I was looking through the pictures I have taken during this deployment (and looking for something to post on my blog to make the women in my life happy) and I stumbled across this picture I took during one of the plane washes. I don't quite know why this picture stood out but I think it looks pretty cool. Like a happy accident, you never know when a cool picture is going to happen!

When it rains, it pours!!! I have seen this several times since I've been here but this is the first time I have thought to take pictures of it. The flooding you see here is after about 30 minutes of rain. In fact during the storm I couldn't even see across the street. This is the view from my room.







The base of this building is sitting in about 4 to 5 inches of water...

...this is the same building only five minutes later!! Surf's up dude! The funny thing is, some of the guys are complaining about going back to Washington because, "it rains all the time!?". Weird..

Ahhhh! There's nothing like a day on the golf course. This is the course on Kadena Air Force base, Okinawa; and here is the line up for twilight golf.

For all you golf savvy people out there, no laughing. This is my fourth time on the course and I'll have you know the second time I EVER played I shot two holes for par and out drove my buddy's two hundred some odd dollar driver with a set of cheap rental clubs!! For all of you non-golf savvy people that means I'm freaking awesome!!! Well, all until my tee-off on this 198 yard par 3 which ended up with a lot of top spin and barely made it past the ladies tee block. Note: also for all of you non-golf savvy people, if a man doesn't clear the lady's tee on the first drive he has to play the rest of the hole with his pants down! Hey, I don't make the rules.

Meet Aric. The man responsible for introducing me to this wonderful sport and teaching me the ways of the course. Under his careful guidance and instruction I have learned how to tee-off, hit a fairway wood, an iron, a wedge, and a putter. I can judge distance, choose the correct club for the occasion and sort of aim in the right direction. Next lesson: how to tell your wife you want to buy a set of golf clubs. Apparently there really is no tried and true approach to this lesson. It really is more about trial and error. (I love you honey!)

Observe the exquisite form and intense concentration as I try to crack my ball out of the rough to attempt 200 yards to the green. I also used this same method to trim the weeds on the back nine! There is nothing more satisfying than really connecting with a ball and watching it sail in the direction you intended it to go, and I'm really hoping to experience that feeling some day! I really did have a great time golfing and yes, I'm hooked. Speaking of being hooked I have noticed a striking similarity between golf and fishing...a bad day on the course is better than a good day at work...Go Navy!!!!!

This is the view from the window in my room. I thought the sunset was pretty cool looking and I wanted to share it with all of you. That is the coast of Okinawa over looking the Pacific Ocean.

Annie, I want to thank you for the package you sent. I was going to post a picture of the contents of the package but they never left the hanger. You have made a lot of sailors very happy and slightly fatter;-D. All I have left is this cool card you made, and just to jazz up the picture a little I threw some of my patches in to the mix. You see, I always open my packages at work and share the contents. Noel has used this fact in the past to play some pretty funny tricks on me! You will have to ask her about that in a less public setting!! Anyway, when my fellow sailors peered into the box full of goodies you sent there was no holding them back, from my commanding officer on down, everyone enjoyed! Thank you for lifting the spirits of a few homesick sailors.