This afternoon I decided to go for a walk to get out of that "conditioned air" office, my eyes were watering and blurry, and I just needed a break. I stepped out into the warm breeze blowing down Broadway and took a stroll. Nearly an hour later, I had covered a big loop around three city blocks, stopped and had two slices of pizza and a small coke, and enjoyed the scenery, as many of the females today must've decided that less is more. When I got back to the office, I felt refreshed and invigorated, and ended one of my better days at this particular assignment.

Once you've been through a Baghdad summer, stateside is a cakewalk. Yeah, there's a little humidity, but the breeze still felt cool on my skin. That never happened in Iraq last summer, never. Walking in the heat there wasn't just uncomfortable, it was painful. Sitting in our connex boxes at night when the power went out, or the bunkers if things got bad, is misery.

Still, I am going to keep my water bottles handy. I do not yet feel it is time for the camelbak, but it is here with me if I decide it is warranted.

I am looking forward to the fall here.