0730 hrs. Hi again! It's still hard to believe I actually heard your voice last night. What a relief for me to know you're doing okay. I wish I had had more time to talk, to tell you to give my love to everyone. I'm sure you'll do that for me anyway. The tears were really rollin' on my end. I couldn't hold them back, and I didn't care that seven other guys were standing around. Danny put an arm on my shoulder, happy for me. Maybe I got to everyone. I miss you and the girls so much. I wrote you a letter yesterday, so I neglected typing in the info here, about Mario and John. They had gotten a message relayed from Baghdad, saying they had confirmed seats for them on one of the chartered American flights out of Kuwait. Unfortunately, no one here at the American Embassy could confirm that, so they are still here. They thought that they would have been leaving for the airport at 0630 this morning. Yesterday was quite an exciting one for us here. Bob Baima (American Bob) was the only one to talk to Peter Jennings, from ABC. He ended up getting cut off. I would have liked to have added my two or three cents worth. It ended up that everyone here, except John, was able to get a phone call out, even the two Bobs. So we went out to America, Canada, Ireland and England. It was a lift for everyone. We were only waiting for a call from the states, to talk with a newspaper, so we thought. We were totally amazed when Bob was put through to his parents home in the states. Then it was my turn. I'm still floating on a cloud. It was good to hear that you got my letter. But I don't know if you also got the computer disk with it. Lord, thank-you!
1620 hrs.
Your voice lifts my spirit with the wind
What I would give to see your face again
To know your touch, the love you hold
I'm stuck. Can't think of more right now, but I sure miss you. Let's do lunch sometime! Those people called back again today, because Adrian didn't get through yesterday. So he called out, and then got to talk to BBC radio. I realized, while taking a shower, that my checks will include overseas pay. That should make it a little easier for you. Save a couple of bucks for me. Love ya! Last night, when we were watching news from Dubai, we caught a glimpse of Wanda at one of the hotels in Baghdad. Maybe tonight, we'll see Sarah or Claudette getting off the plane on safe ground. Canada Bob may be going to Baghdad now, because the 14 remaining Canadians in Kuwait are going there. They don't know if they'll get exit visas or become "guests," but they are leaving. So there won't be any Canadian diplomats left here, aye. Who knows for sure about anything? Maybe the US will pull off something that will allow the men out, and I'll go next. Dream on. The three beers I had last night, were also wonderful. I sweated them out this afternoon on the roof. I gave my butt another 20 minute exposure in the sunshine. Guess I'm running out of things to talk about, if I'm telling you that. Bye Bun!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
9/6/90 I'm Not Shot!
0830 hrs. It's not me Bun! I'm sure you get worried sick every time you hear bad news about things in the Gulf. I just heard on VOA, that an American was shot while trying to escape capture by soldiers. It's not clear about his condition. If only the phones worked. I also heard on the news, that football season opens on Sunday. Another major event that I'll miss. Kidding.
There were a couple of shots fired near here last night, that woke Phill and I up. That's all it did, was wake us up. We both went right back to sleep. At this point, I think it will take a knock on the door now, to get the adrenalin going. I don't want to get the adrenalin going.
The embassy says they're trying to evacuate the women and children, by flying out of Kuwait to Baghdad. They are still trying to arrange the release of all of us. Keep praying. The news said King Hussein of Jordan is going to Baghdad to tell Saddam Hussein that he has no choice but to leave Kuwait. Sure wish he'd listen. Think I'll go have my morning toast now. To be continued.....unfortunately.....or fortunately depending on your point of view. We'll be thankful. Love you.
1010 hrs. Mario just received a message, relayed from Sarah, that they made it to Baghdad okay. She said Baghdad is operating as if nothing's going on. Said there is shelter there for Mario and John. Mario was also told that traveler's checks aren't any good. Cash only. Four Iraqi KD to one Kuwaiti KD. They said it used to be 12 to 1. John and Mario will probably be leaving next. Sarah said there is no problem going to Baghdad, or taking luggage. I give them two days here. God help the last of us.
There were a couple of shots fired near here last night, that woke Phill and I up. That's all it did, was wake us up. We both went right back to sleep. At this point, I think it will take a knock on the door now, to get the adrenalin going. I don't want to get the adrenalin going.
The embassy says they're trying to evacuate the women and children, by flying out of Kuwait to Baghdad. They are still trying to arrange the release of all of us. Keep praying. The news said King Hussein of Jordan is going to Baghdad to tell Saddam Hussein that he has no choice but to leave Kuwait. Sure wish he'd listen. Think I'll go have my morning toast now. To be continued.....unfortunately.....or fortunately depending on your point of view. We'll be thankful. Love you.
