Letter to Elena

August 22, 2005

Dearest Critter,
It is very early on Sunday the 21st, 2:45 am… it is hot and I cannot sleep. Nothing like the kind of hot you are experiencing but hot for here. I am sorry I have been so bad about writing, I am trying to work every free minute so that I can prepare for taking time off with my surgery. I have it scheduled for the 16th of September. Today it hurt so bad I wanted to call the surgeon and move it up a couple weeks. Your letters are wonderful; I really look forward to seeing them in the mailbox… You are almost DONE! Yahoo! You did it… Your last letter had me concerned with the small mental capacity of some of the higher ranked officers. I know they think it is their job to educate you and try and prepare you for any situation, however watching graphic videos of people getting tortured does not sound at all like a normal or even productive approach to trying to make you a better solider. I cannot believe it, you really are a solider… So you are heading off to Texas….hmmmmm, you know my feelings about TEXA S! I am assuming you will be going to San Antonio? Down on the Alamo! The River walk is about the only thing besides the Alamo worth seeing besides the River Walk… That is an awesome underground shopping and dining experience… But you should be able to find your Daddy an armadillo or two for his growing collection. On that base when I stayed there nit drove me nuts because they would blow revelry at the crack of dawn…. You would here the bugle blow from quit a distance. It actually is a great sound. BUT you know I have never been a real good morning girl.

What’s new here? I am working on a book. I got the story lines from our honeymoon and my writing was recently selected by a student at PSU to do a thesis on my work… pretty cool. I broke down and was having really bad Big Boy withdrawals so I started seeking a cat. I knew what I wanted and I investigated many foster homes and rescue facilities. I first fell for this beautiful female feline, I knew she was really skittish and like to hide but when I handled her she was so calm… I loved her little face and her BIG potbelly. Her name was miss Kitty but your Daddy and I renamed her Miss Mojo!

Ok, I find that this letter keeps getting saved and is not being put in the mail? So it is my goal to wrap this up before I head to work for a 10-hour day. All is good her like I said we are just hanging out. Your Dad is working so much that it is hard for us to actually match schedules. But the time we do share together is rewarding. Dale has moved back in with us….JOY- JOY…. Friggle- fraggle. He has been here less than a week and is already starting to wear on my nerves. He is such a womanizer.

My surgery is 9-16 and I think your dad goes to SC on the 23, I think. I wish you well you sweet angel. I am so proud of you…. I knew you could make it, no matter what happens in life I am confident you will land on your feet. Stay true to yourself.
Love you Critter,
Mars