THURSDAY, MARCH 18th.

Day 312.

I talked to CPT Patti yesterday. Since the reestablishment of cell phone service in Iraq, the Iraqi system is compatible with some of the personal cell phones (aka Handies, in Germany) that our soldiers took with them. She tells me that the phones must be "D2 Compatible". Readers in Germany will know what that means.

(Sarah...I'm hoping your idea bin just hit a big KA-CHING! as to the next item you buy and mail to your husband.)

Anyway, CPT Patti borrowed a friends D2 phone and purchased a calling card and was able to call me. We talked for nearly half an hour.

And gee whiz she sounded so good! Sounds as if she is right about where she should be two weeks after leaving command...the decompression has begun...the silliness has returned.

And though we weren't able to spend our anniversary together...we did share a remarkable phone call.

Thanks to all who wrote in sending your congratulations. That means a lot.