1010 hrs. Mario just received a message, relayed from Sarah, that they made it to Baghdad okay. She said Baghdad is operating as if nothing's going on. Said there is shelter there for Mario and John. Mario was also told that traveler's checks aren't any good. Cash only. Four Iraqi KD to one Kuwaiti KD. They said it used to be 12 to 1. John and Mario will probably be leaving next. Sarah said there is no problem going to Baghdad, or taking luggage. I give them two days here. God help the last of us.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Wednesday September 5, 1990
0815 hrs. Another day. Time to swear off wine. Getting sick of it. There's nothing else to drink but water and coffee. Oh yea, there's tea. Maybe I'll make a pitcher of iced tea today. It's pizza day. John and Mario are going to make it. Iraq has thrown a wrench in their plans to leave, by not allowing cars with Kuwait license plates to leave the country. If they go, they'll have to go to a city in Iraq to buy plates. Hussein is really being a brute. I hope the girls had a restful night in Baghdad. We were watching what few channels we can tune in, but didn't see anything about the busses arriving in Baghdad from Kuwait. Hopefully they will get out today or tomorrow. Maybe Claudette called you from Iraq. You should get my letter next week. Claudette did have it in her suitcase at first, but I asked her to keep it with her in case her luggage gets lost. Tomorrow is five weeks. Maybe I'll vacuum today for something to do. Sounds exciting, huh?
2320 hrs. Well, it's bedtime. Today, Adrian switched the antenna wires on the booster, and now we get five different channels. Five friggin weeks with one stupid channel, Iraq, because the wires were hooked up wrong on the booster. Just in time though, I think we've watched about all the VHS movies that were here. Something to pass the time in the evening. It was great to see an actual news show tonight. It wasn't too cool though, hearing that Iraq has a stockpile of weapons with anthrax virus. Maybe that's how he plans on turning Kuwait into a graveyard. I think the fool would still do it. I don't think we'll be playing games like we used to, since the women are gone. I don't know what difference that should make, but it has. Well, I'm going to bed. I love you. See you in my dreams. Pray with me.
2320 hrs. Well, it's bedtime. Today, Adrian switched the antenna wires on the booster, and now we get five different channels. Five friggin weeks with one stupid channel, Iraq, because the wires were hooked up wrong on the booster. Just in time though, I think we've watched about all the VHS movies that were here. Something to pass the time in the evening. It was great to see an actual news show tonight. It wasn't too cool though, hearing that Iraq has a stockpile of weapons with anthrax virus. Maybe that's how he plans on turning Kuwait into a graveyard. I think the fool would still do it. I don't think we'll be playing games like we used to, since the women are gone. I don't know what difference that should make, but it has. Well, I'm going to bed. I love you. See you in my dreams. Pray with me.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
9/4/90 - Tuesday
0740 hrs. It is quiet here now. The women left early this morning. Sarah, Claudette, Wanda and Carrera are on buses now, going to Baghdad. With them, my letter is on its way to you. I really did seal it with a kiss. Wanda and Carrera got on a bus with the Austrian convoy. Claudette and Sarah went out with the British. Yesterday, about 1600 hrs, there was a call for Adrian to let him know that there were two seats on the bus for Wanda and Carrera, if they wanted to get out. That was when Mario saw someone going into the house next door, and Phill and I ran up to the roof to hide. We stayed up there for over two hours, thinking that maybe troops were searching houses, and maybe they had taken the others, or maybe they were in this house taking food. Our imaginations were on overload, but Mario had just forgot about us. I guess after we went up on the roof, there were more phone calls saying that the Brits were going to get some buses and tag along with the Austrians, and they wanted to know if Sarah and Claudette wanted to go. The distractions were understandable, but I wasn’t happy at the time. Finally, when it was supper time, they realized that Phill and I were missing. I had told Phill earlier, that they would remember us when it was time to do dishes, since it was his wash day. That was about the truth of it.
1520 hrs. Had spaghetti for lunch. Quite filling. Played scrabble. I won. Listened to the news, nothing new. Bored. The Bobs were over listening to the news with us. Canada Bob was telling a story about Iraqi soldiers wanting to go in the market to shop, way back when there was food. His helper, Ricky was there and said the owner wouldn't allow the soldier in. He said to tell him what he wanted and he would go in and bring it out to him. After arguing, I guess the owner won. He went in and came back out with a bag full of canned cat food and dog food. I guess they were laughing when the soldier left, cuz the Iraqi peoples aren't educated and can't read. It won't be funny if it comes down to eating dog food here. We don't even have dog food. Yesterday, the news said that Kuwaiti's wounded a soldier and threw him on burning garbage so he burned to death. Saddam is threatening the west again, saying the "guests" will be hungry if food isn't allowed into Iraq. Rumors yesterday were that the hostages were allowed one sausage and three chips (fries) for meals. I feel guilty, because I have been gaining weight here, sitting on my butt most of the time. Hopefully, I'll be home before the fat disappears into nothing.
