After a week

Well it has been just a little over a week now. I have managed to sleep the whole time I have been here so that is good. International travel can be a killer so I just try and manage the best I can usually, so you might imagine I am elated!

The week started out in Saturday, with an early wake up at 3:30. I decided that since my boss can get up and go in, so could I. I just adjusted my schedule, what else did I have to do. Out of bed and into the shower, a semi cold shower, shaved, dressed, and heading out the door just a tad before 4am. Just a short walk across the street and wait for the dinning hall to open at 4:15. About 5 or 6 of sit there and wait, mostly KBR Management a few stragglers from other companies. Finally the door opens, we file in and get in the line. At this time of morning it is pretty much help yourself. A quick grab for a piece of hot wheat or white toast, maybe some scrambled eggs, beef sausage or beef bacon, French toast, or an omelet to order or pancakes, some baked beans, potatoes, Yogurt, oatmeal, assorted cereals, jellies, peanut butter, assorted juices and coffee.

The guys don't take long to eat, amazes me that they aren't getting indigestion (might be) from eating so fast. Once they hit the table they are back up in less than 10 minutes headed out the door. I am just finishing spreading butter and jam on my bread and peppering my taters and eggs. John is a patient boss, he tries his hardest to eat slow and wait on me, I do like to enjoy my food. I try to enjoy and eat fast enough, but no sooner than I drink my last swallow of Grapefruit juice he is saying you ready to go? So we get up, I stop by the coffee Urn for a quick warm up, grab our bagged lunch we signed up for the night before and we are piling in the SUV.

The drive takes us about 30 to 45 minutes everyday, one day a huge wreck happened in front of us, absolutely obliterated the front end of a dump truck who had slammed in to the back of a crane. Like Kuwait the wrecks are unbelievable, total destruction of man and metal. Once off the main highway, we meander through the well paved side roads towards the refinery. There are three cross roads between the main highway and the entrance, two have traffic lights one a stop sign. Arabs are pretty respectful of the traffic lights, but not so much the stop signs. We are good up to the stop sign and we have to be very cautious, not that we aren't at every intersection, but especially at that one. We make it through daily without incident which is a relief to both of us. No one wants to be a traffic statistic especially over seas.

As we approach the gate, we get out our credentials just in case we are asked for them. Most of the guards recognize you after a few days so it is just a habit. A couple of short turns and we are driving up to the complex. Once in the day begins. I start up my computer and while it is booting, I go to the kitchen and wash out my MiGO, a wonderful desk coffee mug my son and my new daughter in-law got me for Father's Day. I throw in a couple of teaspoons full of Nescafe Gold and some hot water out of the water cooler. Back in my office, which I share with Ardie my right hand, and log in to the server. For the first two days, it was quite a chore waiting for my computer to log into Houston but since we had my account moved here it is very quick. Check email and look at the To Do list and my day starts.

Not a lot of excitement I know but that is my day at work. We usually eat between 11 and 12 depending on what you are working on, and most of the time it is at your desk while you continue to work. Now and then I can catch a quick 15 minute nap of watch a few minutes of TIVO from my Sling connection, but most of the time it is continue with my huge list.

The drive home is about the same unless we need to stop of at the store or somewhere else. Once we are past the security check point and in the gate, we park and go in for some dinner. Usually John will get his food to take back to his room but I like to hang out and chat with some of the guys because I know the only thing I have left is go back to the room, change and chat with Diane for a few minutes and them back under the sheets around 8:30. There are a few things to do here, they have a small gym, a swimming pool, billiards and snooker. The library is lacking, mostly Korean and other novels that only English ones I saw were romance, go figure! That's about it, I will try and make life more interesting for you once I get in the swing. I hope you are all well and enjoying the well needed rain. I also hope you are enjoying the Adventures of Flat Stan. All for now.....