David

Just thought I would also write down a little about what is happening with Dave. For AT this summer, his unit is spending time between Cottonwood, Winchester, Grangeville, and Moscow, Idaho. Apparently, they are making a baseball field for Cottonwood High School and staying in the school itself, in the gym I think. At first I didn't understand at all how they could be using almost two weeks and their entire unit to make a baseball field. However, Dave enlightened me by explaining that they are practicing using their big equipment to level ground and haul in dirt to make the field and then lay the grass and build the fence, etc. to create the diamond itself. Glad to know that our troops are getting in a little community service, right?

I think Dave would be glad -- if it weren't for the fact that they eat MRE's two meals a day (breakfast and lunch), are sleeping in a gym, and inevitably waste a lot of time -- dragging out a job that shouldn't be as large as it is with all the equipment and manpower they have working on it; waking up between five and six and doing nothing until the late afternoon; then working until between 6:00 and 11:30 p.m., only to start again the next day. But if there is one thing I have learned through my various jobs that involved working for the government, it's that the the one thing they do NOT understand is efficient time management and getting things DONE.

When they aren't staying in a school gym and moving dirt to build a diamond, they are staying at "camp" in Winchester and practicing . . . . building big holes with large equipment and then (I think; I hope) filling them in again so no one gets in some serious trouble.

So - my heart goes out to you, Dave. Hang in there. You won't have to put up with this forever!

We love you!