1520 hrs. Had spaghetti for lunch. Quite filling. Played scrabble. I won. Listened to the news, nothing new. Bored. The Bobs were over listening to the news with us. Canada Bob was telling a story about Iraqi soldiers wanting to go in the market to shop, way back when there was food. His helper, Ricky was there and said the owner wouldn't allow the soldier in. He said to tell him what he wanted and he would go in and bring it out to him. After arguing, I guess the owner won. He went in and came back out with a bag full of canned cat food and dog food. I guess they were laughing when the soldier left, cuz the Iraqi peoples aren't educated and can't read. It won't be funny if it comes down to eating dog food here. We don't even have dog food. Yesterday, the news said that Kuwaiti's wounded a soldier and threw him on burning garbage so he burned to death. Saddam is threatening the west again, saying the "guests" will be hungry if food isn't allowed into Iraq. Rumors yesterday were that the hostages were allowed one sausage and three chips (fries) for meals. I feel guilty, because I have been gaining weight here, sitting on my butt most of the time. Hopefully, I'll be home before the fat disappears into nothing.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Labor Day 9/3/90
0745 hrs. Good morning, Bun. Happy Labor Day. Time to pack up and say goodbye to the cottage. Well, that’s what we should have been doing today. I'd sure like to be saying goodbye to this place. I'm still working on your letter. Abdullah stopped in to visit last night. He's the younger of the two Kuwaiti's who have helped us here. All the Kuwaiti's stayed home from work yesterday because it was the anniversary date of the invasion. He said they were going to stay home today, too. The Palestinians in this country are working though. They're supporting Hussein. If he wins, this could be their country. I think that was what Libya and Arafat are trying to arrange. I think the Kuwaiti's here are going to start hurting or killing them. They are betraying the Kuwaiti's and also turning in foreigners. I think the resistance here needs better organization, better strategic planning. Abdullah said that the Iraqi soldiers are being housed in the schools in the area. He said there are about 400 in the school by the police station near us. Even the families of the soldiers are there. Abdullah said they don't have homes in Iraq, and that the schools are all air conditioned. I guess that's something worth fighting for in a desert country. The house next to us is empty. John broke into it yesterday, and found tomatoes and a couple green peppers. It will be an extra place to hide, if we need it. Abdullah said that a couple more weeks, and Iraq will be out of some food. I don't really think he has all that accurate of information. Our other friend, Jafar, is older and I think more involved in the political families of Kuwait. His news is usually more credible I think. Miss you still. Not much in the news today. Got to go, Sarah just made us some omelets. Maybe I will miss her when she leaves.
1930 hrs. The women are leaving in the morning. I wrote you a four page letter. Mom is getting a one pager. I'm also sending this journal on a disk. I'm not sure whether our computer will be able to read this disk or not? I guess Mario and John will leave soon also. I'm just having too much fun to leave. Ha! Ha! Take care my love. God bless you. Remember the happiness. Be happy. I am with you always.
1930 hrs. The women are leaving in the morning. I wrote you a four page letter. Mom is getting a one pager. I'm also sending this journal on a disk. I'm not sure whether our computer will be able to read this disk or not? I guess Mario and John will leave soon also. I'm just having too much fun to leave. Ha! Ha! Take care my love. God bless you. Remember the happiness. Be happy. I am with you always.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
9/2/90
1000 hrs. It's Sunday. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
Some women and children have been flown home. George was probably on that same flight with Jesse Jackson. Are you enjoying our vacation? Me neither. We had more fireworks last night. Some pretty loud booms quite a ways off.
What should I do? Sit and wait, or go for the desert again? I want to leave this place, but who knows how long it will take before we'd be allowed to leave. Bush and Gorbachev are to meet in Helsinki on September 9th. I wish Carol and Randy would be meeting by then. Remember me? This is a long time to be apart. How are the girls? I miss you all.
Time to go up on the roof for some quiet. Carrera is having a rough morning, screaming, crying and having tantrums. She really is spoiled. Makes me miss our angels all the more. Do they miss me? I bet they do. I miss them. They shouldn't be without me this long. It's not right, it's not fair. Is Jesse ready to go back to school? How is everyone at church? Have you been going? Have you been out to John and Dee's? How 'bout Mark and Karen? Did they ever come up for a visit? Did you go to the Haslam reunion? Am I missing anything? I'm missing you. To paraphrase an old Graham Nash song:
Thinking to myself today,
I'm sorry that I went away.
I'm feeling down, what can I say,
I miss you.
The second line is really "I'm sorry that you went away." Guess I'll go to the roof and continue reading Hanta Yo. It's a story, a saga, about an Indian tribe. It's 812 pages. I'm on page 91. I surely don't want to finish reading it in this country, but my hopes aren't too high right now. Later, Bun.
