Originally uploaded by Basinbob.

Allesandro receives a coin from our Commander at last night's farewell bash for the Italian General. Mark and I put him and Major P up for special recognition for all the work they did getting us to the police stations during their tour. Major P went home today.

We met the new Italians coming in to replace our friends last night for dinner in our mess, then some of us went for expresso at their camp. I'm happy for my friends going home, but I'll miss them. I have a standing invitation from Major P to visit when the mattanza are running in May.

It was terribly hot here today, well over 100 degrees F. The air conditioning was appreciated, but made the sortees out into the hot air that much more difficult. The mess is pretty much out of gatorade and they've stopped delivering it to our door in bulk for some reason. We're also low on milk. I'll be glad to get back to "normal" meals again. The only TV I usually watch is in the mess hall, with the new Pope getting top billing today.

I met with one of the provincial DGs (Director Generals) yesterday to sort out our hospital elevator issues. A very well educated and thoughtful man who is also a medical doctor. We met him in our visitor contact center where a man spoke to him urgently. He sent him off to see the Italian doctor, and then explained the man's mother was bitten by a venomous snake and he was here for the anti-venom. "But," the doctor explained,"his mother died this morning while he waits in line." He sent him in to see the Italian doctor who already knew of his mother's condition, and went in with me to our meeting.

A gunman threatened our Iraqi contractors at the primary health care center going up in Nasiriyah, extorting money. Wanted $10,000 or else. The police have not been as helpful as we would have hoped. The DG I met with promised to speak with the Chief of Police to resolve things. I told him I would also speak to him, and he said, better to save that for bigger problems and he would handle it. I'm always impressed with Iraqis ready to fix Iraqi problems, and they'll have plenty to practice on in the near future. It did leave me wondering what bigger problems I would be called into play on if they felt men armed with AK47s was not a big deal...

I met with Captain Alaa yesterday to review his police station design again. Don's done a great job modifying the 194th design to suit the captain's needs. Now we just have to get it out to bid and awarded to an Iraqi contractor so we can get it built. That's tomorrow's plan.