well, it's just a matter of time now before I leave KAF for the last (at least it better be the last!) time...and it won't be long before you can take down all those yellow ribbons you've been wonderful enough to put on your trees!