1730 hrs. I didn't end up doing any reading. I wrote mom a letter. I’m writing you one also. Sarah is really doing some serious packing, putting her whole house in a box. So, the women may leave within the week.
As the sun is setting on another day,
seems like we're never going to get away.
Think of the hand
at the end of your arm.
Fingers to touch,
to hold,
to squeeze.
I better stick to writing your letter, and also that wonderful ditty I've been working on, "Another Lovely F@#ing Day In Kuwait City." Attitude time. What's for supper? If it's soup, then this must be Kuwait. Wasn't that a movie?
Some women and children have been flown home. George was probably on that same flight with Jesse Jackson. Are you enjoying our vacation? Me neither. We had more fireworks last night. Some pretty loud booms quite a ways off.
What should I do? Sit and wait, or go for the desert again? I want to leave this place, but who knows how long it will take before we'd be allowed to leave. Bush and Gorbachev are to meet in Helsinki on September 9th. I wish Carol and Randy would be meeting by then. Remember me? This is a long time to be apart. How are the girls? I miss you all.
Time to go up on the roof for some quiet. Carrera is having a rough morning, screaming, crying and having tantrums. She really is spoiled. Makes me miss our angels all the more. Do they miss me? I bet they do. I miss them. They shouldn't be without me this long. It's not right, it's not fair. Is Jesse ready to go back to school? How is everyone at church? Have you been going? Have you been out to John and Dee's? How 'bout Mark and Karen? Did they ever come up for a visit? Did you go to the Haslam reunion? Am I missing anything? I'm missing you. To paraphrase an old Graham Nash song:
Thinking to myself today,
I'm sorry that I went away.
I'm feeling down, what can I say,
I miss you.
The second line is really "I'm sorry that you went away." Guess I'll go to the roof and continue reading Hanta Yo. It's a story, a saga, about an Indian tribe. It's 812 pages. I'm on page 91. I surely don't want to finish reading it in this country, but my hopes aren't too high right now. Later, Bun.
1730 hrs. I didn't end up doing any reading. I wrote mom a letter. I’m writing you one also. Sarah is really doing some serious packing, putting her whole house in a box. So, the women may leave within the week.
As the sun is setting on another day,
seems like we're never going to get away.
Think of the hand
at the end of your arm.
Fingers to touch,
to hold,
to squeeze.
I better stick to writing your letter, and also that wonderful ditty I've been working on, "Another Lovely F@#ing Day In Kuwait City." Attitude time. What's for supper? If it's soup, then this must be Kuwait. Wasn't that a movie?
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
9/1/90 - Saturday
0945 hrs. Well, here I are. There you are. Seven weeks since I left. We had a lot of fireworks last night. It started about 2140 hrs. Red tracers from the direction of the Persian Gulf, red tracers from somewhere to our right, a big explosion, machinegun fire, pretty exciting stuff. Danny got some of the tracers on video. He also picked up sounds of machinegun fire, and me passing gas. I guess I'd give myself away if I were in combat. Of course we did have chili for lunch yesterday. I'm still gassy this morning. What's new? No big breakthroughs reported on the news this morning. We're still worried about house searches. Today is my day for dish washing duty again. We're supposed to be having omelets for lunch. They don't fill me up very well. Hope to continue my letter as long as I'm here. Don't know what will happen if they take us from this house. I doubt if I'd be allowed to bring this computer.
1220 hrs. Sarah just heard that six American males were allowed to leave because of health problems. We think that means that George got out. Praise God! Maybe there's hope for us yet. Oh yea, dish washing sucks! I had to get that out. You're getting a dishwasher, like it or not. Whenever that may be. I wonder if you've gotten my letter yet? How are the girls? Our (planned) vacation is almost over. Jesse starts school Tuesday, doesn't she? Have you gotten her some pretty school clothes? It's sure been a wonderful summer, hasn't it? Mario and Sarah have been doing a lot of packing. They must be planning to leave here soon. For them, it seems that women, children and Maltese will be able to get out. I'm jealous. I'm angry!
1220 hrs. Sarah just heard that six American males were allowed to leave because of health problems. We think that means that George got out. Praise God! Maybe there's hope for us yet. Oh yea, dish washing sucks! I had to get that out. You're getting a dishwasher, like it or not. Whenever that may be. I wonder if you've gotten my letter yet? How are the girls? Our (planned) vacation is almost over. Jesse starts school Tuesday, doesn't she? Have you gotten her some pretty school clothes? It's sure been a wonderful summer, hasn't it? Mario and Sarah have been doing a lot of packing. They must be planning to leave here soon. For them, it seems that women, children and Maltese will be able to get out. I'm jealous. I'm angry!
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